Spaciousness At Home

This was my house in October....

Under the piles, is actually a treadmill

This was the laundry room

seemingly never ending piles of clothes

This is the upstairs, more piles...

best light in the entire space... showing off all the clutter

Last October I dove into my space with the target of clearing out the piles. I used to binge clear. I would go for a time without doing anything and then all of a sudden, when I almost couldn't stand to walk into my space, I would declare war on the piles, sort, throw or keep. This was my method.

I've recently changed this. It sounds really simplistic and it is.... the missing link was establishing my priority of CLEAR. It's no secret that I think better, feel better and accomplish more when my space is neat, tidy and organized. I know this and yet I used my busy schedule and life style to justify why my home was usually in a state of disaster.

Why was it this way? Because even though I was continually weeding out clutter, I was not been vigilant about what came in the door. I had allowed items into my life to remain  past their points of contribution.

Clutter, people and life situations require clear, effective boundaries and conscious communication. I have bought and even been gifted with great items. The glitch is when I failed to recognize the timeline of things/people/situations. I typically don't hold on or become attached, but I also don't "give them the boot". That's what has changed.

To get to where I want to be, emotionally, mentally, and physically, I had to get really clear on what I genuinely want to experience. I needed to clarify what I was going to give my time, attention and energy too. There are a lot of choices and if we don't identify and anchor those down, we are likely going to accumulate excess. I kept fighting with clutter (and clutter translates to a myriad of other symbolisms, so insert for what you are fighting with) and loosing the battle. It was push and pull. I'd clean and clear and a month later, I'd be back to square one. After a lot of frustration, I finally started asking open-ended questions...and followed the awareness. I was good at brining clutter in, I was pretty good at getting rid of it, but what would it take to eliminate both of those steps, free up more time, and really enjoy my days, sans constant clutter purges?

I set my target to clearing off the counters every night before I went to sleep. No matter what my day had been like, no matter how tired I was, this would be my reset button. It has been working, thus my reason for this post. I've kept this up for over a month, expanding and contracting here and there. Consistency has been an important key.

I am seeing and experiencing the benefits. A few weeks ago I did another clutter detox. Even the kids got on board (maybe not willingly at first, but they certainly contributed when I asked.) Pryce's room transformed very quickly (I'm still slightly concerned that she could need some hoarding intervention at some point, but not as worried as I used to be ;).  We spruced up the Parker's suite, sorted and stored the Christmas tote. That's a sign of progress right there. In my old life I had six totes of Christmas decorations. We are down to one, stockings and all.

Last night, really rocked my world. I had written down "taxes" in my bullet journal list for January. I broke down the epic a** pain into smaller action steps. It had been on my mind. While I wasn't consciously planning on it, I felt the inspiration to open Quicken. I was able to find the version from last spring and one step led to another.... I entered all my data for 2017 in one night. WOW (HDIGBTT?!?) This is first for me. I've never done this task in January. I truly feel that I was able to accomplish this, because I had cleared the space to do so. By choosing to be vigilant, discerning and taking action with clutter, continually, rather than in spurts, I was able to act on the idea of "I wonder what it would take to get data entered easily?"  It makes me excited and it makes me wonder what else I can accomplish (that I formerly detested, avoided, procrastinated and fretted about?) What if getting things done was easy and fun for me? What if I could enjoy the daily process and see it as an interesting and enjoyable challenge? What if..... (you get the idea of how the questions work for me!)

While having clean, clear counters and living space may not seem like a big deal, to me it's become a reminder of staying awake and aware of what comes into my home/life. I feel better, more clear and focused. I feel like I can more easily contribute to myself and to others when I show up in my life, without unnecessary distractions and excess. I believe that the spaces we create, both inside and out, affect everything from our energy levels to our attitude. How we feel, how we show up in our personal space can translate to how we are showing up in our lives. I feel it's important to be vigilant about what we are allowing in and giving our space and attention to. We are abundantly blessed with so much; it is not a sin to be discerning and selective in how we spend time time, talents and resources. 

I'll be sharing a new series Letting Go In Order to Grow  next week, I hope it is inspiring and motivating for what you are aiming for this year. What would it take for 2018 to be the best year you've ever had?!

Here are some fresh kitchen pictures. My space is old and outdated. It is also clean and functional. I appreciate the small space because it doesn't take much to clean up. 

Cleared off stove. First time for that since I've moved in. Usually items were piled here too.

Pryce's art work is featured throughout the kitchen and living room. I have stopped buying wall decor, I just ask her to customize a piece for me. It's great having an in-home artist.



My target is to keep counter spaces clear. I actually keep pictures on my phone/instagram, so I can keep the visual in mind for motivation. This often serves as my standing desk. I don't have an office so this is a functional space. Clutter and mail used to get placed here. I now sort mail right when it comes in the door. I have a tin box with envelopes, stamps and a pen. I also have a bill file right around the corner so receipts get put in that right away, without piling up. A few years ago I spent an entire day going organizing receipts. Ugh. I also spent an entire afternoon canceling catalogs and unnecessary mail. 

I keep the energy fresh and circulating by adding seasonal symbols in the corner. I used to decorate the entire house for every holiday. I still decorate, just on a smaller scale, with simple items that are special to me. These are usually vintage pieces and mostly found treasures such as shells, rocks, feathers and sometimes antlers.

Another target, no dishes in the sink. I used to store the French Press, coffee cups and other items that I didn't feel like putting in the dishwasher. I use to use the dishwasher as a storage zone as well. We use the dishwasher a lot, as there is one set of dinnerware (6 plates, 6 bowls) and a few drinking glasses. The dishwasher dies this summer and rather than opt for a new unit, I just had new guts installed in this one. This is also the best place in the house for plants because of the south facing window. Notice my little purple orchid is in bloom!!!

My old, scratched, metal table. I sometimes place something I'm loving in the middle of the table. I found an itty bitty succulent and placed it in a tiny little dish, that somehow survived previous purges. Miracles happen all the time!