We’ve put together some suggestions to keep you organized and prepared to enjoy the fun. Whether you are hosting a watch party at home or tailgating on campus, we’ve got you covered.
Noticing the Little (and Lovely) Things at Home
First Impressions: Entry Way & Mudroom
Spice It Up
The “right” way to set up a kitchen is to make it functional for YOU and how you use it. When tackling the spices the two key factors are access & visibility so that you can get what you need when you need it. One of the best things we can recommend is investing in uniform containers. This isn’t always required, but will be a huge help if you want to take your spice storage to the next level.
Clear the Clutter, Calm the Mind
Lauren Wilson, LMSW BA shares her wisdom - The ongoing struggle for peace and order at home is a familiar one. Many of us are feeling swamped by the demands of life and messy homes can be a side effect. There is a connection from our home to the mind and body - a disorganized living space can negatively impact your sense of emotional well-being.
These 5 things.
The Tale of a Trader Joes Bag
Tips for Getting Out the Door
Seasonal Shift: Summer to Fall
As our schedules change and the weather slowly cools down, the way we live in our homes shift too. Our wardrobes, meals, daily activities, and routines are all affected. There is something powerful that happens we we pause and look ahead to what is next. We find that there are lots of little ways we can be mindful and prepared for the season ahead.
Squeezing in a Last Summer Trip - Packing Tips & more
Navigating Loss and Your Loved Ones Belongings
Your loved ones and their belongings are deserve to be handled with care and processed in your own time and manner. Grief is deeply personal and how we grieve is as unique as our relationships. Here are a few encouragements we’d like to share, based on our own experiences as well as some of what we have learned from working with our client’s walking this journey.
Thank you for allowing us to enter into your homes and lives during these sacred, dynamic, and emotional times that loss brings about.
Honor the legacy and memories.
Remember and cherish what comes up as you go through belongings. It’s ok to cry, to laugh, and everything else in between. For some, this process is very emotional and for others it is not difficult and that’s ok! We recommend starting in areas of a home that are low-sentiment level like a garage, linen closet, or kitchen drawers then moving to more sentimental areas like clothing, jewelry, and keepsakes. If you come across surprisingly meaningful mementos or photos during this time - you might consider making copies or framing them to share with other family members. Know yourself - if you are fearful to be overwhelmed by embarking on this journey alone, invite a friend or loved one to do this with you. If you are hoping for more time and space to process individually, do this on your own. However you decide to approach it, this can be a very healing experience.
Take your time (when this is possible).
It is wise to pay attention to timelines related to financial institutions, payment schedules, legal requirements for wills and trusts, etc. We recommend going at your own pace and not rushing the sentimental and more emotional items. Wait for family members to be able to do it together. Create a non-hurried and calm environment when possible. We know this is not always an option but there can be a rich sweetness to the process when it is at a pace that feels fitting to the loved ones doing it. Creating a timeline can help keep everyone on track.
Ask for help.
Be kind. To yourself and to everyone involved in this process. Everyone grieves differently and there is no one “right” way to go through the process and emotions that accompany loss. Give yourself simple categories when organizing: Keep, Donate (or sell), Discard (recycle or trash), and Undecided. Be sure to include the right people in the hands on work of sorting and deciding. Our team is able to lighten the load for many of our clients in this situation as we take some of the burden off of direct family members by handling belongings.
We can help in a variety of ways:
Sorting and creating an inventory of collections and belongings
Assisting family members with decision making around furniture and decor
Packing and removing items for donation
Packing and labeling items to be kept/stored or dispersed to individuals
Creating a plan and timeline for emptying a home/apartment/assisted living unit
Often times, folks find it helpful to have a professional counselor walk through this process with them as well. We highly recommend reaching out and finding someone to talk to as you navigate your own grief. Check out a previous blog we shared featuring Margaret Page, a wonderful woman who is a certified grief educator and counselor. GriefShare is another great resource to find support.
Find meaning anywhere you can.
Integrate special items into your daily life to be used instead of packing them away in a box to be “remembered”. Use their favorite dish towel, hang a piece of art they cherished in your home, burn a scented candle in your home that they loved. Do a bit of research to determine the most appropriate non-profit/church/organization to donate items. Even in the act of letting go of belongings, you can honor your loved ones wishes and passions.
Ask yourself these questions when sorting items…
Do I/does anyone in the family genuinely want or need this?
Does this item bring joy or useful function?
Does it carry too much pain or anxiety to keep?
AHEAD OF TIME.
It may not be comfortable or easy to talk about death, but we highly encourage folks to have meaningful conversations about what matters most to them and what they would like to happen with certain items (of high value or meaning) when they are gone. This can eliminate confusion and questions when the day comes. It gives us each agency, to think ahead and make meaningful decisions while we are able to. The very best time to proactively consider these things, is now. It doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming, and you might be surprised at how loving it may feel to be asked. Lots of folks may not have ever thought about it, so prompting the question of how you can best honor their wishes by asking what they’d like to happen with their belongings is a great place to start.
Another way you might consider honoring the story and life of your loved ones, is by working with Meg Davis, of Telling More Stories. After experiencing the unexpected loss of her own grandfather, she started her own storytelling company whose mission is to tell and preserve family stories for future generations. Imagine the joy of giving and/or receiving a gift like this.
You don’t have to do this alone. Let us help you sort through your loved one’s belongings with care and compassion. We are here to lighten the load and honor your memories.
Too Much of a Good Thing by SK Carr
Our very own SK, shares her thoughts on living with less… here's the truth: the more stuff we own, the more of our energy it consumes. In most cases, less truly is more—not for aesthetics, but for function, peace of mind, and ease. Let’s walk through a few common spaces in the home where excess tends to sneak in and explore how simplifying can transform your day-to-day experience.
Order: What does it really mean?
You're Invited to a House Party
Summer Swaps at Home
We know this season can be fun, busy, hot, long, pressurized, and everything else in between. Our team is busy day in and out in the homes of our clients helping to bring order, declutter, prepare for a move, settle into new spaces, and ultimately help tackle the barriers keeping folks from being able to love where they live.
Organizing Tips for Trips + Travel
We're Closed Next Week!
Help You Dwell will be closed from May 26 - June 1. Why? Because we believe rest is important, and it won’t happen by accident! For the past few years we have chosen to pause our business operations for a week at the end of May. It’s our small & practical revolt against the pace and intensity of non-stop work in our culture.
How to Organize: Shared Spaces for Summer
May 2025 Graduation Gift Ideas
Celebrating the accomplishment and milestone of graduation is a big deal. While some grads prefer cash, there are a handful of thoughtful gifts we’ve come up with. Take into consideration the goals and personality of the grad you are celebrating!
Graduation is a time of transition for the individual graduating as well as their family. We love serving clients in a season of transition - as your life season changes, so should your home so it can continue to allow you to live well in the space you have.
Gift Ideas
L.L. Bean Tote Bag - these bags are perfect for day to day use; classic, durable, and customizable.
Custom Stationary or Notebook - we found these beautiful designs at Papier.
Plush personalized bath towels - start them out with a fresh set.
Weekender Bag or Cosmetic Case - we love the unique options Village Exchange has in store.
Words of Encouragement - these Truth for Today cards by Emily Lex are perfect.
Endless Audiobooks - a membership to Audible is always a win.
Framed City Maps - to decorate a dorm or apartment and remind them of the place they call home.
Your favorite novel - Theo of Golden is a favorite on our team currently.
Houseplant - locals check out Oglewood Ave for a plant baby to gift.
Help You Dwell Gift Card - bring simplicity and organization through the gift of our services (packing, unpacking, decluttering, organizing). We can help prepare a dorm room, apartment, or shared living space for college students as well!
Plan a trip - make memories together and experience a new place to celebrate this milestone.
How are you celebrating the grads in your life?
Hosting a graduation party - we’ve got you covered with tips & tricks!
& Don’t forget
Our Mother’s Day Special 25% off gift cards is available now thru Sunday, May 11!
CODE: MOTHERSDAY25
4th & Gill Tour of Homes & Secret Gardens 2025
What a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon, the 4th & Gill Tour of Homes and Secret Gardens. Perusing historic interiors and incredible gardens in a downtown Knoxville neighborhood. Thank you to the homeowners and gardeners who welcomed countless curious and appreciative strangers (and neighbors) into their homes.
