Less busy schedules (hopefully)....less clothes (definitely)...and maybe, just maybe, less stress from messy spaces.
Let's get some motivation- what will get you at least a little pumped up to clean and organize?
Here are some things that do it for me...
One, it's knowing that taking a few seconds to wipe off the counters, or doing a quick vacuum, makes me feel like someone could pop in for a visit unexpectedly and I'll feel ok about how the house looks.
I know my friends and family will love me regardless, and not think any less of me if my house is a hot mess when they come over. But I do it for me. I enjoy having company, and I'm proud to show off my home.
{And please understand this pride has nothing to do with the size, age, or type of home you have! When we first got married we lived in a 379 sq foot studio condo in Greenwich, Connecticut. T-I-N-Y. Insanely tiny. Like the if you get in a fight someone had to leave the condo and go ride the elevator up and down to cool off because there's no place else to go, kind of tiny! And I was just as proud to decorate it and show it off as I am our 4 bedroom home today).
Two- I also feel like keeping a tidy home is a very small way of expressing my thankfulness that God has always blessed us with a roof over our heads. And I want to use that blessing to provide a relaxing, clean, place for friends and family that come to stay or visit.
Getting something new or changing something up decorating-wise in my house is enough to push me to want to clean the laundry up off the floor, or mop the bathrooms. If I just bought a cute new set of rugs for my bathroom, I don't want to just throw them on the dirty floor and be done with it. Having something pretty in my bathroom makes me want to make the whole room look better to go along with it. It doesn't have to be something expensive...even just having a vase of fresh flowers to put on my dining room table makes me want to clean off the clutter and wipe it down.
Four-soaking up inspiration from pictures of beautiful, well-planned spaces. I could do this all day. As long as you don't let staring at pictures of amazing homes get you discouraged or jealous! Big or Small, owned or rented, your home is wonderful because it's filled with wonderful people. And it's not about magazine perfection...it's about having a comfortable, lived-in, loved-in, space
that you really want to come home to.
I'll be back tomorrow with some really easy baby-steps towards giving your home a fresh, clean start to summer :)
All very good points. When we were first married I would buy a little 99cent house plant and re-arrange the whole house and clean around that plant. Sometimes it doesn't take much. I think your point about being a good steward of what God has given us is the core of why we should take care of our homes. It is a privilege to have a home and we should honor God by taking good care of it. Kathysue
ReplyDeleteI always feel better when my house is clean. I am actually a little OCD about it, but have had to relax because with a baby it is hard to find time to do anything let alone clean! Look forward to your tips!
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