A Simple(r) Home

My husband and I have been enjoying a Colorado Summer at home in Boulder County. Home can be a place of refuge, or a place of stress. This summer I have been trying to make my Lafayette home an easier place for me to exist.

I stage the homes I sell- I love doing it and it always involves A LOT of pillows. But, I have discovered that having A LOT of pillows for living is not very practical! It complicates making the bed in the morning and getting into bed at the end of the day. You take them off the bed, you put them back on the bed- it is quite cumbersome. So I have made a distinction in my mind that decor for a staged home is not the same decor for living in home (much to my husband’s excitement).

I have been decluttering my whole house slowly, with small projects. This morning while getting dressed, I noticed some shoes I haven’t worn in 2 years. So in about 20 minutes I went through the two shoe closets and eliminated the shoes that no longer carry me around this earth. I ditched the flats (they are out of style anyway), a pair of wedges I wore out after my college graduation, and some sneakers low on the rotation list.

I think we sometimes keep things because they are something that has been with us for a long time. We hold onto stuff because “what if I need it in the future?” Or because it reminds us of a special time in our development. My old wedges marked graduation and a REALLY fun night out full of dancing- I have kept them for 11 years! I really want to remember that night and those great shoes- so, I took a photo. For items I am worried I might need again in the future- I remind myself that I can always buy something similar next time I need it. What I like to do is think of getting rid of things as opening up space for a new opportunity in the future. When I clear out my fabulous dresses that no longer fit- I am opening up room to find a new fabulous dress in the future.

My new mantra is to “buy less, because when you have less things, you have less things you have to take care of.” So if your house is causing you stress and you feel like you are always picking up after your kids and cleaning constantly to find that there is just another mess to pick up, think about how you can simplify. Can you clean a closet out this weekend to make putting away laundry easier? Can you donate old shoes so finding the pair you want to wear is faster? Are there extra pillows on the bed that make making the bed a hassle? I recommend picking a small place to start this weekend- let me know how it goes!