I have never been a neat freak- I like this and don’t like this about myself. Sometimes when I cook I use every counter top and leave every cupboard open but I like some order, get a rash if the beds are not made and don’t love when little crumbs stick to the bottom of my bare feet- but I don’t live in a museum.
I feel like my home has an interesting personality and a heartbeat. If I was a home I would knock myself out to meet my home. There is absolutely nothing sterile about it.
I do like that everything in my home has a place and that I can find things very quickly- lost time is a total joy thief.
I have been dying to do this to my linen closet- because we have three beds, one queen, one double and one twin- making a little confusion in here on bed change day.
This is also a part of my useful and beautiful campaign. I have been pitching the un useful and un beautiful and straightening and polishing up all that I am keeping ( I still can’t part with any of my clothing though-need to work on that). It will likely take me my whole life but a little at a time right? I got rid of 8 polyester pillow cases – I hate poly cotton and can’t sleep on it.
I know there are women out there (grumble girl?) who would call this “after” pic disorderly and might get a ruler out and line things up mathematically and only after ironing everything. You are amazing to me- I will never care that deeply! My ex husband’s mom used to vacuum out of a room because she loved the look of it with no footsteps on it. He told me he loved me in part because I was so loose around the edges with that stuff. On the other hand many years ago I went to a friend’s home and she had all her laundry dumped in a huge pile on her dining room table – unfolded in mounds and there were dishes piled high in the sink and on the sticky counters and it hit me with a deep wave of sadness.
We are all so different with this stuff.
For me though, this is perfect and so much so when you come over I might leave the linen closet open with pride.
(where would I be without my brother? My brother label maker that is!)
PS – I’ve been living with that “useful or beautiful” rule for what feels like my whole life… there’s something to that, I think.
You KNOW how much I love this… and no, darling, your “after” pic is perfectly lovely and organised – you should be deeply proud if it pleases you!!
And for the record? I hardly ever iron anything – ESPECIALLY sheets!! And I swear, I only became this neat as a product of a) being in a house with a completely open floor plan, with everything visible from every angle, and 2) because it’s been me, doing all the folding of every item we own, again and again and again and again… I can do it with my eyes closed, and it would all look exactly the same.
But, I don’t paint, sculpt, make art, like you do – Excellent You. (But I do so love the labels – Martha would give you a gold star.)
Oh My!! my daughter just did this in her chest for her back to school clothes….priceless, I thought she was losing her mind, turns out she is just organized….
but how to part with clothes sara? How can I ? They feel like people I love- each one with a story, a history and a romance. Seriously. I have a problem.
how much do I love that you LABELED them! Nanc – it feels so good – I’m going room by room, closet by closet and purging and it feels FANTASTIC!