Infinite possibilities for inspiration.

When you think about it, we ask a lot of a new kitchen.

Let’s talk about three of the most important expectations when remodeling a kitchen.

The older I get the more I appreciate the great big important things in life – good health, great friends, a wonderful job, the opportunity to travel.

You’d think, with all this abundant abundance going on, all the little tiny things in life would disappear but the opposite seems to be true. Here in my dotage, I get a giant jolt out of the oddest things – a full tank of gas in a freshly-washed car gives me a solid sense of accomplishment.

Is enjoying the little things key to achieving closet nirvana? I’d say yes!

Caroline and her high school sweetheart bought a home when they married in 1978 and they still live there today. It’s a ranch in an older part of town, a charming but not particularly sought-after neighborhood. A cursory drive-by might leave the fleeting impression that the home is unassuming, perhaps even modest by today’s ultra-McMansion standards.

Though my line of work provides entre into some the grandest and most extravagant homes in the region, I am willing to officially pronounce, here and now, that Caroline’s is simply one of the most achingly beautiful homes I’ve ever visited. And this is because the home reflects the homeowner.

Whether we like it or not, kitchen design is a fashion business. Tastes change. The pendulum swings toward light woods, then dark, then all white, then back round again.

Finding your style is more than picking the things you like the most.

Sure, you know that your favorite color is blue or teal or purple. You know what colors you look best in and you know what color makes you smile. But finding your style evolves from understanding your own temperament and fine-tuning your individual, signature focus.

This is going to be terrible. Just terrible.

People who tell you their kitchen remodel was a breeze are liars. Living through a kitchen remodel is on par with losing your cell phone. We never appreciate how much we needed a kitchen until we’re without one. Now that we’ve readjusted our expectations, let’s talk about reality.

Webster’s definition of Nirvana is “a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self and the subject is released from the effects of karma.” Your closet will have a tough time releasing you from karma but it can go a long, long way toward eliminating suffering. There’s even a case to be made for its ability to affect your desire and sense of self but, obviously, I expect a lot from a closet.

My most recent personal remodel was a down-to-the studs gut job. New walls, windows, floors, electrical and plumbing systems, furnace and AC, new bathrooms, new cabinetry, appliances, and countertops.

Then there was the staircase. Although impractical, it proved to be irreplaceable.

There’s no more valuable real estate in your home than your primary closet space.

Here are some simple steps everyone can take that don’t cost any money, and can be done in short little spurts of time over a period of weeks

Just as children thrive in an environment of regular waking, sleeping, playing and meal schedules, we grown-ups thrive when our work and home environments are organized, comfortable and equipped for smooth sailing and order.