Writing here in this space is as much a comfort as it is some strange hobby I do. The one thing with blogging is it always has a way of perfecting life. My sweet friends life is not perfect. In fact, I promise you and I are the same- I have dirty dishes in my sink, sand on my floors, finger prints on my windows, and a whole bunch of stories to go with the chaos of being a mom.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret- lately, I have been a total crab. Ha, could you have guessed?
I have hated my house the physical one- not the people in it of coarse; we have all been there. I let my desire for wanting change get in the way of enjoying what I already have. Have you been there? I have lost my temper more than I would like to admit – and, I have really not been in the happiest of a moods.
I struggled to figure out ‘why‘- and, only after months of internal searching and looking for answers in all the wrong places did I recently begin to make sense of some of the mangled mess.
The physical house- ah yes, our starter home that has since become our family home. We never intended to live here 12 years-we never thought we would have four kids here either. Ha, who am I kidding the thought of having four kids, a dog, 2 guinnie pigs, and homeschooling in 1000 square feet never ever crossed our minds-and, truly was never “the plan“.
Funny what happens when we think we have a good “plan” -it doesn’t always work out now does it?
We make a meal plan all too soon to realize we haven’t followed a single day of it-and, to top it off we killed the grocery budget.
We try to plan a purpose filled day only to have the kids get sick and throw the entire schedule off kilter.
We try to plan the perfect birthday party -oh, to soon to realize there are 5 kids with different food allergies or intolerance’s that all need tending to.
Here’s the thing, all the planning in the world is not going to ‘fix‘ something’s. We need to actually think differently- here my friends is how I started to love my home again.
I searched realestate sights both day and night- I looked at different cities and even states- searching, looking, hoping, and dreaming up that ‘perfect‘ house. Guess what, I came up with nothing. My anxiousness grew and truth be told I knew a move at this present time wasn’t really even feasable- but, I was searching.
Guess what I discovered- I have what I need- and, when the time is right change will come.
8 Ways How to Love Your Home
Bring the outdoors in– one of my favorite things to do is buy a plant at the grocery store or bring in freshly cut flowers. There is something so calming about bring nature inside. I really do not have the best green thumb and our home doesn’t get the best light so the plants don’t seem to last very long- but, it is always worth the effort.
De-clutter- get rid of stuff people. We have the most amount of kids and the smallest house out of everyone in our family- and, guess what? After some soul searching I’m o.k with that- an addition would be nice and a bigger back yard would be dreamy- but, I have learned the bigger the space the more junk you hold onto. Have I mentioned how much I hate clutter?
Make your space work for you-if you don’t use it- get rid of it. I’ll even help you- seriously, if you are struggling to get rid of something or unsure send me a message and a picture of what it is I will gladly help you figure it out.
Paint it– we have lived in our home for 11 years- it was only suppose to be 5 and, guess what we have not painted anything in years. The time is coming- it is amazing how just adding a coat of paint to something can make it seem new again.
So if you have been contemplating that room make over or some of your things are getting ‘old‘ try a coat of paint. My most recent little project was adding some chalkboard paint to some old flower pots- it cost me less than $10.00 and was enough change to make them ‘new to me‘ again- it no longer mattered that they were 10+ years old.
If you have something old sitting around your house that you no longer are enjoying – a simple coat of paint might just be the answer.
Everyday is a gift- during all of my pouting the one thing I continued to lose sight of was that everyday and everything is a gift. How easy it is to get caught up in ourselves or the ways of the world.
More stuff, more friends, bigger houses, better vacations – none of it will truly make you happy. Well, it will temporally- but, having “more” of something is not synonymous with happiness. True happiness is seeing and accepting what you already have.
Think outside the box- homeschooling four kids in 1000 square feet has taught me a lot about thinking outside the box. Most people have linen closets I have homeschool closets full of books and kid activities.
You might also be surprised to know that toys in the living room are contained to one small bin the rest are in my kids rooms – which they share. Keep what you need and use- let the rest go. Think of ways to use everyday spaces in a new non-traditional way. For example, who says a dresser can’t make a great desk- if the decorating police aren’t going to come after you- then do it!
Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes – big is beautiful but so is tiny. How many people can truly say they love their home- they wouldn’t change a thing. Probably as many as you would find that say they love everything about their body- no one!
Size doesn’t matter- what does matter is how you make your space work for you and how it makes you feel in the end. Just as eating a huge sundae might make you temporarily satisfied – it will not achieve the long term happiness, feel good feeling your after.
However, making a commitment to work out and doing it likely will. You need change your way of thinking- positive long term change not temporary fixes. Buying a pillow for a couch you hate is not going to fix the problem- but, maybe buying a ‘new to you‘ couch at a second hand store or using a slip cover to change the entire appearance will.
Why wait? We wait, wait, and wait to do things – we wait to have enough money, we are waiting for that perfect time, we are waiting our life away. Do it now, what is holding you back?
Is it money- hit up the nearest thrift or resale shop for that perfect decorative piece. Maybe try bartering services with a friend- you cook her family dinner for a week and she sews your new curtains.
Is it time- prioritize – if it’s important you will make time for it.
Home is what you make it – perfectly imperfect. My home has finger prints smeared on the front door- crumbs on the kitchen floor, and dust so thick in some places I can write my name. My home isn’t dirty it’s lived in. We do not need a show case to be our home- all we really need is a place that provides shelter and makes all who enter feel welcome.
What is the next big project going to be at your homestead?
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