on housekeeping...

You know how sometimes in life you just need a new perspective? A fresh start? A need to see something from a different angle?

That's how I feel when it comes to housekeeping. Sometimes I just need a fresh, new look to inspire me to keep on with all that comes along with keeping a home.

About twice a year, I find that desire creeping up on me.

It's time to see things from a new light, from a new perspective.

It's time to change things up a bit to chase away the boredom.

Because, for me, change leads to inspiration. At least in my home.

And so I attacked our living areas of our home yesterday. Pulling down things. Rearranging things. Moving lamps. Moving baskets. I even completely emptied all the contents from on top of our cabinets.

I needed clean. I needed a more streamlined look. I needed less clutter.

And so I took two large bins, plus some, from our upstairs down into our basement storage. And those things will stay untouched until the next time I feel inspired to rearrange and change.

It's amazing how moving things around a bit can motivate and inspire me to keep up with house-keeping.

Brad even noticed how much cleaner and less cluttered it looked when he got home. He even thanked me.

We feel a bit lighter. I like to feel lighter.

Keep what you love. Keep what is functional and serves a purpose. And if an object fulfills both of those purposes, well then, that's definitely a piece to keep. 

I like things to look pretty. I like to make our home a place of beauty and comfort for my family. But I also appreciate the way an uncluttered room can lend a bit easier to sitting down and taking a big breath.

I decided several years ago that, in my home, I will use what I love. Not what other blogs or department stores tell me I should love. I won't depend on "What is Your Decorating Style" assessments to decide for me how I should be decorating my home.

I'm a bit eclectic. And that's ok. My philosophy is if you like it and it makes you happy, use it. Don't worry if it doesn't fit in with any certain theme. Throw the whole theme/style philosophy in the trash.

Use what you love. Make your home yours, not the next blogger's or your next-door neighbor's.

I use home decorating blogs and all your blogs to inspire me in my home keeping, not to duplicate. I used to think that I had to stick to a certain style, but oh those walls were tall and uninspiring.

So there you have it. My philosophy on home decorating. Use what you love and use it how you want. It's your home. It's your earthly dwelling that you've been blessed with so don't let others tell you what to do with it or how to adorn its walls. Make it yours. Make it your family's.