It's time to take it off, let it go and get stripped down...
…your interiors that is. What were you thinking, you naughty thing?
I have experienced the liberation of doing this first-hand. For the last two and a half years, I have slowly and often painfully waded through a shared lifetime of papers, tchotchkes, paraphernalia and just plain junk to get to the naked core of what I wanted this house to be. Before I could rebuild a room, I had to tear it down. Did I want my living room to continue to be dark and uninviting? What, in there, was keeping it that way? What was trying to shine it’s light through the gloom? Once I had taken inventory and eliminated the things that no longer brought me joy and were weighing me down, I was able to transform it into the relaxing, inviting retreat I had been dreaming about. Recovering my grandmother’s chairs, new paint, rearranging the books, photos and collectables, none of this would have been possible without first taking it off, letting it go and stripping down.
I have come across several references in the last few months about releasing, letting go and purging your life (and home) of things that don’t uplift you.
The first was from a book, Soul Space by Xorin Balbes, which states you should let go of things that are collecting dust (think garages, storage units, etc), bring up unpleasant memories, don’t work, are uncomfortable and that you don’t love.
The second was a blog http://thedailylove.com/sometimes-removing-is-exactly-whats-needed/
The final connection was an excerpt from an article by Gretchen Rubin to “Fix Your Broken Windows” which says that a neighborhood with broken windows that go unchecked will have worse laws broken and that whatever your “broken window” is, whether it be dirty laundry, clutter on your counter, undermines your goals because it gives you a sense of chaos. The symbolic weight of fixing broken windows is liberating.
Look around your room. What emotions does it bring up in you? Is it telling the story you want it to? … or is it merely existing? If you want to shift the space, here are a few easy steps…
The first step is to take just 5 minutes a day/a week (whatever you can set aside) and go through that pile that’s been sitting untouched – you know the one I’m talking about. This isn’t a one time deal, it’s a continuous process.
The next part is the fun stuff!! Start looking at images - magazines, Pinterest, etc to find things that make your heart leap and your imagination soar. It doesn’t have to be everything in the picture, maybe it’s a mood you feel when you look at it, or a great display of family pictures, or the perfect color for your room.
Then its time to set up a complimentary, one hour consultation for us to talk about how to get your room(s) to where you want them to be. You can do this by contacting me through my website http://www.the-silver-lining.com
I look forward to working with you to transform your space.
Remember to always look for the silver lining.
Avril Martin
