The text I just sent to my husband: “Don’t drive past the garage when you come home. I’ve got M&Ms drying in the driveway.” 

 I don’t do pretentious.

I don’t do goopy.

I don’t do cluttered.

I don’t do fussy.

I don’t do stuffy

I don’t do uncomfortable.

I don’t do over-priced or budget-busting.

Before we go much further together, there are some things you should know about me…

Can you please tell my friend why she shouldn’t put Ikea furniture in her mansion?

In my experience, there are a number of reasons people have an expensive house with inexpensive furniture. (Not all of them are good reasons.)

I stumbled across the show Tiny House Hunters the other day. Holy unrealistic expectations, Batman! I mean, there’s no way you’re going to get a kitchen with full-size appliances, separate offices for you and your husband, and a bedroom big enough for a king-size bed (plus plenty of space to walk around the bed) in a house that’s less than 400 square feet and costs $35,000 including delivery. It just isn’t happening!

There’s nothing like coming home and being greeted by the pure joy your dog feels when he sees you. That big-grinning, tail-wagging ball of fur has been waiting ALL DAY for his human—and now you’re here! Truth be told, you’ve been looking forward to seeing his sweet face, too. Sound about right?

Getting great quality at a great price and getting it right now just doesn’t happen. You’re going to have to let one of the three take a back seat.

Oh, man. My job is soooo cool! I get to help my clients create a home that makes them happy the moment they walk in the door. One that is beautiful, just right for the way they live, and gives them a sense of rejuvenation. To do all of this, though, I have to ask what seems like a million questions…

Help! I’ve heard that I should choose my paint color before I start on my room, but I’ve also heard that it should be the last thing you pick. What’s the right time to pick my paint color?

Both. Wait! Hang on, don’t throw up your hands in despair just yet! Let me tell you why.

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with a new client of mine when she mentioned that she was in the process of KonMari-ing her home. The look on my face must have shown my confusion because she laughed and said, “I promise it’s an actual thing!” After hearing her rave about this amazing organizational method, I decided to check it out.