Yesterday, I shared my first three keys to Creating Your Nest. Did the keys resonate with you? Can you bring yourself to believe that there doesn’t have to be a decorating “finish line”? That there really isn’t a rigid right and wrong? and that it’s okay to release the items you don’t like or that don’t fit? I hope so, because it will give you permission to be creative!
I have three more keys for you today:
4. If it is broken beyond repair, let it go. This should be a no-brainer but we often have difficulty letting go of objects because of the emotional value we attach to it. Letting go of an object, even a dear one, does not erase the memory connected to it. By letting go of broken items, you may be opening a space for new memories. Those memories will be added to the old ones, not replace them.
5. Find inspiration but don’t be a carbon copy. Look through magazines, Pinterest, and the homes of others to find ideas that inspire you to create pleasing spaces in your own home. Just remember, that you are not a carbon copy of others and your home should not be a carbon copy of others’ homes. I saw a pin on Pinterest about transferring photos to canvas. I adapted it, using decoupage techniques that I learned years ago, to create three canvases of our granddaughter to reflect the Live, Laugh, Love decorative sayings that I have liked through the years. Be inspired by others but let your home reflect you, your family, and your interests.
6. If you share your space, find common ground. My sweet husband has said very little over the years regarding the décor of our home. I know that he likes clean lines and neutral colors. I know that ruffles (except for an occasional window valance) are on his intolerable list as are most shades of pink in more than very small amounts. In our previous home, I was able to create with him a “man cave” where he, our sons, and their friends could hang out. It was predominantly golf themed with a bit of baseball and football here and there. My office was my space with Americana colors and stars on the wall. We no longer have the luxury of separate and shared spaces, they are all shared spaces. So now creativity is needed to blend our tastes in our new shared spaces. I know when he raises one eyebrow and says, “Really?” a few pitches higher than normal that I have crossed a line and need to retract a little to keep the peace.
These are all common sense, but so easily forgotten in the excitement of redo’s and updates or in the hustle and bustle of daily life. They can be applied to an entire home or to a single room or just to a corner. If your home is not what you want or need it to be, I encourage you to start by creating a small space that can be your place of peace and refuge, where you can enjoy your favorite beverage and curl up with your favorite reading material, where for at least a few minutes you can be instead of do, where you can pray and meditate, where you can plan the steps to spread this sense of peace throughout your home.
I would love to see the spaces you create. Please share them with me in the comments below or by using this link to contact me.
Blessed to share my heart 4 home!
