Several years ago, when we were considering moving to a bigger house, or staying where we are and remodeling, I purchased a book called The Not So Big House by Susan Susanka and Marc Vassallo along with the follow up book The Not So Big Remodeling by the same authors.
The current Marie Kondo “sparking joy” trend reminds me of when I first read the Not So Big books. From an architectural perspective, the Not So Big House concept looks at the spaces in which you live, and how those spaces themselves, not the things around them, should make you feel.
When we remodeled our kitchen, I brought this idea up with our designer, and he was already on track to make that happen. It is no wonder that our kitchen is my happy place, and it tends to stay clean and organized more than any other place in our house. When our designer, along with our close friend finished out the remodeled space including the placement of art and objects, the friend who did the finish out of objects told me to be mindful of the space and not junk it up. I have honored that request, which is why the space still brings me such joy.
Make the space you have more personal, which in turn makes your house a home for you and your family.
Choose a month and give away/donate one item each day. Enjoy the transformation of simply reducing your stuff one day at a time.
Custom shelves are not expensive (they can be an easy DIY project) and you can fit them into awkward spaces and nooks. If you have a wall that juts out or an awkward corner where you can’t fit furniture, consider custom shelves to fill the space.
Use your doors. Hang hooks or shelves on the backs of your doors. Pantry items, jewelry, towels, handbags etc. The insides of cabinet doors can also provide extra space.
Considering the space you are in, and making it more useful and less clutter-filled is a tall task. I personally have been working to reduce the clutter in our house. Thinking through the process of decluttering, as a family, we have been more mindful of considering experiences with each other and not things. This has led me to think more about wants vs. needs. I know it’s a small step, but just a few days ago I shocked my husband by letting him know I was in Target and ONLY purchased the one item that I needed. No impulse purchases on things we definitely didn’t need. Because of that successful trip to Target, I feel like these small steps of mindfulness towards a goal of “less is more” will lead to a path of being more present and grateful for each other than with what we have or think we want. We shall see!
I have been a realtor for over a decade, and sold my first house in Travis Country.
We cannot control a lot of things that are going on around us these days.
Moving is one of the most stressful life events, but is living in a construction zone any easier?
The front door is usually the first thing people see when entering your home.
With the internet, the world is so completely inundated with “communication” and “community”.
I hear comparisons bantered about with our current pandemic to Groundhog Day.
Expanding on my earlier thought of small acts of kindness, within our neighborhood.
Not to make light of the pandemic we are and continue to be in for the unforeseeable future.
We put oil in our cars, check the air in the tires and maintain them with regular check-ups.