Cultivate: Environment

Written by Claire Weltz

Originally published April, 14th 2020

Why are we so afraid of change? Is it the fear of the unknown? The lack of control we experience? Is it because we’re creatures of habit? During this time of a global pandemic, there is a lot of uncertainty. Instead of seeing the world through a lense of fearfulness, what if we took the time to focus on the aspects of our lives that we can control? What if we swapped out the word “changing” for “cultivating”? To put it simply, to cultivate means to deliberately take time to produce something worthwhile. Farmer’s don’t cultivate weeds, do they? No, they spend their time and energy producing crops that sustain the world. Likewise, let’s challenge ourselves to cultivate the important parts of our lives. Focus not on productivity and running around for the sake of being “busy” but rather cultivating our environment, aesthetic, and interests. Cultivating takes time, and we at L. Royalty want to be intentional about addressing each of these three components, so buckle up, apply a fresh coat of mascara, and get ready for the first part of this blog post series! 

Let’s begin by addressing our environment. Odds are that you are reading this in your home. (And if you’re not, well… We hope you’re staying safe.) Look around you. Are there stacks of magazines? An overflowing closet? A disorganized pantry? First thing is first; you can’t be yourself in an overwhelming mess. Yes, we understand that being messy isn’t always a bad thing, but it’s true that most people do their best work in a clean environment. Go tackle one small task that you’ve been meaning to do but have been putting off. It can be as simple as doing the dishes or going through your pile of mail. 

If you’re thinking about biting off a bigger task, may we suggest a full closet cleanout? Of course, at L. Royalty, fashion is our life, so cleaning out our clothes was the first thing we decided to do while staying at home. The first thing to do before you even take a look at the clothes that are morphing into a monster in your closet is to set some guidelines. If you don’t set some ground rules right away, you’ll want to keep everything. Which then puts you back to square one where you think, “Hmmm, I should clean out my closet.” Avoid this cycle by writing out the questions you’ll ask yourself when you go through your clothes. Some ideas to get you started are asking yourself if it fits, when was the last time you wore it, and if it has sentimental value. (You could also Marie Kondo it and ask yourself if it sparks joy. Shoot, now we’re thinking about Netflix…) After you’ve set the rules, it’s time to start trying on clothes and sorting them into piles. We suggest a pile to keep, to store, and to donate.

Take a deep breath. Feeling a bit tidier? Good. The next step to cultivate your ideal environment is to make it your own. In our opinion, some soft throw pillows are always a good way to make a home cozier and more inviting. Skip Amazon and go find an online store. Buying local is even better. Not to get ahead of ourselves in this series on cultivating, but this would be a great time to cultivate a new interest by learning to sew and craft by DIY-ing some t-shirts from that closet clean-out. Pinterest is the best for inspiration, just sayin’. 

Paint some canvas. Start a plant army. Put up some photos. Browse paint samples online. Light a candle. Are you left-brained? Organize your bookshelf by color to express that creativity. Or maybe you’re right brained and prefer to alphabetize by author. Make your space your own. But, maybe you’re thinking to yourself that you don’t really know what you want for your environment. Are you really a plant person? After all, your friends do joke about you forgetting to do brunch every Sunday…. Or what about fairy lights? Are you the soft and dainty type? Maybe, maybe not. It’s okay if you don’t know! Don’t worry, we have good news for you. The next piece in our Cultivate series is on aesthetics. No spoilers, but aesthetics aren’t just about mood boards on Pinterest. It includes personality, both inside and out. Get ready to dive in, and remember to take some time this week to cultivate what is truly important to you.