FREE:  5 Minutes to a Lighter Mental Load: a Decision Filter
 
for the Mom Who Wants More Presence & Peace
If you’re feeling heavy lately, it’s not because you’re doing it wrong. It’s because you’re making a hundred tiny calls before breakfast, and your nervous system is trying to keep up. 

This free guide walks you through a science-backed, simple decision filter so you can quickly: 

 
  • clear the clutter in your head
  • make space for what you value
  • show up with more presence today
Not a new routine. Just a faster way to move forward.
 
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Painting Our Front Door

Have you ever paid attention to the color of pain on your front door? Or any door? I hadn’t really until we moved into our current home. We were blessed to move into a new construction, but there were a few things I looked forward to making “ours.” One of those project included painting our front door!

It seems so petty, but I really couldn’t stand the maroon paint color that the contractor/builder had chosen for our front door! I like maroon as a clothing color, but not to complement my neutral, modern farmhouse decor. It had to go.

What We Did

So, after far too long, I finally pushed to paint our front door! We purchased Sherwin Williams Resilience Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint in Dark Clove and satin sheen. It seemed to be the best quality to withstand mold, mildew, weather, and high sun exposure, and it has a lifetime limited warranty. I’d been advised that glossier sheens clean easier, which is something VERY important to a home with a toddler. I tend to like “flat” looks, so I compromised with a satin sheen. We really loved the new color. Absolutely no one else noticed that we had painted it, but it felt so much better to walk past it each millionth time we did!

I’m extra though, so the job didn’t end there. After a while, I didn’t like how “dark” my entryway looked. Not much natural light’s available there, so with a dark door, it literally felt like a depressing, black hole for me. You know what happened next…another refresh.

This time, I only painted the inside of the door! I love all-things white. It’s so bright, clean, and “simple” (something my busy mommy brain needs). So, I got Valspar Ultra Stain-Resistant Paint & Primer Everyday Washable in Base A (which is just plain white paint).

Painting our front door was simple, affordable, and made a big change (at least in the entryway). I’m REALLY happy with it. I hope this post inspires you to do something simple in your home that brings you joy and creates a nurture space for the season of life that you’re in!

supplies to paint a doorSupplies you’ll want/need for a project like this:

 

If you’ve tried all the tips and still need something repeatable and realistic, this is the shortcut you can come back to when the day starts to unravel.

Calm the Spiral
in 10 Minutes

for the overwhelmed mom

10-Minute Shortcut to a Calmer Day Kit

Repeat it in just 10 minutes
Watch, listen, or read it depending on what mom-life allows
Learn it once in about 30 minutes
Instant access. Built by a mom and former social worker for real-life overwhelm.

I'm Alyssa, your Chattanooga & Cleveland, TN Photographer and systems-obsessed, sanity-saving friend.

I serve families, brands, and events in Chattanooga, Cleveland, and Ooltewah (and yep, even beyond). My style? Light, airy, and joy-packed.

When I’m not behind the camera, I’m helping mamas simplify life with smart systems and realistic routines that actually work.

Around here, it’s all about capturing your story and giving you tools that free up your time.

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