When I decluttered that back corner of our gameroom recently, I discovered a lot of things in the pile were photos or wallhangings or signs that I knew I wanted to keep but hadn’t found a place for yet.
So I had to wrestle with myself a little/lot.
Do I find a corner somewhere else to stash these things until I have time to decide where/if/how to perfectly display them all?
Do I pile them up and clear everything else and pretend I’m done?
Do I stop Decluttering Day and declare it Decorating Day?
Do I pretend I wasn’t really going to finish this project anyway and walk away? And go eat candy?
I decided to just make it better. I put up a few pictures (that were already in frames) on pre-existing nails throughout the house. Then I leaned the rest up somewhat neatly in the places that were available nearby.
And it was better. Not done, but so much better:
And even though it’s far from perfect and the broken collage is hanging whompy-jawed on the wall, I smile when I walk through this room now.
And smiling is so much better than crying.
Awesome! I have to say I agree that your better IS better than a stack of those pictures tucked away somewhere where you don’t get to see them. Now you are enjoying them, even if they aren’t in the right place for you yet. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!
Don’t ruin good in pursuit of perfection. Perfection is an illusion. 🙂
whompy-jawed – I love that word! and you’re right – this is better!
I say it all the time. smile…
I think that better is true reality, because we can always do better, as our needs, wants and experience changes..so do we. Perfection is a centerfold spread in some design magazine that showcases a clean home’s 15 minutes of fame. Except for chocolate and that annoying game that always made me jump as a kid no matter how much I was anticipating it. Being okay with Better is not the same as settling or giving up. 😀
oh and “Whompy Jawed” is my new favorite phrase…
1.) My dog stared at me all whompy jawed in anticipation of getting one of his stinky treats….
2.) My cats stares at the dog all whompy jawed in anticipation of his demise
3.) I stare at my husband all whompy jawed in amazement to the fact he took out the trash without being asked
4.) I stared whompy jawed at the other car in the roundabout as it actually yielded to a car making it’s way around the circle…
Yes! You can always work on it more another day. I love it. I love how you talk through things.
Yes better is still better than it was before 🙂 Great realization Nony!
I love your blog!! I found you awhile back and love reading old and new posts! I seriously laugh out loud sometimes. Thanks for being an inspiration.
Welcome, Tera!!
I’m really working on the whole idea that even a small improvement is worth celebrating. I have a messy store room in our basement and today I found the energy to organize … some of it. I am 8 months pregnant, so the energy is lacking many a day. There is still an ugly pile of clothing that needs put away, but I know I’m out of energy for the day so I’m rejoicing in the progress I made, and will NOT give way to frustration that much more needs done in that room.
I’m new to you and really enjoy you site, posts and podcasts. Thank you for helping!!!
I agree. It is better and that’s a challenge for us when we want it to be perfect or not at all. Thank you so much, I listened to eight of your podcasts yesterday in a row because I felt it could have been coming from my mouth. So inspirational. Might I add, I listened while I decluttered lol
When it comes to the home, I am also – most definitely a slob. Today I cleaned hubby and my room and when he asked me how my day was going I mentioned I was cleaning the room and he thanked me for doing that! *sigh* My own hubby in the short years we’ve been married has accepted that I never clean! I don’t mean to be negative because I am doing so much better than when we got married in 2010. (sorry for being so long-winded) So it really helped when I started accepting “better” when cleaning. ps – that area looks great!
Love it! I like to say that there is no before and after, only during!
I’ve found recently, like you, that going for better is the best choice when you just don’t know what to do. We have been under an extraordinary amount of of stress with health and financial issues, but thanks to your posts, our home is actually getting better. Even my kids have started to declutter after seeing me get rid of large amounts of “stuff”. I keep working on it in its and bursts, accepting that it is going to take a long time. But cleaning up for company is easier and easier, and more is cleaned than in times past.
My new “mantra” is if I haven’t used it 6 months (or 3 or 6 years…don’t ask), it shouldn’t take up real estate here! Thanks for helping me learn this lesson!
I used to want to be all perfect and it would prevent me from doing anything. Now my new pholosophy is “better is good”. With some health issue, I know I’m never gonna be able to make “perfect” in one session, so I accepted the “better” option.
It changes everything.
The desk is always my biggest problem as I am a writer and can’t just “dump things after 6 months. That being said, I make too much of a mess and am trying to get things under control.