What are the most frequent mistakes people make when organizing their homes?
Laura: 1.) Trying to organize the clutter. The truth is, you can’t organize clutter; you end up just moving it around. The first step needs to be getting rid of the clutter. Then you can organize what is truly useful, beautiful and cherished.
2.) Buying too many containers. The containers themselves can end up becoming clutter.
3.) Not finding the proper place for things.  It is important that you find the right spot for something so it is in a location where you can easily retrieve it and replace it when you’re done. You will avoid certain tasks if you cannot easily retrieve something, for example if you have to move lots of pots, pans, blenders, dishes just to get to your bread-maker, you’ll probably never bake bread.
4.) Continuing to accumulate clutter. It is important to look at and change your habits that create clutter.
5.) Taking on too much. When organizing, it is best to start small.  Give yourself the satisfaction of an easy win, such as a drawer or a guest bathroom, before moving on to bigger, more problematic areas. When you do get to the bigger areas, break them down into manageable steps such as cabinet by cabinet.

What are some of your favorite products (home, health, beauty)?
Laura:  The organic wool mattress topper from H3Environmental is so comfortable! I sink into it at night and instantly relax. Beeswax candles - they have the most wonderful smell without the use of synthetic scents that may contain phthalates. I love Jurilique Chamomile Shampoo and Conditioner as well as Common Sense vanilla body lotion- all free of parabens. I recommend the Zen alarm clock available at Gaiam - it wakes you up slowly with gentle chimes. I am big fan of natural cleaning products with essential oils - your whole house smells good and it is nice to know that as you enjoy the smell you aren’t harming your body or the earth. IQ air filter. I also love my rainwater shower filter that removes chlorine.

Alison: I’m a fan of essential oil diffusers. They are a healthy alternative to airfresheners, which are full of synthetic chemicals that contribute to indoor air pollution. I use eucalyptus oil in my bathroom so every time I take a bath, I feel like I’m at my favorite spa. Although I try to use beauty products that are paraben and phthalate free, it can take a lot of research to find the right products, so I usually compromise.  I am careful to select healthier alternatives for products that I use daily like my moisturizer (I recommend Common Sense body lotion). However, for products I rarely use like eye shadow, I buy whatever brand I like. Recently I’ve been using Aveda cosmetics. Aveda is dedicated to environmental sustainability and uses eco-friendly packaging.

What is the key to translating Feng Shui to a Western context?
Alison: Feng Shui is comprised of many common sense practices and simple concepts. In fact, we have found that many of our clients are already intuitively integrating Feng Shui principles into their lives – they just didn’t realize that what they were doing was part of an ancient philosophy. At its core, Feng Shui, along with other earth wisdom philosophies such as Vastu are simply acknowledging that we are connected to our environments. The green movement is in many ways the contemporary practice and adaptation of Feng Shui and other earth wisdoms. Our health and well being is connected to the health and well being of our surroundings and the planet. We recognize that we really are all one and what we do to ourselves and our homes affects others and the planet and vice versa.

Laura: We also believe it is important to recognize that most of the buildings in the west were not built from the start according to Feng Shui principles, therefore it is important to be more flexible in how we apply Feng Shui. We believe that positive Feng Shui can be achieved in any space. Many clients are worried we are going to tell them to move or knock down walls. Almost always, we have a few options as to how to correct a Feng Shui challenge. If someone is already renovating we may suggest something as drastic as moving down a wall, but in general we have solutions for almost every challenge that are simple and don’t require a large budget, such as rearranging furniture, adding plants, lamps, crystals, mirrors or written intentions.

What is the key to adopting a “green” lifestyle?
Laura: I think one of the keys is expanding your definition of green. A green lifestyle incorporates many elements: reducing, simplifying, recycling, energy conservation, healthy, sustainable materials and products, giving back, and supporting companies that treat their workers well. It is truly about creating a new consciousness about your home and life. Designing an intentional home where everything in your home contributes to the well being of your family, all people and the earth. 

Alison: Change starts at home, with yourself. Every little thing does make a difference, so start with the small, everyday changes, such as switching from incandescent bulbs to CFLs, bringing reusable cloth grocery bags to the store, only running the dishwasher when full, or taking shorter showers. Changing habits costs nothing. In general I think most people will be motivated to adopt a green lifestyle when they don’t have to sacrifice style, function, convenience or money. Fortunately with more and more people and companies going green this is now possible.

What's next on the personal and professional educational front?
Laura: Before James was born, I put a new crib mattress in a closet. After a few weeks, I opened the closet door and thought someone had spilled paint varnish in the closet when in fact it was the VOCs from the crib mattress off-gassing. I thought to myself there is no way this could be healthy for a little baby, so I began looking for healthier alternatives to conventional baby products and furnishings. Through our research Alison and I realized that many expectant parents (like myself) had no idea that all the new furnishings to create a nursery can end up polluting the air. Educating parents about simple ways they can create healthier surroundings for their babies became a focal point for our book. Since writing the book we have become even more committed to healthy, conscious, green living. 

Alison:Each year I try to do something to further either my personal or professional education. I am interested in bau-biologie, and hope to study further the impact our homes have on our physical health.

What colors/textures/design principals are most integral to your vision?
Alison: We believe that you should live with what you love. Therefore, we try not impose our vision, but rather help the client form his/her own vision.  However, we do encourage our clients to simplify their lives by paring down the amount of possessions they own. I personally lean toward a more minimalist approach, at least in the sense that I believe there’s beauty in simplicity and function. Laura and I think it’s important to create a balanced environment – this of course can mean many things. You need to balance beauty and function, masculine and feminine, cool colors and warm colors, rough textures and smooth textures, sizes, shapes etc.  Although imbalanced “extreme” spaces, like an all white room, may be beautiful to look at, they’re not always comfortable to inhabit.

Laura: We help our clients realize their own style and expression. We also emphasize comfort and function. What good is a beautiful space if it doesn’t support your lifestyle or physical health?  Light is key to keeping the energy uplifted, as well as a pared down space. Feng Shui is also concerned with balance. We use the Five Elements present in nature- wood, earth, fire, water, and metal to keep a space balanced. For me personally, I like light, airy, open, uncluttered spaces and am very drawn to creams, whites and neutrals.

What is the biggest lesson that you learned in decorating James' nursery, Laura?
Laura:  While the nursery is for your baby, it is very important that you love the room too; especially at the beginning, it can be as much for you as your baby. (As your baby gets older this changes and it is really important to make sure the room supports different developmental stages.) I spent many hours in the nursing chair and it really helped that I was inspired by my surroundings. I also learned how important functionality and comfort are - there are so many repetitive tasks involved with taking care of a baby that you really want to be empowered through organization so you can function with ease. The overwhelming emotions and fatigue that can accompany the transition into parenthood are enough to deal with; not being able to find things or negotiating with things that don’t work and make your routine frustrating and burdensome can be the last straw. Also, less is definitely more. It truly is amazing how baby’s things can take over your home. Babies change and grow so quickly it is easy to soon be inundated by clutter. Keeping it simple from the start and paring down consistently really helps.