Ramblings

Ramblings

Hey!

January is such a wonderful month to get organized: to plan for the year, buy containers and folders  to organize papers and pretend I'm not scatterbrained and to purge items that need to find a home in somebody else's house or in the trash can.

Jen Hatmaker took purging to a whole other level when she decided to remove excess from her life. I've heard and read about her book, Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, which I bought but I am procrastinating reading.  Reason-----I'm not sure I'm ready for the conviction.

Then the other day, I ran across a blog post about someone somewhere who reduced her trash to one garbage bag for the ENTIRE year which intrigued me and, at the same time, made me really stop and think about my wastefulness.  I think it might have been this post here.   I'm starting to wonder if God might be trying to tell me something about my habits...

I spent some of the weekend purging and straightening the attic with Honey Do.  I know you're dying to see a picture of my clean attic but let me assure you;  it's clean but NOT worth seeing!   Honey Do laid down some additional insulation so money is not leaking out the roof.  Since we paid for 2 weddings this year (see here and here  (Love you Big A and Doodlebug!)), we're trying to find recovery money anywhere we can find it!

I had a hard time parting with some of the items from the attic.  They're really not worth much but I "know they'll come in handy one day."  Honey Do's response, " It's time to upgrade, babe."  He's right.   I know he's right.  It's time.  My house can't keep looking like it's waiting to be finished or what I like to refer to as "Early Attic".   After all, I've got a HUGE birthday this year and I need to spend some effort on my house so I can show it off!

 
I read this post Darlene wrote  at fieldstonehilldesign  about creating your own "style" words and "don't buy" words that got me to thinking about my home and what I want it to say to those who walk through my door and live here.  I think the words will also really help me to make those decisions I find hard to because of sentimentality and indecision.  The Nester's blog is also a great place to find encouragement that your home doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.   Better choices to a better home :)

So, all of this rambling has led me to here.  I'm planning to ask myself these 3 questions while cleaning, purging and organizing.

1. Do I really love it?

2. Would the-sky-fall-and-the-world-stop-turning if I got rid of it today and couldn't put something new in its place?

3. Does it meet my chosen style words?

What about you?  What has been tugging on your heart to change in your home? 

I'm still working on my style words.  I'll share when I'm done :)

Blessings

Mimi

"My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest."  
Isaiah 32:18  NIV Bible