Yesterday one of my daughters and I were walking around the house together picking things up and dusting. We began moving this and that accessory around. We were not putting any pressure on ourselves to make the perfect vignette, nor we were worried about making any major decorating mistakes.
We also weren’t thinking about how we could “style” the room with extra accessories and the perfect lighting to make a great blog post for this week. Although that can be fun too, blogging was not on my mind. There was no agenda and no pressure — we were completely living in the moment.
We were simply enjoying the process of beautifying our surroundings.
As I was dusting the dining room furniture, I had to move a bunch of mismatched silver spoons that I had set out on our buffet. I had pulled them out of the drawer about a month ago, thinking I might all crafty and make something blog-worthy with them. Yeah. What WAS I thinking?
As I stood there holding those spoons in one hand and my dust rag in the other, I had to get real with myself. As hard as it was for me to admit, I am too busy to get crafty with spoons. Even if I had some spare time for a project, I have walls that I should paint. Spoon crafts are not my priority right now.
Even marvelously good things like creative spoon projects might not be right for this season of life.
The spoons had been sitting there in a pile on the buffet for at least a month, mocking me. It was time to end the mocking once and for all, and take control of my life. I had to “just say no” to spoon crafts.
While I had to put creative spoon crafts on hold for now, I found a more simple solution to still enjoy the beauty of those spoons.
I simply set them in my freshly cleaned apothecary jar.
Simple, easy, DONE. It is so freeing to make decorating (and LIFE) SIMPLE!
How have you simplified your home and life lately?
What could you “just say no” to that would help you to re-prioritize this season of your life?
by Melissa Michaels, The Inspired Room
Leave a Comment
julie says
I have by no means reached the apex of simplicity, but staying home all the time helps in a lot of ways. When I weigh the hassle of taking 4 little ones in and out of car seats, down highways and across town to walk through crowded stores, I realize it is just not worth it. We’ve re-realized the joy of the home, the pleasure in enjoying our own surroundings, and making the most of what we have.
I have a pile of fabric along with a stack of failed projects that sit on my table and mock. I will psck it away for an easier stage of life, maybe that will be next month or maybe next year.
Beth says
They look great in there, as if you’d planned it all along.
Paula S White says
This is amazing. Last week I took down my art room after many years. I placed some of the things in totes where I could get to them, but much of it is packed away. Every time I walked through that room prior to this, it was as if it drained me because I don’t have time for that right now. THe season has shifted. Letting go. after I did that, I felt like I could breathe easier. i’ve found that creating spaces in my life often creates room in my spirit 🙂 Timely connection with your blog.
wanda says
Wow and look how cool they look there?!
I like em!
Connie Gomez says
I had a baby, haha. Let me explain, while some are going, that’s how you simplified!?! Haha.
Before I had my son, I was a “busy body” to say the least. These days a busy body 9 month old occupies all my time, so I simply say “NO” to anything and everything that doesn’t involve him. I waited long enough to have him so I think I owe it to him to be simple and enjoy LIFE! He has helped me tremendously in realizing how simple and easy life should be!
Loved this post! And in my season of Life, spoon crafts are not even in mind, so I know what you mean!
Many Blessings.
Hannah says
Thanks for your post. It took pressure off of me. I tend to have all kinds of creative and good ideas when I actually need to spend my time and money on something else that is more important. I have heard this sentence in my spirit several times lately: “It’s a great idea but not for this season.” And it relaxes me to realize that things are not lost forever if I let go of them for this season. Thank you for your encouragment!
Meg says
Wow, that looks great, and you’re right, so simple! I actually took some old wooden crates that I had lying around and used them to organize my linen closet in a shelving system of sorts. Turned out great and made things a whole lot easier to find!