A match made in heaven: The House Finch & Ladles and Linens

The last thing we want to be greeted with when returning home, is chaos. Our living spaces are supposed to be a respite from the wild world outside - a haven. But the reality is, many of us don't have the time or the tools to maintain an organized home - one that allows you to feel calm and in control.

 

I think about this a lot. Even in the 90s when I was a teen, I was given a book on Feng Shui. I almost wrote it off as New Age fluff, until I read how practical the advice was. It was simply the art of placement, and how moving things around in the room can change the "chi" (or the energy flow) of a space. Well, anyone who has ever rearranged a room for the better can attest to that.

But one of the nuggets of wisdom that stuck out was: You can never have restful sleep if you have chaotic storage under the bed. That the clutter and mayhem affects your ability to let go. Readers, it would have been better if there were a monster under my bed, because beneath it were rumpled storage bins crammed with who knows what, and I was too intimidated to tackle to issue. That is, until I read the book.

All this to say, when you have a tidy and organized room, you do feel more in control. More serene. You look forward to relaxing in your home, rather than dreading whatever mess awaits you. Enter The House Finch. Founded by Meghan Brodie (pictured top) and named after a bird that keeps a tidy nest, she's been organizing homes around the greater Richmond area. She literally offers the gift of peace of mind. 

They post before and after pictures on the socials, which I'm always a sucker for. For me, it doesn't even matter what kind of before and after it is - cosmetic surgery, landscaping - you name it. But The House Finch, like me, is passionate about organizing. So their before and after pics of a given room are truly gratifying. While they can likely take on any project, they specialize in helping busy families, empty nesters, and people that are moving. 

It's only natural that The House Finch do a collaboration with Ladles and Linens. After all, our very first blog post was about organizing our pantries. Ladles and Linens offers all types of storage options to keep your things under control - even fun to peruse. This week, Meghan Brodie and Sarah Nicholas invited some friends over, to show off Sarah's revamped food pantry, courtesy of The House Finch.

But seeing as how Sarah is a chef and an immaculate host, she served mimosas, mushroom and Swiss canapes on English muffins, croissants with cream cheese and lemon curd, and chocolate chip cookies. It was a wonderful way to start the day.

And when your pantry is organized, you can clearly see all the ingredients you have on hand. This made for a fun exercise, where Sarah passed out a sheet labeling different food groups, and asked us to think of a meal that could be whipped up with the given ingredients. People thought of quiche, Thai panang over rice, broccoli and cheese casserole, and much more. The more in control you are of your food storage, the better you're able to whip up a new dish, and be spontaneous. 

In all, it was informative, inspiring and, well, delicious. They even gifted guests with gift certificates to The House Finch and Ladles and Linens! They plan to be hosting more of these gatherings, so keep your ears to the ground for another opportunity.