Creative business owners

Does clutter get in the way of your sanity

– and your dreams?

No matter how hard you try to stay on top of things, you struggle to keep a clear surface to work on. You feel crowded out by your stuff and it’s hard to get anything done. Some of your old, dreaded stuff lurks in corners and boxes that you just haven’t had the energy to deal with. When you move it around it just creates a mess somewhere else.

You feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Stuck. Clutter is blocking your creativity, your thinking, your work.

You’re not broken, you’re just busy.

When there’s no room for you, it’s hard to run your business. The biggest consequence of clutter is that your ideas and dreams struggle to grow. Whether you get paid for your creative work or not, that’s a big price to pay.

You haven’t gotten this far in life on good looks alone. You’re smart! Having clutter doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you — it just means there hasn’t been enough support or structure to manage your creative genius.

Seriously.

The true (secret) nature of clutter

Clutter, in its simplest form, is a natural outgrowth of the creative process. For example, if you write, you’ll generate writing — and some excess paper in the process. If you paint, you generate artwork — and some excess materials and experiments. If you coach or teach, you perform great services — and collect more exciting ideas for later action.

No one would tell an apple tree that it shouldn’t drop its petals in spring or leaves in fall — this “clutter” is a natural part of the process that creates apples. So your work creates some residue. It’s natural.

Imagine that the creative process is like drawing a circle. You start at the top and go halfway around — it’s easy and fun. It’s exciting. It’s a downhill swoosh! Ideas are popping up all over, you’re jotting down notes, you’re collecting ideas. As you start up the other side of the circle, three-quarters of the way, you work on your ideas and bring them to fruition. During this process around the circle, some of the less-fun stuff takes a back seat. Projects get set aside while you address more urgent things.

Painting the last quarter

Storing. Purging. Shredding. Letting go. Closure. The more there is, the harder it is to close the circle. Anything you’ve deferred begins to accumulate in your space. It can feel really difficult and overwhelming.

What many creative people do at this point is try work on top of the backlog. Even though you try to look past it or move it around, you can feel the energy of it dragging you down. It’s distracting. It makes creating harder. You work in other spaces to get away from the negative energy of it. And the dread builds.

Getting rid of backlogged clutter doesn’t have to be a struggle.

You might think clutter-clearing has to be an awful, dreaded, gut-wrenching experience. It doesn’t.

What’s really needed is assistance with completing that last quarter of the circle: completion and release. With support and encouragement, your process can be smoother than you ever imagined. You can feel less overwhelmed, even calm and nourished. If you’ve read my story, you know that I’ve been there myself and done it all the hard way. You don’t have to.

Would you like to work in a spacious, creative haven? At Inspired Home Office, the journey starts by clearing a space for you – in a completely new way.

For Haven’s Sake – The 3-month clutter clearing program

For busy entrepreneurs and cluttered creatives

For Haven’s Sake provides the time and focus you need to remove the surplus from your workspace and make space for you.

For Haven’s Sake gives you entirely different strategies for getting motivated. No frightening, heavy-handed motivation-talk. No embarrassing guilt-trips. No painful whip-cracking. Instead you’ll discover how motivating profound compassion and deep acceptance can be.

For Haven’s Sake gives you clear space, momentum and flow. For Haven’s Sake’s unique approach helps you create habits that remain long after the class is over.

What you get:

• Structured time to work on your cluttered areas
• Community and connection
• Encouragement and celebration of your big and small clearing successes
• Consistent time working in your space so that you can see progress
• Support, reassurance and acknowledgment
• Lighthearted humor for this often-dreaded task
• Shared expertise from me and your wise, encouraging classmates
• Clearing habits that are gentle, effective and last beyond the class
• Resistance-reducing strategies that help you feel naturally motivated
• Freed-up energy and renewed enthusiasm for your work
• Space for you. Space for your ideas, hopes, and dreams

What’s included in the For Haven’s Sake program:

• Weekly clearing classes over 12 weeks, providing focused support on your space-clearing goals
• One 1-on-1 session with me
• A private group site to track and celebrate your successes, big and small
• Facilitated goal-setting session during the first class
• Worksheets that support your clearing efforts after class
• A “Jen-in-a-Bottle” audio (MP3) that supports you any time you feel like clearing
• Core Bonus: A complimentary 3-month membership to The Creative Haven at Inspired Home Office (12 additional support classes)
• Core Bonus: The 16-week For Haven’s Sake Home Study
• Premium option: One monthly 1-on-1 session with me (a total of four)

This program gives you more than 46 hours of supported, encouraging clearing time over three months.

What would your space feel like after receiving that much of your time and attention?

Who takes this program:

Bright, insightful, sensitive people who want support in clearing out their neglected spaces.

• Self-employed folks
• People who work from home
• Artists and writers
• Coaches, therapists, and healers
• Creative people with big dreams

Many people who take this program are small business owners who work from home, but you don’t have to be self-employed to participate.

What a typical class looks like

Each class has 4 parts:

1. Check in: On each call, we start by acknowledging the week’s accomplishments — which feels good and is encouraging to everyone.
2. Gear up: With a guided activity, you then reflect on what you’d like to work on that day.
3. Go work: Then you work on the steps you identified — staying on the call or hanging up to move freely. Work time usually lasts 60-90 minutes.
4. Celebrate success: At the end, you call back in to celebrate your accomplishments and brainstorm as a group about any challenges you encountered.

Three months.

Yup. If you take all the options this program offers, you’ll spend over 46 hours of hands-on clearing and coaching time. If you’ve ever struggles with self-motivation when it comes to clutter, here’s your answer.

Why For Haven’s Sake is 3 months long:

It prevents exhaustion: Three months of clearing your office might seem like a lot. You might think you can do it in a weekend, but past participants have said that it takes more time than you think to get through the accumulated clutter — especially the emotional kind. Doing it in a weekend is exhausting. This length of time helps you get great results while you sanely pace yourself.

It helps you develop life-long habits: While lots of classes give you tips that are eventually forgotten, the duration of  For Haven’s Sake supports you to embody the clearing processes and truly make them yours — forever. Some participants developed what they call “an inner Jen”; instead of getting frustrated by challenges, they learned to gently talk themselves through it and find solutions.

It supports your goals: You deserve a haven that nourishes and supports you. The structure of the program allows you to move beyond blocks and get support when you might have given up in the past. The momentum of the group and insightful guidance from me will help carry you along toward your goals.

Take the next step

Requirements for participation: There are a few requirements for this program.

1. You have a workspace or creative space that you want to declutter.
2. You are willing to work on your space (feeling nervous is okay and normal!).
3. You agree to purchase a copy of The Wish Kit ($40) before the class begins.
4. You agree to take “before” photos and share them with me.
5. You agree to write a weekly check-in on the private group site about your progress and challenges.
6. You agree to miss no more than 2 classes over the 4-month period.

Program details:

• Class meets on a conference line (long distance rates apply) for two hours.
• Class size is limited to 10 people.

The Inspired Bookworm 90% Guarantee

If you attend 90% of the available classes, do 90% of the suggested assignments, and are dissatisfied with the program at the end, I will refund any pre-paid fees without delay.

And, because I want to see you get the information you need and results in your business, I will also send you a $10 gift card to Powell’s World of Books, so you can find what you need at the best bookstore in the world.

Are you ready for clear space?

Read what past clients have experienced. See what feels right to you. If this program description makes your heart skip a beat, it’s worth taking it seriously.

If you’re ready to create a haven for yourself, choose a payment option below. You’ll receive a confirmation email within 1 business day.

For Haven’s Sake – the 3 month clearing program

	Core Program	Premium Option
120-minute teleclasses over 12 weeks Value: $800	Yes!	Yes!
Private online group Value: $100 Interact with Jen and your classmates between classes for support and encouragement	Yes!	Yes!
Core Bonus: Four-month membership in The Creative Haven Value: $152 Includes up to 10 hours monthly of additional support, ideas, and community	Yes!	Yes!
Core Bonus: The complete 16-week For Haven’s Sake Home Study Value: $197	Yes!	Yes!
Premium bonus: Four 60-minute private sessions with Jennifer, one per month Value: $500		Yes!
Price:	3 payments of $207	3 payments of $297

Note: Sign up for my Juicy Gems newsletter to get the next class dates in 2012!

This program changes lives. If you have any questions before you commit, feel free to contact me or give me a call.

Free info call

“You’re not doomed to fail forever at keeping your space clutter-free “

Come learn the essentials about the true nature of clutter. It’s not you! In fact, you’ll leave this 1-hour call feeling amazingly good about yourself and hopeful about your own process. I also share about For Haven’s Sake and answer questions.

Free info call:  To receive the 60-minute recording, just register below.

I look forward to being a part of your journey.

Warmly,
Jennifer

Q&A

What if I can’t make it to one of the classes?

It’s normal to have a life going on during a class like this. You’re strongly encouraged to miss no more than 2 classes because is slows your momentum. Missing a class isn’t a deal-breaker. If you are away you can bring something with you to work on or you can plan to work on your space independently until you return. I also record any class where one or more participants is missing so you can listen later and feel included.

How does the 4-month class differ from the home study?

The home study and the class offer almost exactly the same material — and when you sign up for this class, it includes the home study. For more information about the home study, click here.

What are some examples of outcomes that past participants have had in this class?

Clearing clutter affects your life on every level. Past participants have created visible, lasting progress in their workspaces and creative areas. Many have gotten to the point where they can start organizing their supplies (which is Step 3: Inspired Organizing). One participant discovered that in order to clear her space, she had to first address a structural issue in her home and made significant progress on that during the class. Several participants have removed wallpaper and repainted their offices. Unsticking and moving the clutter often leads to other projects that make the space welcoming, supportive and grounding.

The other noteworthy outcome of several For Haven’s Sake participants is healthier relationships with people who share their home. Again, this isn’t the purpose of the class, but it’s a common outcome. The practice of clearing clutter consistently is, at its core, a powerful act of self-care. By clearing stuff, you’re putting into action the belief that you do matter, that you have a right to your own space, and that you deserve a nourishing environment. It’s impossible for those who share your space to be unaffected by this shift — especially if you’ve always been a “yes person” with porous boundaries in your relationships. Several participants have attested that they liked themselves better — and felt closer to loved ones than before.

Case Study: Kyeli Smith of Connection Revolution

Last year was undoubtedly the worst year of my entire life. I had to have major surgery, which brought up a lot of grief as well as disconnect and dissonance from my office space. I’m very visual and tactile, so being out of my space was like being out of myself, being out of my working self. And I spent six months not wanting to even touch my desk.

So when Jen came and invited me to be part of her For Haven’s Sake class, I was hesitant to say yes, and I was hesitant throughout the class, because I felt like I was in a very different place from the other women. They were working on making their space awesome, and I was working on getting back into my space after being away from it so long.

Jen responded with intense compassion, with understanding, with encouragement, and with love. She was constantly saying, “It’s okay for you to be where you are. It’s okay for this to be hard. Don’t push yourself, don’t force yourself.” Instead of making me come to her, she came to me – she met me where I was. And through working with Jen, I was able to get back into my desk, and more than that, to love being back into my desk.

Jen is doing an incredibly valuable thing. Her work with your home office and the space that we do our life work is so rarely done well. To really be able to put your heart and soul into what you’re doing, you have to have a space that nourishes you, that makes you feel safe, that encourages you, that motivates you. And that’s surprisingly hard to do on your own.

Jen teaches you how to do it. She teaches you how to do it in a way that once you know it, you know it and you get it. And then you can do it yourself for every room in your house. Once I was happy with my desk, I went through and applied her knowledge and her techniques to the rest of my house. And it’s just really incredible and peaceful and beautiful.

Jen creates a space that you’ll feel safe in. And then she’ll teach you how to create a space that you can feel safe in.

Jen is one of the kindest, gentlest souls I’ve ever known. She’s a gem!