This past week, something VERY EXCITING happened!
A project that has been in the works since last summer has taken flight…
(an apt metaphor, since this new space is specifically designed for the feathered members of my client’s family: it is an aviary in the making!)
This new space is able to grow wings and fly because it started with its feet firmly planted on the ground, not only with its solid cinderblock foundation, but also the strong foundational ideas that formed its design.
Not all of us start with such a specific idea or need for a room, but taking the time to identify WHAT YOU NEED A SPACE TO DO FOR YOU is the key to building and creating areas in our homes that function effortlessly while at the same time looking beautiful.
This week I encourage you to think about the spaces in your house–especially the rooms you aren’t very fond of, the ones you find frustrating to spend time in, or the areas where clutter has taken over.
I would bet that these are places where no one has ever made a clear, descriptive list of jobs that the space is supposed to accomplish.
For example in my house, my home office is here to give me a quiet, inspiring, comfortable space to create away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the household. When I state this purpose clearly, I know that piles of paper needing to be filed or items waiting to be placed in attic storage are roadblocks to the room’s purpose–distractions that when they come up (as they often do) need to be dealt with right away, so that I can fully enjoy the space and use it to its full potential.
I am sure you can think of similar hurdles in your house, SO try these three steps and see how they change things in your home:
1. Forge your room’s foundation by stating its purpose clearly, including how you want it to make you feel. Write this description/purpose down so you can reference it as needed.
2. Next get about the business of removing things that are in the way, that don’t help things to flow as they should regarding the room’s purpose–i.e. extraneous furniture & items that belong elsewhere, pieces that don’t function well or are frustrating each time you use them.
3. Finally, add things that will help the room to do what you need it to do with ease, as well as decorative touches that will nurture you day in and day out with beauty.
