Last fall, I attended a coaching conference in Phoenix, with about 1000 (or more) mostly women. On the first day, the keynote speaker Brooke Castillo, who had two new Chanel purses with her, complete with beautiful boxes, on-stage from the first session, offered them to the large audience for $10. 

$10 for a multi-thousand dollar purse. 

Most of us stayed in our seats, confused, or letting our brains spin with all the reasons our brains offered us of why she did not mean us. 

"I don't have any cash on me." 

"This is a joke." 

"There's a larger lesson here...right?"

 "There are too many people between me and the stage." 

"I can't stand up and just ASK for a purse in front of all these people."

"I don't want to look greedy/materialistic/like I care about purses."

A few, however, stood up--borrowing cash from people in neighbor seats, offering to Venmo, etc. and the very fastest of those got Chanel purses…for $10. The entire gigantic hotel resort ballroom was electrified and staring at the stage in astonishment. Even the online attendees (who were also eligible for the purses) were furiously chatting messages we could see on the wall projector all amounting to: 

What. The Heck. Is Happening Right Now?!

Yes, some people acted faster than others, but at the rate the purses were claimed, there wasn't a single person in the audience who couldn't have claimed a purse if s/he had immediately believed it was available and meant for them. It hit me: I could have had a Chanel purse. For $10. All I had to do was ask (and in this case, claim it).

What opportunities are being presented to you every day that you are convinced are not for you? That you are closed to because of some sentence in your brain telling you that you can't. It's only true if you believe it!

What if everything was available to you--Chanel purses, travel, strong relationships, meaningful work, a beautiful garden, a cold drink on a hot day, a kind word? Decide that it is and let it outlast your doubt until you have it. Want some help figuring out how? Book a free discovery call with your favorite coach! I specialize in helping you tap into your own perfect wisdom to turn desires into decisions that activate and release your power. Let's goo!

The "5 Kind of Things" clutter-clearing strategy, as presented in author KC Davis's book How To Keep House While Drowning is one of my favorite methods for taking action in a space because it removes anxiety about what to do next by providing clear direction for staying in flow, virtually eliminating decision fatigue. My 5 Things Method for Travel will keep your journey-weary brain and body systematically moving until the hot shower and Netflix-binge at the end, which you can enjoy without having to step over your suitcase!

Ideally, you will utilize the 5 Things Method to completely unpack and settle in immediately upon arriving home. However, the beauty of this method is that it smartly prioritizes your must-do tasks so that even if you just tackle one category right away, you've taken care of the most pressing/bulkiest tasks before taking on anything else. Just follow the yellow brick road! (Indulge me; I've been overusing the Wizard of Oz metaphors since my high school graduation speech.)

1. Take everything out of your car, then each bag and suitcase and sort into these categories:
   

2. Perishables and Trash: Empty that pic-a-nic basket, BooBoo! Get your souvenir pralines (and anything that melts) out of the sun and away from your “Beach Life” tee. Receipts, lint, bag tags, boiling hot slushies

3. Clothing and Personal Care Items: Dirty clothes to the laundry room (and start a load, if possible) Put away everyday use items: medications, glasses, hair brush, make-up, shoes, accessories, chargers/tech, and any clean clothes next. Traveling with multiple people? Do this at the same time for max laundry efficiency

4. Non-Travel Items:  These are the items that do not need to live in your suitcase beyond this trip. This could include souvenirs, work business, and anything else that came home with you. If you know where it goes, put it away. If it’s new, find it a permanent home. If this part feels interminable and slows you down, designate one HIGHLY-VISIBLE space of a counter, preferably in a contained bin to put anything you don’t have a place for yet. If you don’t clear it within a specific time (one day? 72 hours? A week?), resolve to discard it appropriately at that time. Move on to number 5.

5. Travel Items:  Refill any empty travel bottles and creams and replace razors so you can re-pack them and be ready quickly for the next trip. Out of something?  Add it to your online grocery or amazon cart for the next order. Repack your replenished travel toiletries. Put your packing cubes, garment bags, and any other travel-specific items back into your suitcase. Wipe down your suitcase and inspect for any damage before putting it away. Bonus: Re-stock your car with travel essentials—wipes or napkins, utensils, band-aids, hair ties, dental floss, etc. Super mega bonus: vacuum and wash your car.

   This 5 Things for Travel method was recently featured in my Help Yourself! weekly newsletter, along with other simple tips for easily re-integrating into your life and home after a trip. Subscribe here to get that great content delivered straight to your inbox.
   

   If you want to learn more about the original "5 Things" method, check out my FBWatch video where I explain what it is and how to use it to clear any space of clutter:

   Do you want to go beyond unpacking, reorganize the universe in your favor, and get personalized understanding and ideas of how to create the most intentional environments to live and work in? I can help you! Book a free consult call with me.