One of the projects I have been working on while staying home with Vienna has been simplifying EVERYTHING. And I mean it! I have sifted through the living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and spare bedroom. I didn't mean to start this project, per se, but it has turned into quite the cleaning and organizing task. Each day I find more and more things to get rid of that I no longer want, use, or is just taking up space. Each day my piles grow and more and more things are getting put into bags for donation.
We live in a two-bedroom apartment, and don't have a ton of storage space (though renting a storage unit these past few months has helped tremendously). So my main goal has been learning to live with less, while having better quality. I realized that the past few years I have not had adequate time to go through my belongings because I was preoccupied with college, multiple moves, various apartments, work, and big life changes such as marriage and welcoming a baby. As I become more aware of myself and continue to create my identity, I find that I prefer a certain "style" and that I would like to streamline/make consistent that identity and style based upon the things I own and use in my daily life.
Let me tell you, this project leaves me feeling great! It feels so good to do a much-needed purging of items. While I think my husband is getting annoyed with my constant cleaning, organizing and re-organizing, consistent trips to Goodwill, and "Do you need this? Can I throw this away?" questioning, he assures me that he is not. Actually, the other day (upon noticing a more efficient use of kitchen space) he complimented me and said, "I love being married to you." I'm glad he sees my OCD with cleanliness and organization to be a good quality!
Although I am getting rid of a lot of items, I would also like to replace some that I think would help to enhance/solidify my style and identity. For instance, there are items of clothing, jewelry, and housewares that I would like to refresh since I have not shopped or updated in a long time. However, that will come in time. The goal is to live simply, right?
While I'm sure that this project will never completely end throughout life, I am glad that for future reference I will have a better idea of what items to keep, have on hand, throw away, or even collect. And hey, if you need help with cleaning or organizing in your place, you know who to call ;)
*This is the top of my dresser, simplified.
Pictured: Holy Water from Mount St. Mary's Grotto - Emmitsburg, MD; jewelry catch-all dish from World Market; box filled with other pieces of jewelry; July 2012 Linnea Design Calendar Poster
P.S. I know it isn't July, but my husband put that poster on the wall to cheer me up (since I don't always do too well in the winter), to remind me of warm weather, and to remind me of the month my daughter was born this past year.
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