Creating a Happy Place
We all have strong points, but organization is not one of mine. Organization of time–yes. Organization of personnel–yes. Organization of projects–absolutely. Organization of things–absolutely not.
Perhaps that’s why I’m so drawn to simplicity and why I drool over home decor and organization porn (oh yes … Pretty Organized on Flickr I’m looking at you!).
This year one of my goals is to organize and decorate our home while maintaining the standards of the compact and respecting our goals of simplicity. Our home should be a haven, a sanctuary and a source of joy and it is my goal to make it just that.
I haven’t really started on any projects, but I was organizing our vast collection of books today and as I was sifting through them I started wondering just why I’ve been lugging them around for years. There’s books I will never use again, never read again but they still sit on my shelf. There’s books whose topics we’ve long since outgrown. I even came across my high school year book–why would I want to cling to that? Of course, posting books to Paperback Swap helps dilute the clutter and has been wonderful for our family and keeps us in new books when we need them.
There’s clothing we don’t wear often or that we have duplicates of. There’s my little dude’s stuff too–who knew a two-year old could accumulate so much. I come to work to find garbage bags filled with toys and clothes for him once every six weeks.
It’s almost insurmountable and it certainly is a hindrance to simplifying. After all, when I can’t find takers I just keep the stuff because loading it in the dumpster destined for the landfill seems so wasteful. (Before you start to suggest it: we’ve tried freecycle, free ads in the paper, flyers and donating it to charity but in this area of excess even the charity shops are struggling under an avalanche of stuff.)
So let me circle back: I need to create a happy place–a home that allows me to feel at peace rather than like I’m drowning in stuff.
We live in approximately 750 s.f., so we live small and small messes look awfully big. Still, I think it can be done. With a few coats of (low-VOC) paint, a little ingenuity and the support of my family I think it can be accomplished beautifully.
So, dear readers, hold me to my promise!
In the mean time, I’ll be looking for inspiration:
*Photo by house n baby on flickr’s Pretty Organized pool.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Good for you for getting organized! I’m actually an insanely organized person, but the kids make it next to impossible. I’m working on getting the organization back, but I’m also working on letting go of a lot also, esp stuff that I *think* is sentimental. A few things actually are sentimental, but most of it is just junk that people have given me. We live in a fairly small space also, so we really don’t have room for extras.
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February 3rd, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Good luck!
I think deep down I can’t survive without clutter. I can’t think of any other reason for the way I live my life, other than a subconscious need to never see the floor.
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:55 pm
… adding….
Just looked at Pretty Organized and I feel a little ill…
The picture you pulled above with all the wood is nice, though.
February 4th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
The big one will be support of your family. You will have to work hard to train hubby to not dump his stuff in the entry way but to pick it up and put it away. I get so tired of seeing Joe’s pants lying on the floor. I have learned that if I take the 2 seconds to pick them up the house will stay cleaner. But if I get in a mood and leave them there until he picks them up they will sit on the floor next to his side of the bed for a week at least!
February 4th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Nicole - Pretty Organized is neat (some parts of it at least) I do get tired of all the organized pastel ribbons though I’m way into the bookshelves organized by color.
Tiff - I definitely hear what you’re saying, but, to be fair, it’s not him. It’s both of us, really. The side of my bed is packed with patterns, books and an old newspaper. I throw my stuff on the floor for lack of a place to put it. To think that I don’t have a place in the blame is unfair. Instead, we’ll just work together to organize and create the lovely home we deserve. He really is awesome, though, and I love him so much.
Jenny’s last blog post..Creating a Happy Place
February 4th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Your linen drawer looks wonderful organized.
Best of luck!
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February 5th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Your blog is a treasure today~so glad I found you for some decluttering inspiration! It seems to come in spurts, you know…. (((((HUGS))))) sandi
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February 20th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Jenny, you’re supposed to keep your high school yearbook so your little man can laugh really hard at your teenage style someday! I am keeping mine!
April 29th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Hey - glad you liked my photo - thanks
I’d love to have a completely organised house - some of those pics are pretty inspiring.
xx
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