Lockers and lists: new year organization tips with the founder of Martha Brook
Martha Keith loves the new year. As the founder of her own boutique stationery business, Martha Brook, it comes as no surprise that a fresh start and a blank page fill her with the thrill of possibility. But it might surprise you to hear that this queen of organization doesn't believe in new year's resolutions.
What she does believe in? The power of putting pen to paper.
It's been a decade since Martha took a leap of faith and left her corporate career to start Martha Brook London. While a lot has changed in that time, she says, "I still passionately believe in the power of writing things down and the difference this can make to your sense of purpose and positivity. Anything is possible if you can dream it, plan and do it! That's what I want to inspire in our customers: that feeling of possibility."
As a long-time locker lover, Martha's home features plenty of Mustard to help keep her plans – and her belongings – sorted. We asked her to give us a tour of how she uses lockers for home, work and play.
home goals
"Our home is a classic late Victorian London terraced home," Martha tells us, "and it retains lots of those lovely period features like the fireplaces and cornicing, but we've also blended modern elements in. I think my style is transitional, that blend of contemporary and traditional but with a feminine edge. It's quite neutral, which I find calming, but with added pops of color through accessories such as my Mustard lockers to keep it interesting and inspiring."
While you won't find Martha writing a list of new year's resolutions, her planners and notebooks are filled instead with goals. "Writing goals down is the most magical thing," Martha says. "Once you've written down that you plan to do something and put a timeframe on it, you are 42% more likely to achieve that goal. I try to have three 'big things' I want to do each year in the business and in my personal life. This helps enormously with focus and making things happen."
"The Lowdown in Ocean sits in our living room and is filled with toys and games. It's unbelievable how much fits inside!"
work + life
If you're looking for some home office inspiration, you've come to the right place. Martha gave her home office a makeover a few years ago, she told us "The Lowdown in Blush was the first thing I bought, and it completely transformed the space. I adore it!" If you're thinking of doing the same, the new year is the perfect time for a fresh start. "I think investing in your workspace always pays off because you feel significantly more inspired when your surroundings are a joy to be in," says Martha.
When it comes to ticking off those goals, Martha has some sage advice to beat the overwhelm. "I always start with a list! There's something about getting everything out of your head and onto a page that just helps make your mind clearer, isn't there?"
Some beautiful stationery is always a good jumping off point. "I adore my Martha Brook Life Planner, it's how I plan my day, week, month and year. It's packed with so many thoughtful touches that keep me inspired. I also use my Refillable Vegan Leather Notepad every day, and never go anywhere without my Vegan Leather Notebook, which I have in five colors!"
Once you've got your thoughts down on paper, Martha says she's a big believer in 'swallowing the frog', which is "basically doing the most difficult task, or the one you are most likely to procrastinate on, first. It feels counterintuitive, but the overwhelm is instantly lighter once you've done it."
play time
Just like Team Mustard, Martha is a big believer in balancing the pretty and the practical. She chose a Blush Shorty for her 18 month old's nursery, because "I tend to hide clutter, and keep things on view that spark the imagination." Blush is Martha's signature color – "anyone who follows me or Martha Brook will know I love pastels!" – but behind its lovely door is a very practical stash of her daughter's bedding, duvets and muslins. "It's amazing how often you get through these with little ones," she says, "and it's so handy having them all to hand when you unexpectedly have to switch them in the middle of the night."
While practicality rules inside the locker, its top makes the perfect spot for some styling pieces. "I like layering up smaller decorative items together," Martha says, "it's amazing what a difference a few feature pieces can make." With their magnetic surface, lockers are also a great place to pop up some of your favorite inspirational quotes, which Martha has a real knack for collecting! "My life motto is 'the more you give, the more you get'," she tells us, "and I recently discovered this lovely quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, which I'll leave you with. 'When you give joy to other people, you get more joy in return. You should give a good thought to the happiness that you can give out.'"
Here's to a very happy (and organized!) new year.
A little note for our US locker lovers:
If you spied the Shorty in these images, no you didn't! We're really sorry to say this style is currently unavailable in the US. We've explained more here.
