In 2007, we purchased a fixer upper farmhouse with the goal of creating our dream home and 8 years later, we’ve come a long way but it’s still far from being finished. Most times it’s finances that keep projects on the back burner. Sometimes things get a little out of hand and taking the time to care for our home becomes last priority. It happens. ::gasp:: I know. Lately, I’ve gone from seeing the potential and enjoying the journey to feeling like there’s never enough money, things are too cluttered and just feeling overwhelmed by it all.
This couldn’t have come at a better time. I was invited to complete a simple Love Your Home Challenge and recently had the opportunity to read through an inspiring new book by long time blog acquaintance, Melissa Michaels from the Inspired Room, called “Love the Home You Have”: Inspiration to embrace imperfections, a reminder to focus on the blessings and to embrace “home”, no matter what stage it’s in, no matter what life stage we’re in. It reminded me to look at the things I do enjoy about this home. Baking in the kitchen when it’s clean…
baby giggles on the bed in the sweet guest room/nursery…
the lighting and thrifted charm of our family room…
an organized open pantry…
But it’s so easy to get caught up in what’s not finished, what’s not perfect, to lose sight of creating a dream home right where we are. And I couldn’t help but put the book aside to tackle an area that I’ve been putting off. Something simple. The dreaded drop zone that used to be our dining room table…
Yikes!
“Love the Home you Have” is a simple reminder that one small step a day of taking care of the little things contributes to a happy home. Whether it’s simply wiping down the cabinets, decluttering, cleaning, rearranging furniture or clearing the dining room table. Something, anything – brings about a sense of accomplishment and contentment.
Love The Home You Have from The Inspired Room on Vimeo.
My mission: organizing the mess, putting things away, a little light cleaning, shopping the house for a fresh touch. The room still needs painted. I still look at the built-ins and cringe. I have a completely different vision in mind but for now I can focus on the things I do love when I walk through this room. I can enjoy the beautiful barn wood trestle table. I have a clear line of vision to the sliding door that gives me a thrill and I can plan the first step to turning the entire room into a room I’ll drool over…someday. But in the meantime – it’s clean. It’s de-cluttered. It’s no longer overwhelming. It makes me happy.
Need a little refresher course to remember to Love the Home you Have? Treat yourself by adding this easy, inspiring read to your collection of design books. Affiliate link:
What is it about your home that’s holding you back? Start with a small step, one small goal. Embrace your surroundings. Make it yours. Love what you have. What if you got up right now and took 15 minutes. Where would you start?
- List three reasons you’re grateful for the home you have.
- Start a special tradition or create a fun memory in your home.
- Think of one area of your home you enjoy and why.
Share your own Love Your Home challenges on the new community site Home Love Stories.
See more Love Your Home Challenges from these blog friends:
I think you should grow to love those built-ins because they’re charming! So different from every other cookie-cutter house on blogland. I have similar shelves in my solarium and it’s on feature everyone comments on and loves; not everyone has such details. Keep them.
Your dining room is beautiful! I think I have been in love with that trestle table and those white chairs since I first saw them decked out for Christmas some years ago. I needed a gratitude adjustment about my home. Thank you! Just in time for Easter.
I LOVE the look of your home. Even the “unpainted” room looks like Spring and like it feels comfy. I totally get what you’re saying…we bought our house in fall of 2011. Every room needed something. Then big problems started like our well caved in and we had to drill a new one, we had electrical problems, we had water in our basement (that supposedly had always been dry). Then in 2012 I got Lyme disease and I’m still off work and im still being treated. Anyway, we thought we’d move in and paint a few rooms and three years later we still need to paint a few rooms. Thank you for reminding me to look for the good and just be patient and enjoy the home I have!!
Your home is lovely. There are many areas in my home that need updating and decluttering. Sometimes just the day to day tasks are enough to be overwhelming. I agree that just cleaning one small area makes a huge difference. Usually that will inspire me to keep going into other places of my house.
My home is neat and organized, everything has it’s place. Course I live by myself for the most part and I don’t have any grandkids coming over yet…. SO my biggest challenge is my garage… I have organized and re ~ organized it several times over and over again.. I’ve purchased two other bedroom sets since we’ve lived here almost three years ago for our “future” house. Go figure….!!! What was I thinking..!! Plus all of my craft “stations.” I can go on and on…!! So now I’m dreading going back out there once again… I SHOULD JUST SELL THE WHOLE GARAGE …!!!!