I’ve had this post going through my head for a day and a half. Ideas for a post about being discontent with my home were racing through my head as I spent the entire afternoon cleaning to get ready for home-groups tonight.
But now, sitting in my pretty-much-presentable house, I’m feeling much better.
See, for several days I’ve been feeling a nagging sense of discontentment with my house.
Last week, I assigned a few weekly tasks to specific days. I had every intention of Friday being vacuuming. But then on Thursday, we had the biggest snow that I’ve seen in years. So the kids were home, and we played and played, and the vacuuming never happened.
Snow clothes and boots were strewn out in the entryway and dining room to dry, and as it seems to happen, when one thing is strewn, other stray things are drawn to that area, and soon you have a disaster.
With the lack of routine that a weekend brings lasting an extra day because of the snow day, the house was pretty much a disaster this weekend. And rather than get busy and clean it up, I let it get to me. And then I started surfing on the internet, and looked at the gorgeous pictures people had on their blogs of their entry ways, their decorating projects, etc.
See, I have dreams of being like them someday. Of coming up with perfect decorating solutions. But when my house is cluttered and chaotic, I’m hopeless in this area. What exactly is the point of making a cute little display on a table when it will just get covered up with paper and book bags and hairbrushes?
But like I said, I’m feeling much better now. I was irritated about having to work hard all afternoon, and really, I shouldn’t have had to do that. If I had done my daily tasks EVEN WHEN things were out of the routine, I wouldn’t have had to. But I’m so glad I did do it. I can’t even express how much it positively affects my mood to have socks and stray toys out of the corners and the floors swept and vacuumed.
Now I can picture it. I’m not there yet. Not to the decorating place. I still have so much decluttering to do and so many places to find for things. But when the house is “pretty good” I can feel hope.
I SO get this. One of my upcoming resolutions is to stop making excuses. (I actually have that part of my post written out already!) So-and-so doesn't necessarily have a bigger house than I do, or better storage. They are just more organized and utilize their space better!
I linked to a blog in this weekend's roundup, where the author quoted someone else as saying "clutter is unmade decisions". So true for me! I don't know what to do with something right now, so I just set it on any available spot, and pretty soon there's a pile.
Something that I REALLY need to make a habit of is that if it takes less than two minutes, DO IT NOW. I've also seen if it takes less than ten minutes, do it now. My life sure would look a lot different (neater!) if I lived by those words.
Wow, can I relate. When my home is in dis-aray I feel like life is falling apart for some odd reason.
Not sure why they are so intertwined, but they are.
I'm working on a daily list that I *hope* to keep up on.
Not to be annoying because this is an old post, but I’m reading from the beginning like you said. I totally relate and get this. We have unfinished constriction projects that have yet to be completed because we only use cash. I tend to neglect the rooms and areas that are unfinished than I do the ones that look good and that I like. When I “clean” and decorate I pretty much focus on the “done” rooms.
I have to remind myself that I am blessed to have a roof over my head and that we can pay all of our bills every month and put food on the table at every meal and snack because I an get really down on myself about my house. And because by profession I am an interior designer and my house looks the way it does… blame it on the creative brain! Haha!
Looking at the picture before reading the post, I thought “I’m really liking her house now.” I started reading from the beginning rather than the end (because I couldn’t figure out how to do that), and I have seen the progress! I realize that I am writing this almost 8 years after you posted it, but I’d like to say “GREAT JOB” anyway. You have helped me so much. And I really like your house. 😉