For me, as well as millions of others, the last two years have been full of anxieties and worries and, if you are like me, it’s been hard to find a soft (safe) place to land.  After gaining eight pounds from stress eating my way through a multitude of my hubby’s fresh baked cookies and watching HGTV, until I determined that if I continued to watch I would begin a multitude of projects I have absolutely no experience in completing (let alone beginning), I found a space where I was ready.  Ready for more simplicity, more peace, more comfort, more quiet.  We needed a soft place to land in this new normal of hard truths and hard choices.  We needed a way to work through the current uncertainties in a way that benefited us, that brought us happiness and that, literally, lightened us.

I was ready but my home is filled with years of vintage collections of my favorite things and, to be quite honest, I felt a bit of panic when I thought of getting rid of even one of these aged, worn, well-loved beauties.  I truly had to start envisioning what our lives would be like with fewer of these “collections” filling every space and I found that I needed the simplicity, I was actually craving it.  The next step was coming to terms with what my “simplicity” looked like, was it the starkly simple and beautifully neutral toned homes I drooled over on Pinterest or was it a more neutral toned home that housed just those collections that held meaning to me and filled my heart with joy?  I determined I lean more to the latter; however, I can see some areas falling more to the former and I am okay with a mixture of both.

Now, when I began planning and discussing things with the hubby there was a slight tensing of his body as I am sure his brain quit processing at “restyling” and his imagination, more than likely, could only envision more “collections” moving in.  His style definitely leans towards Scandinavian and, bless his heart, he has tolerated having his surroundings filled with the stuff I love and, until recently, felt I needed.  As I explained that I would be getting rid of items I could see the light come back into his eyes and he began asking if specific pieces would be staying or going, giving me the distinct impression that there were items I loved that he absolutely hated and could not fathom why anyone would want them.  To be honest, the entire conversation was a bit amusing and his questions really allowed me to look at pieces with a fresh set of eyes and to ask myself the hard question, should it stay or should it go?

Step one was complete, hubby was on board and ready to get things out of the house.  Step two, set a realistic, restyling only, budget and determine what was needed to complete the task, room by room.  Enter my trusty, and much loved Excel spreadsheets!  I am a list girl and my left-brained self is totally and completely enamored with spreadsheets, formulas, budgets and all of the glorious analytical stuff that gives permission to my right-brained self to dive right in and make this beautiful simple life happen!

So here we are, ready to get the first project, a guestroom, underway.  The paint has been chosen and purchased, a new comforter set, accent pillows and light fixture await patiently in the closet, a well-loved dresser is ready for her new coat of paint to be applied and the date for beginning this project has been set (October 2nd).  The budget for this restyle was set at $250, including the electrician hanging the light, and as of right now I am $16 under budget!  While being under budget is a wonderful thing I can truly say at this point the most exciting aspect of this room by room redo is that the collections that remain will be able to shine, without competing.  Our home will feel safe, serene and purposeful.  A home filled with what we love and not one burdened with too much and too many.

I hope you will come along for the journey to see how each room is transformed and to see how we benefit from the simplifying of our lives.  

Until next time….

Lesley