Free your T's and the rest will follow

If there were a sartorial symbol of American summer freedom it'd be the cotton T-shirt.  They are audacious, cool and comfortable.  However, these freedom-fighters can get easily lost and forgotten while piled on top of each other inside a drawer.  Any yogi could tell you stories of summoning peace and calm not to go crazy trying to find a T-shirt lost in a messy drawer.  Here is an organization tip that will allow you to have a greater visibility and accessibility to all your T-shirts (while at the same time reuse those old bookends left over from the pre-e books era) This is what you need

An L shape bookend.  It is amazing what you can organize with items you already own and are not using.

This is what you do

Fold your T-shirts (I know.  In order for this idea to work you gotta do some work).  Any classic T-shirt folding will work.  I like to fold them in thirds, lengthwise as per pictures.  Then fold them in thirds again.  Nine-fold style.  I learned this technique from a pair of twins that are over 6' tall, they should know how to make all their clothing small to fit in a drawer.

Once you have your T-shirts folded, instead of placing them onto each other, stand them next to each other and use the book end to keep them in place.  As you can see from the picture, you can now see all your T's at once and the book end will keep them from becoming a mess.

Chronicles of a Closet Cleanse

My smart, beautiful and ever pragmatic friend Jennifer Rose did what most of us are afraid of doing; she plunged into the arduous yet rewarding task of excavating, cataloging and yes, organizing her closet.  Jenifer hosts a style blog.  I recently caught up with her and we talked about the scary mission of organizing one's closet.  Please read her anecdotal accounts below, at the end you can also read the unedited Q&A session we held; I enjoyed so much exploring the very spiritual and practical ways in which organizing can elevate the status of the spaces we have, I hope you enjoy it too.

What I Did Over The Long Weekend - J. Rose Style

So my first post is about what I did this weekend.  The weekend started simply enough, I went to the library to pick up some movies and while perusing the non-fiction books section I found this, "The Shopping Diet: Spend Less to Get More", by Phillip Bloch.  Reading the bio on the back one can ascertained that Bloch is a jack of all trades, stylist, writer, commentator, the list goes on.  The book is aimed at people with shopping compulsions or addictions, the promise is that by considering what you actually wear in your wardrobe you will become more aware of what you need, what your style is and what looks good on your body, therefore less likely to make those unnecessary purchases that lead to a budget crisis.  I was intrigued. I am not a compulsive shopper, but I always felt like a terribly uninformed or unaware shopper.  Constantly buying something I like without considering what I have at home to go with it or even if it was really flattering to my figure.  As a result my closet was a mish mash, without enough solid pieces to build an outfit with and a bunch of clothes that didn't fit right.  My closet was in desperate need of editing.  Following the steps in Part Two of the book (Part One is about assessing your style, what you wear frequently, etc...) I emptied my entire closet, in season, out of season, accessories, jewelry, socks and underwear.  My bedroom looked like my closet threw up everywhere.  Ahh!! However my closet was completely empty.

Using the tips Bloch outlined, I separated my clothes into categories and then I began to edit.  Trying on everything in front of a full length mirror and deciding if it stayed in the closet, was fixed, was sold on eBay or donated.

My very well edited closet.  Not sparse, minimalist darling.

It took an entire afternoon, but the process was very cathartic and eye opening.  I don't have a lot left in my closet, but what is left are clothes and accessories I truly love and wear constantly.  The pieces that I feel are missing from my, now very well edited closet are written on a list that will go with me whenever I go shopping.  I don't feel like I need a lot of clothes, in fact the more clothes I had the more stifled I felt.  Yes, I thought that all those clothes gave me more outfit choices, but they didn't.  Having too many choices made getting dressed too complicated and overwrought.  I think that the key to style is knowing what works for you, on you, having great accessories to spice up any outfit and carrying yourself with confidence wherever you go.

Q & A - A Yogic Perspective in Organizing Your Closet

Q- So Jenifer, what motivated you to look into the closet?

A- Mornings are always crazy,the most challenging part of my mornings were when I went to get dressed, I would open the closet, see it stuffed with clothes and feel completely overwhelmed. In February, I was reading Philip Bloch's book "The Shopping Diet" and it had a statistic like women do not wear 80% of the clothing they own, instead they wear the same key pieces that are comfortable and fit.  Major aha! moment, choices in terms of my closet are bad, instead of feeling empowered by the choice of clothes, I felt overwhelmed.  I knew the closet needed to be purged and resolved to do it immediately.

Q- What was your vision or intention when you finally decided to get your closet re-organized?

A- When I started I knew I wanted to cut that "80%", the extra stuff, the fat.  I wanted my closet to be well edited to suit my current taste, only containing pieces that fit well and make me feel great when I wear them.  Every woman wants that, I just didn't realize how much I didn't need till I dug in.

Q- Did you use any organization technique in particular?  What tips or advice was most useful for your closet cleansing?

A- The first thing I did was to remove the extra hangers, this freed up a lot of space in the closet and made it easier to work.  I put the hangers in a box to the side in case I needed them.  Next I took everything out of the closet, in-season, out of season everything.  When everything is hanging up in a dark closet it's hard to evaluate, bring it into the broad light of day so you get a clear picture of what's been lurking in there.  As I was taking things out of the closet I sorted them by type, skirts, shirts, pants, etc... I made piles of like items so I could evaluate what I had, example why do I have three pairs of black pants.

I know a lot of people are probably grimacing at the prospect of this kind of deep cleansing, but you need to "make a mess" to get things in order.  Also do not, I repeat do not go out and buy things to organize the closet before you clean it out.  Clean it out first then see what you need.

Q- How did you decide what garments or accessories had to go?  What were you looking for when you looked in the mirror?  and What did you do with items that you weren't sure if they had to go?

A- In order to decide what stayed and what went I brought in a full length mirror.  I tried everything on and was brutally honest with myself about, what worked, what didn't and what was just so-so.  If you aren't able to be that honest, invite over some friends that will be.

For sorting the things to get rid of I pulled out four bags, I labeled them all, one for donations, one for things that I like but need to be fixed, another for things I thought I could sell on eBay (new or almost items) and the last one was for sentimental clothes (things I won't wear, but have a special meaning and maybe one day I will part with).  I also brought out a garbage bag for things I couldn't salvage (happy to note, that the clothes in the garbage were recycled into cleaning rags).

If there was a case where I couldn't decide I took a picture of myself wearing the item.  Usually the picture didn't lie, if it didn't flatter my figure out it went.  Clothes that don't suit your shape are like backstabbing friends, they'll tell you that you look great to your face and then turn around and reveal your flaws to the world, who needs that.

Accessories are only as good as the clothes they go with, if I had any scarves, belts and shoes, that never matched the clothes I have, I got rid of them.  It's probably because they were colors I never wear.  Also I got rid of any belts or shoes that didn't fit, they were just taking up space.

When I put everything back in the closet I knew it was only things that fit, that flattered and that matched what I owned.  I sorted the clothes by type when hanging them up (making it easy to sort through) and the color.

More isn't always better, sometimes it's just more.

Essential Exposure

I hope it's save to say that winter is gone; after veiling my skin for the last months with cold weather, bright lights, dry air and public transportation air, I am ready for a deep cleansing of my skin.   Scrubbing my skin is my way to polish and groom the shield that allows me to interact with the world and what better time to clean the skin than Spring (this can be done all year around though) A little nerdy facts, exfoliants cleanse deep within the pores and remove old flaky, surface skin.  In my research of essential oils’ health benefits, I’ve re-discover some simple exfoliants that work great for any skin type.  Different essential oils are used for different complexion types: dry skin – frankincense, oily skin – tea tree, sun damaged – sandalwood, etc, etc.  But there is an essential oils that works with all skin types and most skin conditions, that is lavender essential oil.  So without having to consult an aromatherapist or dermatologist, a lavender exfoliant can be a good start for most folks.  After some research and trial on my skin (no animals were scrubbed in this experiment), I am ready to share my favorite facial scrub.

A little safety note, essential oils, if you haven’t use them before, are in their majority steam-extracts of plant’s vital substances.  They are super concentrates of plants' super powers.  Essential oils are use in Aromatherapy, but despite the name, it is not the aroma that makes them work.  So when using essential oils on your skin, make sure you are using “therapeutic grade” essential oils.  I have never had any allergic  reaction with therapeutic grade essential oil, but every skin have different degrees of sensitivity so use your judgement when using any substance on your skin (a.k.a., no one here is a dermatologist so if you have sensitive skin, be careful)

This is what you need

1 part oatmeal, 1/3 part cornmeal (I have used sugar instead), 1/3 part lavender (the market at Union Square has a stand that sells lavender)

Essential oil:  lavender

I keep some next to my sink and often use it instead of soap.  All ingredients used are kitchen staples, minus the essential oil, so I make small amounts at time so it doesn’t spoil.  The exfoliant can be stored in a cover container so that it won’t dry out quickly.  I have used it after 20 days of storing without any problems.

This is what you do

Grind the ingredients together in an electric coffee grinder  or a mortar to a fine powder, and store it in a closed  glass container.  To use the scrub, make a paste using 1 teaspoon scrub powder and ½ teaspoon water with lavender essential oil.  Apply to a dampened face.  Gently scrub your face, and rinse with warm water.  You can also use this mixture as a mask by leaving it on for 10 minutes after you scrub.  Rise with room temperature water.

This scrub also tastes good, perhaps I can try cupcakes with the left over...as usual if you have questions let me know.

Freedom Scone

I called these decadent biscuitlike treasures, freedom scones, because all the ingredients break the prison of lethargy that other sweets tend to build around my day.  I find that a cup of hot herbal tea is the perfect companion to them (yes, I always have more than one, if you try them you will know why). I adapted this recipe from Jenny Nelson' Clean Eat, but quite frankly the scones are so good, it makes me feel a bit dirty eating them, and preparing them is a fun mess, totally worth it.  These guys are vegetarian, vegan and delicious.

These are the ingredients that you need

3/4 cup coconut oil + 1 teaspoon for greasing the baking sheet...don't try to substitute this with other natural oil,  coconut is the one that make this work, also measured the oil in liquid form (~77 F)

1/4 cup water

1 cup of coconut oil

1/2 cup of dates, pitted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup gluten free all purpose flour +1 tablespoon gluten free flour (for dusting)

Pinch sea salt

2 oz organic dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (you could skip this, I guess, but WHY?)

1/2 cup raw, organic walnuts, coarsely chopped (I have use other nuts, but the bitter taste of walnuts makes it my favorite)

This is what you do

Preheat oven to 350 F (you can place the jar with coconut oil near the oven and that helps melt the oil)

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mash the dates until you have a thick paste and set aside (see picture).  Add melted coconut oil to date paste with vanilla and water.  Add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Dough should hold together. It may stay a bit runny, when this happens, I place the dough in the refrigerator for five minutes to make it easier to handle.

Form the dough into a round and place on a lightly floured (leftover dash of gluten free flour from above) surface and cut in half. Roll each half into another round. Cut one of the rounds in half and then cut each half into thirds and repeat with the second round so you have 12 wedges - it is OK if wedges are messy, it will taste just as good. Lightly grease a baking or cookie sheet with the coconut oil and place the wedges in the oven for 14-16 minutes (rotating the pan after 8 minutes).    Let them cool as the chocolate will be too hot to enjoy - trust me on this one.

Namaste

Yoga Mat Cleanse (a.k.a. how to clean your mat)

This is a love story.  If you’ve practice yoga for any amount of time, by now you’ve develop a trusting relationship with your yoga mat.  Yes, you’ve blamed it for your short comings, you’ve stepped all over it, you’ve tried parting with it, you’ve even cheated on it, but your heart and your practice always come back to it.  So as any good relationship counselor will tell you, today is the best time to strengthen this relationship and I suggest you start with a bath.

Now lets face it, after the bliss of Savasana, picking up a spray bottle may be the last thing in your mind, but, alas, as with any cleanse strategy, maintenance is everything.  If you keep your feet clean and your practice isn’t a sweat fest, a quick spray and wipe once a week if you are an active practitioner (or every other week if you are a passive one) should be enough to keep your mat fairly clean and free from smell-inducing-bacteria.

I’ve tried various methods to clean my mat; from good 'ol soap (bad, bad, bad idea), to fancy prepackage wipes, I didn't find them very effective. After 20+ years of yoga practice I’m sharing my yoga mat cleansing routine. These methods I’ve used for years on my robber-like mats and fabric-like mats, not with the leather like kind…If you own an upscale yoga mat, chances are that the manufacturer has instructions for cleaning it, you’re gonna have to make a judgement if my methods will work.

Spot cleaning and after class:

So this is my formula for a yoga mat cleaning solution, which I created after trying various versions.  There’re products out there in the market to clean yoga mats, by all means try them out,  I am sure some are fantastic.  Whatever you use, make sure there isn't any surfactant in it (i.e., a fancy way of saying soap) or you will be sliding on your mat like a lizard on marble floors - not pretty.

Ingredients for the yoga mat cleansing solution:

spray bottle (glass preferred)

white vinegar (a natural bleach, disinfectant)

water (Universal solvent, ask any Alchemist!)

alcohol such as vodka (natural drying agent, ask anyone who drinks martinis)

Tea Tree Essential oil and/or Lemongrass (any other antibacterial Essential Oil will work, I order my with Young Living)

In a spray bottle add 1 part white vinegar, 2 parts water, 1 part alcohol and 1/1000 parts tea tree essential oil.  [For example, 1 cup vinegar, 2 cups water, 1 cup alcohol, ~15 drops of essential oil]  This is a very inexpensive way to create a disinfectant and cleaning agent that does not contains any type of surfactant and it is also great to clean windows/mirrors!  This solution works great, just spray it on your mat and use a cleaning cloth to wipe out the mat.  Let it dry and store away.

Deep Cleanse

Now, if your mat is dirty, you may need more than a spray and wipe to get it clean.  Here is when a “romantic bath” comes in. 

a bath tub (or a washing machine)

two towels

drying rack (or two chairs, though you should really consider having a drying rack at home)

1/2 cup of backing soda

scrubbing brush

To give your yoga mat a bath, you will need about twenty minutes for the bath portion (or the wash cycle, cold temp water) and a space to hang to dry your mat for at least 48 hrs.  Set the drying rack onto a towel.  Take you mat and roll it out into your bath tub, the fitting may depend on the size of your tub and mat, so do the best you can.  Spray the yoga mat cleansing solution as described above, if the mat is really dirty, add baking soda .  Fill the tub with about 1 to 2 inches of water and begin to use the good 'ol elbow grease with the scrubbing brush.  If you are using a washing machine, spray mat with cleaning solution and then add backing soda instead of detergent.

You can repeat the spray, baking soda, water and scrubbing as many times as your mat needs it.  When you are satisfied, rinse the mat. 

Here is where your muscles come in place.  You must wring out as much water as you can, ask for help if mat is too heavy.  When you can’t squeeze more water out of the mat, roll your mat and one of the towels together as shown in the picture.  You can step on this roll to get as much water out of the mat as possible.  You can hang your mat on the drying rack for 48 hrs or so, make sure the mat is dry before you start using it again. You will feel so good and proud of your mat.  Keep cleaning it with the spray/wipe method and you probably won't need to do the bath more than once or twice a year.

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