Issa Guico Reyes: Practical Magic and Neat Obsessions
Certified Professional Organizer and mom of three, Issa Guico Reyes, shares a neat trick to keeping things tidy.
“In building a home, it’s important to understand who its owners are. Most of the time, we think that the owners are the adults who pay for the house. Or those who run and manage it. But now more than ever, I understand that it’s also important to acknowledge our kids as co-owners of our home,” states Issa Guico Reyes, the mastermind behind Neat Obsessions, as she reveals her household’s pandemic theme.
Staying Practical is Key
Issa Guico Reyes shares her thoughts on staying practical. “With zero guests coming into our homes, our kids have maximized every area of our house at different parts of the day. With this in mind, our kids should feel that they also belong to the common areas of our home. For example, I created a reading station in the living room where their books are. This way, their books are accessible to them should they want to read or reread in the living room. Another example is when my son built the Millennium Falcon Lego structure, I proudly displayed it in a common area in our home so we can all see and enjoy what he worked hard on. In arranging the house, I make sure that we fulfill our kids’ needs for entertainment and learning.”
Issa Guico Reyes’s Habit: Space Refreshing
Issa is always in the habit of giving their space a refresh. She rearranges and reconfigures their home as a means for creating a “change in scenery” for everyone. “This past year has really made us understand the importance of extra effort and creativity so our kids can appreciate being in our home,” says the professional organizer.
As preparation for homeschooling, the mom of three focused on designated personal study areas for each child. Issa shares, “To achieve this, we had to convert the playroom and part of the TV room into online-learning spaces. We really had to be creative in order to give them room that would be conducive to learning.”
The Konmari consultant-in-training also dishes out a life hack for keeping a home clean, neat, and organized. “I always believe in doing small things on a daily basis rather than doing a one-time-big-time action. Every day is cleaning day, and we consistently practice putting things back where they belong. Small tasks incorporated into a routine are not as overwhelming if we avoid letting them pile up.”
Keep it small to accomplish something big
Developing good habits are key to a happy and harmonious home life. Issa furthers that apart from creating a safe space at home for her children, being present for them in every possible way also makes all the difference in the pandemic parenting experience. She says, “It’s been a good realization for us to be fully present in the lives of our kids. This global crisis has given me that extra push to be able to fill that hole of their need to go out and be with friends, and just be fully intentional in parenting.”
As seen on Modern Parenting: The 100 List Anniversary Print Issue available on OMG Newsstands on Lazada and Shopee. Digital copies are also available through Magzter, PressReader, Readly, and Zinio.
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