It’s true. Home is where the heart is. 

But home is also where your overflowing baul of dusty knick-knacks is, where your unworn clothes from the 80s are stored, where the kids constantly scatter piles of toys, and where all your online purchases amassed during quarantine remain hidden and unused! At the end of the day, how much space in your home is truly left for the heart? 

It’s a tough question to answer, especially for the naturally nostalgic Filipino. (How many times have you justified keeping things for their sentimental value rather than functionality?). Tidying up is a challenge not often willingly undertaken, but it could help to see it from the perspective of interior designer IDr. Gen Alfaro-Arceo from Hurray Design and Neat Obsessions founder and Konmari consultant-in-training, Issa Reyes. The two joined forces for a Hurray Design webinar titled “Developing the Mindset of Home Building.” 

Here’s the real deal about cleaning up, according to these experts: the problem isn’t in how much you own and how little storage there is, but in the method you’ve been using to organize—that is, if you’ve been using a method at all. Knowing what to do and how to do it makes a world of a difference, which is why Gen and Issa are stepping in to equip you with the right tips to make the task as manageable—and enjoyable—as possible.

To begin, Issa introduces The Homeward Technique, a nifty three-step process designed specifically for the Filipino homemaker. Repeat after her and memorize each step: sort, detach, rehome. Entire houses can be refreshed from bodega to bedroom if you commit to following these to a tee. But the real magic of The Homeward Technique is that it’s not only a guide for the physical act of tidying up, it’s also founded on the values of self-care and respect. Making space is ultimately for your well-being. Remember; home is where the heart—not just shoes, bags, and clothes—is.

Gen follows up with Hurray’s tried-and-tested trinity of design tips for those looking to elevate their next decluttering session with redesigning a space. She advises to keep in mind that form follows function, consider modular designs, and pay extra attention to lighting!

Learn all the details from Issa and Gen in the webinar “Hurray x Neat Obsessions: Developing the Mindset of Home Building,” which can now be streamed on Hurray Design’s official YouTube channel.