I began this post on Sunday. Then, all hell broke loose. What I mean is that I fell in the middle of the night during an attempt to get a 13 year old Pomeranian named Ginger to the door before she urinated in the hallway, or on her bed, or on Arwyn's bed or some other place besides the yard. I am bruised up one side in a visible way and down the other in an invisible way as my right side appeared to take the brunt of the muscular damage. My head was also injured as it slammed on the hardwood stair. (You can see the stairs in the top right photo!) Miraculously, Ginger was neither injured nor peed in the house, so there's that. This post was supposed to be about the living room and it is. It is about my favorite space in our home. It is the entryway and front living room. It is bright and full of sunshine and it is clean. Almost always clean. We all enjoy this space. It is a workout room, dance floor, play and work area. Many days those hardwoods are full of a train layout or a board game or the scene of an elaborate display of American Girl dolls and their accessories. But, at the end of the day, it is clean. But, this is not always how it looked. This room has served as dining room and office. Truthfully, we never quite got the vibe of the room entirely. The ladder shelves were there and of course, the built-in. I painted the bright colors a few years ago, but we never settled into this room until last fall. We are working toward putting our home up for sale. It has been a long process for tiring reasons and excuses that I will not list here. But, I am working with a realtor and old friend who called and asked if she could send a home stager to my place. Oooh....really? This woman, Carol Bass, is not only a prominent home stager in the area, she teaches courses and needed a test space in which to work. Uhm....yes please! I will be honest. I was EXTREMELY nervous. The process of sorting and going to Goodwill and organizing had begun and I had some DISASTERS in my home. But, I put on my big girl panties, cleaned the house, left the disasters and invited her and her team into my home. At this point, I had already packed a box of knick-knacks from this room and had given all of the bookshelves and cabinets a once over in regards to releasing books that we just didn't want or need. So, there was that. The image below is what the staging ladies walked into: I know. Not tragic, right? But still, this room is lovely and could be so much more. The challenge has been the orientation of my home and needing to have my office area near the kitchen as that is where I spend half of my day or at least want to spend the day. But, we let go of any preconceived notions and gratefully allowed these ladies to work magic. And, they did in so many ways as evidenced in the collage of photos at the top.
So, where did that leave us? It left me with a big fat mess in our second "living room" that we call the den or simply "downstairs". But, it also left me with an opportunity to make a second sweep of some things, namely my books. The ladies did a great job moving furniture and "deleting" (as they called) some items from the room to get it ready to sell but it also left me me with somewhat of a sense of unease. They didn't know which books were precious to me and which could be put away. They don't understand feng shui or that I had the books arranged in the room in a certain manner to support the bagua. What they did understand was that we needed somewhat of a blank slate, which they gave us in removing so many items. So, I pulled all of the books off the shelves and out of the cabinets, sorted them into categories, removed anything that I did not want in the home and reorganized them. I left the remainder of the room exactly as the ladies left it for me. During this process, I am guessing I let go of approximately 50 books in total, which truthfully, was a huge relief and two less boxes we will be packing and moving to the new house. The morning that Carol and her team were to come to my home, I nearly backed out. I was in a panic for about 5 minutes, worried about judgement, worried they would break something, worried they would......fill in anything imaginable. But, I knew that I needed this. I needed someone else's perspective. I knew I needed the change. I knew that I needed to experience what my clients experience every time I walk into a home. This space, this "living" room is so much more now. It is comfy and welcoming and it is has been cleared of anything we do not need. Today, if you have one living room or two, I want you to walk into it and really think about what you see and what you feel. Think about whether or not it is welcoming. Are the seats free of "stuff"? Can you sit down? Do you or your guests have to carefully walk over items in the floor? Are there items in this room that do not belong but have a home? If so, that is your primary task today. Walk through your LIVING ROOM(S) and if there are items that are present and actually have a home, put them away. If there are SO many items that you do not know where to start, pick one to two points. For example, the seats. Clear the couches, chairs, loveseats, whatever and then clear the tables. You need a place to sit free of items that need to be moved and your tables that are around your rooms need to be clear so that they can be a resting place for your hot tea or glass of wine that I am going to recommend you have later today. If you have children and these items belong to them, you know what I will say, make them put their things away. It's that simple. No, you cannot go outside, swim, watch TV or play on the Xbox until these items are placed in their correct homes. If I can do it, so can you. Peace on this February day. Dana
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But, for many of you, there is still a big task at hand. This is those of you whose bedrooms serve more than one function. It may be an exercise room or office or craft space. Beyond the sort of energetic challenge of having spaces dedicated to movement in a place that should be dedicated to rest and sleep, I have seen very few people able to maintain these spaces with any sort of organization or cleanliness.
I am not saying it cannot happen. It can. I've seen amazing images on Pinterest and HGTV and with a handful of folks I follow on Instagram or on blogs who have done it. In fact, in really looking at this, I found this great image from Crafty Nest that was part of a bedroom/office makeover. I've linked to the article if you want to take a look. But, I think the average person has a very difficult time making this work. If this is you, pay attention. If your bedroom is doing double duty, I am guessing it is out of necessity. So, let's make it work. Exercise machine(s): Your task is to look at this space and determine if your exercise machine is simply a another space to house your overflow of clean or dirty laundry. If so, it may not be of any use to you. So, make a decision right now. I'm not kidding. Draw your line in the sand. I'm hoping you got control of your laundry earlier in the week, but if you didn't and it is in your makeshift gym, I think it is time for a reality check. Office or craft area: Ditto from above. I LOVE asking questions. Ask anyone I know or any of my clients. Open ended questions are how we get to solutions (I learned this during my years of retail!) Is your office area truly an office (in other words your work from home space) or a study area? That's okay. Here are some things to look at. What is in this area that does not belong? Kids art work? Clothing? Empty coffee cups? Start there. Take a hard look at this space and put away those items that stand out. Now, walk away. Go to the bathroom. Then go back and do it again. What doesn't belong? If you have a bedroom pulling double duty create a vision. What is the vision for that space? You must include the office or whatever space within that vision. If not, you will be uneasy each time you walk into your bedroom and that does not make for a restful, relaxing atmosphere. If you feel overwhelmed each time you walk into this space, then Houston, we have a problem. This is not the part of the challenge where we work on the desk. That's a little later. If you want to forge ahead, I won't stop you or encourage you to slow down. Move forward, I always say. But, if you aren't ready or if you are waiting on direction from me, then work on the parts of the bedroom we talked about earlier in the week, put away anything from your desk that doesn't belong and begin to create your vision. Get on Pinterest and look at rooms and spaces and organizers and for that double duty room, bring it all together. Now, my day has been very full. I am sitting here with a kitty asleep next to me and I am close to dozing off myself. So, we are wrapping up our time in the master bedroom. Sweet dreams. Dana
In theory, you have made your bed, put away your laundry, cleaned off the bedside table, picked up items off the floor and cleaned any remaining areas that you can. I know for many of you that the laundry part of the beginning of the week was a challenge. There are a lot of folks that I have come across who literally sleep with their laundry due to not having the energy to put it away. When I say a lot, I mean A LOT. This is not to shame you. Maybe you are exhausted due to a demanding job, kids, health, whatever. Maybe you are in the throes of depression (unfortunately this is often the case), maybe you have developed bad habits and maybe, just maybe, you have too much stuff. TOO MUCH. I get it. Sometimes you are in an older home with little or no storage space and sometimes you have enormous closets and are so tied to every piece of clothing that you are drowning in cotton. Let's work together to come up with solutions. When I was in high school, I was really into clothing - and my parents supported my habits. Then, I became an adult and had to purchase my own. And then...I went into retail. The discovery came that most clothes, from most stores were identical and I really didn't need all that was being sold. Another realization came when I realized that instead of keeping up with the laundry, I was simply wearing everything until there was nothing left but 5 loads of laundry that I did not have time to do. This. Is. Ridiculous. Furthermore, for most of us, we wear the same things OVER AND OVER OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Yes, occasionally something changes, but really, it's just the same. I have a friend with an enormous closet. When they moved into their 4,000 square foot home she proudly showed off her closet which was approximately 8x8 or just under the size of a small bedroom. The closet was so full and I asked her why she needed so many clothes. They might come back in style some day. They might. But, will your 50 year old self wear the same outfit your 17 year old self wore? Maybe. All of the outfits your 17 year old self wore? Probably not. Is there someone that could benefit from that clothing? Are you emotionally invested in a Christmas sweater that you wore in your junior year of high school? Can your energy go somewhere else? Is there something missing in your life that creates the need to hold on to so many items from your past? Have you lost your way in finding peace with where you are now and need to hold on to who you were? Would you rescue those items from a fire? Just curious. Let's get down to business. The categories. (Bet you thought I'd forgotten.) 1. Wear daily (ex. for me - this is anything that rotates on a regular basis meaning every one to four weeks in my daily routine. yoga pants, jeans, leggings, a handful of sweaters, tunics, dresses and I do mean a handful.) 2. Wear weekly or monthly (church, special meeting, special task. this could be a special outfit i wear when meeting new clients or in home organizing. can also be my gardening or painting clothes.) 3. Special occasion wear (these are the dresses that you pull out for a wedding or gala.) STOP: Looking at number 3, only you can determine how many special occasional dresses you need. I need 2. You may have a busy social calendar and need 10. Ask yourself if you have worn those dresses in the last 5 years. I know, 5 years is a long time but if it is a classic dress, then it's not that long and may be used again. If it is a sequined gown from your sorority ball in 1998, put it in the Goodwill bin or take it to consignment. I know it's hard. Take a photo of it if you need to and hang it in your closet, but like the song says, LET IT GO! 4. Items in disrepair. (ex. my husband has white shirts that need new buttons. not happening. not even kidding myself. they are going to goodwill). If you are successful at putting an item in disrepair aside and actually repairing it, then you are excused from this and can keep these items. But, keep them out and actually repair them. However, if this is not an item that fits into one of the top 3 categories, it needs to be released. 5. Items that you are holding on to in case you lose weight. If I had a dollar for every article of clothing from every friend or family member or client who has a closet full of 10 year old clothing that they might fit into again, I would be a very wealthy lady sitting by a pool sipping a margarita right now. This is serious. Maybe you are pregnant and are holding onto pre-baby clothing. You are excused. Moving on. Maybe you are in a health crisis or temporarily on a medication that has caused bloating or excess weight. If this is truly temporary, then again, you are excused. However, in regards to both of those, if this is your 3rd baby and your pre-preggo body was 7 years ago, let's release the clothing or if your health crisis has been ongoing for 3 or 5 or more years, let's consider releasing those clothes. I have had a weight problem since my mid-twenties. I used to say that I have had a weight problem my entire life. Then, I saw a photo of myself and my girlfriends from our senior year of high school. I saw the photo about 2 years ago. Can I tell you I was stunned? My waist was tiny. I had my classic Double D's and my well-shaped bootie (yep, I own this one!) by my arms, my legs and my waist were quite small. Then, I remembered that I used to have a difficult time finding pants because my bootie was big but my waist was itty-bitty. All I knew was that I was 130 pounds while a couple of my friends hovered at 100 or 110 which in my teenage mind made me fat. It never occurred to me that we were genetically different or that anyone may have envied my well-developed body. Can I also tell you that seeing that picture shifted something for me and moved me into a crazy acceptance of myself that I have never experienced? I may never be that small again. I don't know, but truthfully, even if I were, I would NEVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE wear those high waisted, acid washed, tight roll jeans again. EVER. Why would ANYONE hold onto that? Are you holding on to those clothes or that person you were? You are NOT that person now. You are MORE. You have grown and expanded. Embrace where you are now. Hold on to a few items of sweet dreams if you need to. But, not an entire closet full of them. A few years ago, I worked for Eddie Bauer. I have always considered myself to be good at outfitting women and have done so at several companies. A woman came in with her husband and children. She was so quiet and shy. Her husband pulled me aside and said his wife had lost a tremendous amount of weight but could not see herself as she was (this still makes me cry, btw). I spent most of my day that day bringing her item after item and she tried them all on and as the day went on she became more outgoing and joyful. All she could see was this person she had been and quite frankly, seemed to despise. She had no idea that she was a vibrant, attractive woman and that her husband appeared to adore her. He spent nearly $1,000 that day and she left our store smiling ear to ear. I can tell you 10 stories like that over coffee one day if you like. For those of you like me, who really need to take about 5 items to Goodwill (I really don't tolerate my closets to be cluttered), give yourself a latte at your favorite coffee shop as a reward. But, for those of you who are truly doing this work, who are going to draw your line in the sand and say goodbye to the old baggage of decades old clothing and shoes (yes, do the same with your shoes), if you need to, either go and purchase one or two items (only one or two and they must make you very happy) to to back into your closet or go on a trying on spree. Spend some time at your favorite shop and simply try on the items that make you happy and bring you joy. You can do this. If you need more support for this, I'm here. You can hop on the closed FB page or email me at [email protected]. I was working in the bedroom, working through my "stuff" and had all sorts of thoughts that came to me. When was the last time your put yourself first? Who usually comes first in your life? Your mate, kids, job, parents, volunteer organization, place of worship, friends or pets? I walked into my daughter's room today and thought, "I'll just tidy up in here before I start on the bedroom." No, no, no, no, no.
Had I done that then there would have been no time or energy for me to work on my space, my retreat, the sanctuary that I share with my husband. So, I walked away, saving her room for another day. Do you understand that if you do not have a retreat to either call your own if you are single or share with a mate if you are in a relationship or married, that you can never recharge your batteries enough to take care of that list of responsibilities above? I cannot promise you that a clean room free of projects and laundry is going to make your life perfect. But, I can tell you that it can help weather the storm. Before Christmas a nasty stomach bug made its way through our home. The weekend before leading into the week OF Christmas to be precise. My bedroom was my oasis, my sanctuary after I cleaned up after family members and then as I dealt with my own illness. Had I been forced to clear away dirty (or clean) laundry or stare at a disaster in that space, it would have made recovery so much more difficult. You may tell yourself that this space doesn't matter. It's only where you lay your head at night. But, it does matter. There are energies circulating that affect your health and your dream state. You need calm and serenity in that space if possible. And, if you have a mate, you need a space to share, to come together to share your thoughts and dreams and a little ahem.....love. Make that space for yourself and your relationship. Create that sanctuary. Let me help. I'm working on a Pinterest page for the bedrooms, including the master. Check it out and do today's task: 1. If you have not done so, make your bed! 2. Clear your bedside table and your spouse's. 3. Hang up/put away your laundry. If you have clean laundry lying around, hang it up or fold it. If you have dirty laundry, get it in the basket at the very least! Preferably into the closet or laundry room if you have them. 4. Turn on your bedside lamp if you have one. If you have a spouse, turn that lamp on as well. (We'll discuss this later). If you do not have a bedside lamp but want one, go and get one. Limited budget? You can get cute lamps for $12 at Dollar General that will work for you. Remember when I said turn on your spouse's lamp? Make sure both lamps are on and it is an inviting space for you both. Sweet dreams. Dana The master bedroom is our focus this week. There are some reasons why I am tackling this room so early in the game. Whether you are single or married, someone who sleeps in the master bedroom is the breadwinner for your family. It could be one person or it could be two. Regardless, your room, your ability to relax and retreat and your sleep is more important than anyone else's. Trust me on this. And, this is one of those places where you should put yourself and your self-care in front of everyone else's. But, we so seldom do.
My room is less than perfect but it is mostly a relaxing abode. When I finish this week, it will be even more so. I have heard from many of you and the bedroom is the last place where you clean or declutter. It is a dumping ground. It serves as a multi-purpose room - the office, the exercise room, the craft room, the storage room. I get it. We can work with this. Really, we can. When I first began studying feng shui, I read lots of things about bedrooms and much of it holds true. But, the one idea that has always stuck in my mind is that it should not be a storage facility. You do not want the last thing you see before you go to sleep or the first thing you see when you wake up are all of the "shoulds" in your life. I should exercise today. I should put away the laundry. I should answer that email. I should clear my desk, finish that project, mail that check........... Give yourself grace and allow yourself to go to sleep in peace and wake to truly a fresh day. Below I will give you the steps I am going to take in my bedroom today after finishing this post. If you can follow along, do so. Your bedroom may be fairly easy like mine (until I start painting) or it may be overwhelming. Baby steps are the key if you are feeling that state of overwhelm. If you are not sure where to begin even with these steps, send me pictures either on FB or to [email protected] and we can look it it together. Let's do this. 1. If you have not done so, make your bed! 2. Clear your bedside table and your spouse's. 3. Hang up/put away your laundry. If you have clean laundry lying around, hang it up or fold it. If you have dirty laundry, get it in the basket at the very least! Preferably into the closet or laundry room if you have them. 4. Turn on your bedside lamp if you have one. If you have a spouse, turn that lamp on as well. (We'll discuss this later). If you do not have a bedside lamp but want one, go and get one. Limited budget? You can get cute lamps for $12 at Dollar General that will work for you. If your bedroom is too overwhelming to accomplish all of these tasks today, begin with 1, 2, and 4 as we'll be tackling clothing and shoes on another day. Peace Out. Dana
[Watch me on FB Live Friday, 12 Noon for a kitchen tour!]
Truth time. I feel like I am saying that a lot lately. We have to speak our truth. Every day. My kitchen cabinets are a place in which I excel. Seriously. Last year, this was a place I began as I began my own decluttering journey. The image from the previous post was actually a project I did last fall. My biggest purge last year was probably in the realm of cookbooks. I had 1 cabinet with 3 shelves plus another cabinet with 2 shelves full PLUS three small decorative shelves built in to my kitchen with more cookbooks. I am I eliminated 3 FULL SHELVES of cookbooks. I took them down to my local used bookstore and traded them (along with about 50 other books) for all of the Harry Potter books in hardback (our paperbacks had seen better days). #WIN! I learned early on in the kitchen that instead of needing every gadget under the sun, what I really needed was fewer high quality gadgets that could tackle multiple jobs. The same goes for other areas of the kitchen. I don't need 10 baking sheets. Instead, I have two quality sheets, a Pampered Chef large baking stoneware pan and a muffin tin. What about my dishes and other items? I cannot call myself a minimalist by any means. Cooking is a big part of my world and I need certain items, as I am sure you do as well. The key is getting rid of the things you do not need (like the plastic containers with no lids or lids with no containers), so that you can effectively organize what is remaining. The organization method also needs to be maintainable. If you have a tiny kitchen, this task may be a short one. If you are like me and have a larger kitchen with many cabinets, it may take a little longer. Here are the steps: 1. Put on some great music. I prefer Madonna. (My fave album is below for your listening pleasure!) 2. Get your bins/boxes ready. 3. Start on the far left side of your kitchen and go through EVERY. SINGLE. CABINET. Look at every item. Is it a keeper? Does it need a new home? Have you used it in the last year? Is it broken or damaged to point that you cannot use it? 4. If you are inclined (and I hope you are) wipe down each shelf while the cabinet is empty. 5. This is where things get tricky. Go ahead and get those discards, trash, recycle, Goodwill items into their proper bins. Now. Keep items can either go on to the counter for organization or you can organize them back into their cabinets. 6. You now have hopefully released at least a few items allowing you to get a better sense of your cabinets. Does your current plan make sense? Do any cabinets need to be swapped? Does it need the help of organizers, baskets, risers, to maximize your space and create a more user friendly experience? One that can stay organized? 7. Check out my Pinterest page for more ideas on the how to organize your cabinets into the space of your dreams! https://www.pinterest.com/fengshuimama/organized-kitchen/ Don't get caught up in making it Pinterest worthy unless you are so inclined. This is YOUR space in your home and needs to work for you. If you need help with organizers, make notes, take photos on your phone and by all means, take measurements! Feel the freedom of a clean and organized space. Find your groove as you work in a kitchen where you can open doors with nothing falling out and find the tools you need to create a loving dinner for yourself or your family. There is one final step for the kitchen in regards to the decluttering, organizing aspect and that is our drawers. Wednesday: Drawers Thursday: Cleaning time Friday: Facebook Live @ 12Noon Good luck. Post pics. Share the love! And, dance. Dana Sometimes in life, there are things that we hide. From our friends, our family, our partners...and ourselves. They are hidden away behind the doors of cupboards and when we open the doors everything comes tumbling out. When I made the decision to create this challenge I knew I would be opening some personal cabinet doors that needed to see the light of day, scrubbed free of the mismatched lids and broken handles. It took me 2 years to find the courage to actually create this work or at least open myself to it. Maybe that's why last week stalled for me. A migraine, full schedule, I simply could not find it within me to tackle these darn cabinets. Then there was the full moon. And, the dam burst. I'll be revealing more about this over the next few weeks because I believe that for many of us, there are things that will be revealed. Actually, I believe that is true for all of us. I have been in homes that were immaculate and beautiful, just like their owners, except for that one closet that held the remains of a marriage gone bad. I've been in homes that were so full of trash and animal waste that it was a reflection of how the homeowner viewed themselves. I've been in homes somewhere in between. Maybe your cabinets or your home do not reveal some deep dark secret or pain. Maybe they are a reflection of the fear or missing out or the inability to say "NO" when you are always saying "YES". Whatever it is that we are shedding light on, I hope you will sink into this process, the decluttering, the releasing, the reorganizing. This is the year. It is the year of the self. The year of stepping into who we are individually. I believe in this work and if only one of you has their world rocked by this work that is rocking my world, then I will celebrate from the mountain of life! Now...roll up your sleeves, pull out your bins and get ready. Part 2: The work begins. Dana "Order is the shape upon which beauty begins." - Pearl Buck You know what sucks? That you can clean the kitchen every day and it just gets dirty again. There, I said it. This is both my absolute and least favorite scene in one of my favorite movies ever. Wouldn't it be fun to just lay around with Jack Nicholson (okay, maybe not Jack) in a mansion with a servant, making love and magic all day long? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Alas, there is still the kitchen to be dealt with....... If you had come to my home the week of Christmas, before the family arrived, you would have said, "That Dana Croy is together. I want to be like Dana." If you came today you might not feel the same! Gosh. It takes such little time for things to deteriorate. Like food. In the fridge. Gross. The fridge was so clean and sparkly a few weeks ago! I didn't even realize how much we had spilled as we crammed it completely full each and every day during that blessed time of the light that is Christmas (and just after which is The Sun's birthday). Today, I did it again. I picked something in the kitchen to tackle. Why? Why? Why do I care? Through this process, everytime I approach a new task, I am faced with things the either keep or discard. In fact, I just loaded my car with my first Goodwill run of the year. High five! The fridge is no different. It can get really gross really quickly and fill will germs and smell and be unsightly and in general, be unwelcoming every time you open the door. Don't you want to love your fridge? What is in that little box is a source of nourishment and good for you or you and your family. It may be one of if not the most important space in your home to be cleaned. I am intentionally moving slowly through the kitchen. We started with the countertops, then looked at plastics. Today it is the fridge. Tomorrow will be cabinets, inside and out. Monday we will round this out with drawers and cleaning the floors. I suppose I should give you instructions on exactly how to clean out the fridge. It seems intuitive to me, but just in case, this is what I did: 1. I pulled everything out and put it on the counters (thank goodness you tackled those Monday and have room for the refridgerator items!) 2. I cleaned the shelves, drawers and walls. I did this a month ago, so truthfully, it wasn't bad - not NEARLY as bad as it was then! Fortunately, my in-laws stayed several days during the holidays so I was motivated to show her I can clean. 3. It is now time to begin putting back into the fridge what needs to go back. This is where you check dates, do smell checks and discard leftovers more than 5 days old. If you have leftovers you are discarding, this is when you WASH those dishes and put them away. 4. Do the same thing for the freezer if you are able. I want to hear from you. This work takes an effort. I get it. It can be hard. Go as slow or as fast as you need to move. If you want to go ahead, are motivated, good for you. When we complete this work, my hope for you is that you have released items that have been bringing down the energy of your home, feel as if you can catch your breath and have developed good habits that keep you moving when life keeps you down.
Above: Before.
Below: After Gosh. The kitchen is BIG WORK. Are you feeling it? I am. I really need 7 full days to move through this challenge. I skipped Tuesday due to a blessedly full day and now I am wondering how to complete this week. Last night I made the executive decision to move this thing into the first of next week if needed. So, hang with me and keep on keepin' on!
Watch for a post later today on the fridge. Peace out, Dana |
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Meet DanaI’m Dana Croy and I am a modern day mama. Balancing family and work is not always easy (not to mention a little self-care). Though being Mama to two fantastic kiddos is a huge part of my life, that was not always the case. I wear many other hats and invite to sit down and find harmony with me. Archives
August 2021
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