Does having a decorating addiction require therapy? Lately I consider rearranging my home's interior to be much like an ever-changing garden. Each season and each year bring different climates, colors, and combinations to keep the view interesting. Much like putting annuals in different spots in my garden adds variety and interest; I think moving furniture from room to room and place to place makes our home feel comfortable in a new way. Spring brings exciting sights and smells of floral fantasy inside with cut blooms like daffodils, tulips, peonies, and lilacs sprinkled in bud vases through the house. Summer’s heat yields vegetable harvests and smells of canning pickles, peppers, tomatoes, and apple butter. Fall brings orange pumpkins, caramel apples, and golden straw bales. Winter’s barren landscape makes me tuck away the floral pictures and decorations for the year in exchange for more simple images like Amish paintings and quilts for warming up with a mug of hot cocoa after sledding.
But doesn’t everyone long for the peace of a well organized and uncluttered home so you can freely enjoy your family and peaceful surroundings? The toiling and sweating all afternoon rearranging the house makes it feel brand new again. My family has come to expect the unexpected when they enter our home as my decorating binges seem to be more frequent in the winter months when I get cabin fever. They just snicker and say, “Mom, you re-arranged the house again.” I used to explain my rationale, but anymore I just say “Yea” and let them move about the rooms and get a feel for the new digs. I use the same furniture we’ve had for years, but often move things from one room to another depending on the look I’m trying to create. I store unused interior decorations, rugs, etc. in basement and when I feel the need to change things (for fall, Christmas, or the arrival of spring), I swap things out and put in new accessories to compliment the new look. I get inspiration from the piles of magazine pictures from various home and garden articles in my home office. I love collecting interesting or fun ideas to stow away for future ideas or home improvement projects.
Since our lives are ever changing, it seems appropriate our home should evolve as well. I’m a clutter buster and frequently sort through stuff we haven’t worn or used in a year and tote them to Goodwill. This pension for interior design has become my way of compensating for the winter dull drums I get from November to February. During the spring, summer, and fall months, I can be found outdoors digging in dirt and improving our farm’s landscape. I am also drawn to landscape and gardening magazines as my overstuffed Garden Ideas folder demonstrates. Once I read an article about Martha Stewart that discussed her pension to perfect everything she does. Her blend of comfort, style, and knack for new and interesting ideas/methods fascinates me. The visual appeal of anything she creates is awe-inspiring and I understand why she describes homemaking as a “lost art.”
As long as there are families and cohabitants, there will be the act of home keeping in one form or another. Some homes are more utilitarian while others are stylistic, but I do think that today more family members are involved in the process, thankfully. Working parents and busy kids’ schedules require each member of the household to pitch in with chores to get everything done. For me cleaning, rearranging furniture, and gardening are much more than utilitarian and provide necessary therapy to invigorate my soul. If I’m upset about something, I clean the house or pull weeds in the garden because there’s always plenty of dirt and weeds that need eradicating. These chores help me work through my frustrations to avoid being grouchy.
Over the years, I’ve collected a considerable variety of cherished objects, but our modest abode couldn’t possibly display them all at once. I store unused decorations and artwork in our garden shed basement carefully tucked away in plastic storage containers. As the seasons change, I swap out the decorations for new favorites to enjoy again. This rotating cycle provides renewed interest and appreciation for my favorite finds. Occasionally, I swap stuff with my sister and she can enjoy my collectibles in her home while I add new interest displaying some of her artwork in my own house. The fun part is we can trade back anytime we like!
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