Hey everyone! I hope your year is off to a wonderful start so far. We're starting the year outlining our 2020 Resolutions for our own homes. Did you see Jennifer's post last week? We'll be posting DIY projects, design makeovers, organizing how-to’s, and more.
I have several rooms that are almost finished. They were almost finished two years ago, and I have never made them a priority. Can you relate? The only time I felt like I was on top of all projects was when I had just moved to the area, knew no one, and had plenty of time after work to get things done. Time can seem so evasive! But I love the idea of having a short list of projects to get done during a time period - like this year. We often place guilt on ourselves by looking at our half finished projects and feeling like we can't finish anything. But that's not true. We all accomplish a lot each day, depending on the energy we have available to give. So this year, I may not complete all my half finished projects, but I'm going to finish a few!
1. Basement decor
My basement is pretty simple. Couch, TV, bookshelf, and an entry table. However, I never finished the decor. I have two strips of paint that I need to cover up, and a basket wall to finish. My husband also requested new curtains, and I won't lie, I'm all for it. Those curtains I bought ten years ago for a rental, and I'd love to find something that elevates the space instead of looks thrown together.
2. Overflowing bookshelves
I love books. Ever been to a used book store and overbought? If so, be careful walking into McKays in Manassas--it's hard not to walk out with several. My bookshelf became overwhelmed, and I now have two piles of books on the floor that my husband has also gently pointed out he doesn't love as decor. He is totally right. Again, we can get so used to things the way they are we forget to take a step back and ask, "Do I actually want it to look like this?" *Nope.* So I'm going to take all my books down, and slowly put back the ones I want to own and read. The rest...well I'm going to try to sell them at McKays, of course!
3. Paperwork plan
I'm a fan of having one place where each thing in my home goes. Papers don't always follow such rules in my house. We live in a townhome, so my command center is on the second floor in the kitchen, while the filing cabinet is in my husband's office on the third floor. Once things are ready to be filed, they sit in a drawer in my command center, awaiting filing--for much longer than they ought to! My goal is to create a system that makes it easier to ensure paperwork gets filed or shredded in a timely fashion.
4. The Mom closet
My mom passed away several years ago, and my biggest lingering project has been dealing with memories. Depending on the day, it can be either fun or painful to try to make progress on sorting and processing photos and memorabilia, so my solution has been to pack them in two different spare bedroom closets and shut the door. My goal in 2020 is not to finish this project and know exactly what to do with each item, but instead to simply to go through everything and repack what I know I want to keep, and consolidate it all into one closet. That's what I can manage at this point. And I think that's okay. Memorabilia can be incredibly challenging for all of us to process and deal with, but setting achievable goals and making steady progress is how we move forward.
5. Living Room Update
My living room is that room that's fine--it has no major problems, and other spaces need my attention more, so it's lingered for years in a state that functions well, but feels uninspired. My goal is to update the color scheme in this space in the most budget-friendly way I can devise. Major goals include painting the walls and sourcing new light fixtures, and shopping my home to update everything else as best I can.
Finishing a room, whether it be styled the way you want or organized in a way that makes sense, brings so much peace. I feel so much more in control and ready for the day when everything is in its place. I'm excited to get started!
-Christy