What if in fourteen days and with minimal effort you could have a space you actually enjoy? It is all about loving the space you create for yourself and not being held back by all that clutter.
In about 20-30 minutes per day, you can seriously declutter your spaces. By intentionally keeping only the objects you use and enjoy, you will make your space less crowded and work better for you. And I believe you will appreciate the renewed space you have carved out for yourself.
In two weeks it will be Valentine's Day, so instead of giving in to consumerism and buying more things, I am giving my home and myself the gift of decluttering and a little extra margin.
MY PROBLEM WITH CLUTTER
I find the following challenge with being an interior designer and blogger with an avid fascination with thrifting for unique finds: Always on the hunt for good texture, hand-made pottery and the like, I tend to gather more than I can reasonably use.
When I post my projects in a blog or on Instagram, I typically show you a newly designed and photographed space. The rest of my house may not look nearly as good as those polished photos because I have been moving objects out of the way and stashing them off in *temporary* locations.
I have finally grown tired of the clutter accumulating so I am calling a time out from my weekly thrifting adventures.
This week, I am showing you my spaces that need the love and the following two weeks I will show you my progress.
I will be posting one messy space per day and show you the progress I make in a 20 minute tackle.
THE EVIDENCE IN PHOTOS
Everything you are seeing here are candid photos I took yesterday. The clutter is completely natural and has not been staged.
It seems like after the holiday season, I let quite a bit of clutter to take over so many spaces in my home.
The craft closet is woefully overflowing. There are so many types of crafts and hobbies I have enjoyed over the years, but I have been keeping them just in case...
No, I really haven't used those stamps and ink pads in years!
I added a second desk surface in my office, but the horizontal plane has invited me to make piles rather than having a clear workspace.
In the kitchen, the desk has become a storage shelf for my thrifted bowls, art, and various objects.
The laundry room is currently a storage space for tile and supplies for a backsplash project that has yet to be completed.
Bath salts, essential oils, lotions and candles have overtaken the ledge of our master bathroom bathtub.
The master closet is roomy enough, but my reluctance to get rid of nice work clothes from when I used to work at an architecture firm is causing overcrowding.
Luckily the clutter has not reached our newly designed master bedroom!
THE MOVEMENT
I have been inspired and influenced by many different methods of object reducing philosophies. I enjoy listening to The Minimalists podcast, I've watch the Marie Kondo series on Netflix and followed along with many other decluttering and discarding personalities.
My approach is not nearly as intensive as some of the recently popular methods, but I believe each person needs to work out what functions best for his or her own lifestyle.
Will you join me in making more space for yourself?
I have a hashtag you can post daily to show what needs attention and also your progress! #14daystoloveyourhome
Here are some suggestions, but of course work how you like:
tackle one small space per day
set a timer for about 20-30 minutes and when it goes off, feel free to stop
consider each object and decide if you really need/use/love it (if not, toss it or donate only if it is in good condition and someone would want to use it)
also, determine if the item is in the right location by how you organize your home (eg. dishes in the kitchen, or toiletries in the bathroom)
be willing to release the things that are holding you back (i.e. you don't love them or they don't fill a need/purpose in the space) or that you have procrastinated on making a decision upon (that is one of my biggest hurdles - making a final choice to keep or let go)
don't feel like you have to completely finish tidying a specific space in one session because you can always go back and I believe that decluttering is an ongoing venture
employ intentionality about what you allow into your home
if an object comes in your home, send a similar object or two out of your space
Hoping to see you on Instagram - don't forget to use the hashtag #14daystoloveyourhome to share your stories or feed posts over the next two weeks. Let's encourage one another to let go of the things that are holding us back!
Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments by email: valerie@hillandvalleydesign.com or @hillandvalley.design
