One Little Thing

At my house, the only thing that doesn't change is that things are going to change. A chronic remodeler/decorator, I find change stimulating and exciting. I know everyone does not share that thinking and that is okay. But at our house, you can count on it.

My Honey never knows what he will find when he gets home. Fortunately for the both of us, he's flexible about it. Besides, if I make a change he doesn't care for, he knows will be gone soon enough. If he really does not like something, I change it again to make him happy. We're a good team.

We recently became Empty Nesters again. For the first time in a long time, I feel I have the freedom to situate our home to suit us and only us. With children in the home, things must be Family Friendly. We held weekly dinner prayer/fellowship services in our home for quite a while, so I had to factor in accommodating Groups of People into the Family Friendly plan. And if all that was not enough, (and don't you think it should be?) we started a kitchen remodel, so we lived with the Tools and Wood Everywhere plan added in for over two years. Can you picture it....Groups of People stepping over and around Tools and Wood Everywhere? You can call our home life a lot of things but ordinary is not one of them.

So now, here we are Empty Nesters again and the decor possibilities are endless. Well, as endless as they can be in 1136 square feet. We are limited only by my imagination and woefully thin wallet. What I lack in financial resources I make up for with creative thinking! I am intrigued and inspired to find ways to re-create high dollar design ideas into obtainable decor options for the budget challenged such as myself. Anyone with more money than sense can go out and hire a designer and/or buy a decorated home. It is far more satisfying to me to watch a colorless box of a room become an inviting oasis of warmth and comfort birthed from the very core of its sculptor. I had a friend that said, "A woman's home is the outer reflection of her inner being." When who and what you are can be obvious the minute someone steps foot into your room, you have done a good job. NO formulas, NO fads, NO trendy purchases will ever replace the god-given creativity you already possess. Just tap into it and dare to do it!

So, all that said, here is what I wanted to impart this morning. It does not require an extreme home makeover to change things in a big way. No big budget required, small changes refresh and stimulate. A few days ago, I rearranged our main living area. It is one open space that encompasses our kitchen, dining area and living room. It is a long rectangle shaped space with the kitchen at one far end. We possess three large couches (Family Friendly and Groups of People) left over from prior needs. I moved the 1st into the dining area so we can comfortably sit and drink coffee or visit. I turned the 2nd around to face the kitchen so my Honey does not have his back to me while I prepare meals. It's very cozy and comfortable. The 3rd, I turned back to back to the 2nd in the center of the room facing the book shelves and created what we now lovingly call our Library at the other far end. It's awesome, a pretty place to read without a TV! I love it. My "office" previously was cramped into a teeny space in the dining area. It now resides in the Library and it has made a huge impact on my frame of mind when writing. We have lived with this new arrangement for a several days now and continue to find it perfect for the TWO of US. It's not Family Friendly, does not consider Groups of People and we do not see Tools and Wood Everywhere. It fits our lifestyle as Empty Nesters. We love it!

That was not a small change, I had to set the scene for the small change to make sense. Pay attention, here it comes.

My desk, such as it is (I'm waiting for the perfect desk to become available & affordable), is located in the new library as I mentioned. This was a vast improvement from the cramped corner I had in the dining area. I cannot stand to face the wall so I sat off to one side of the desk. Not a perfect situation but workable. Then I had an inspired light bulb moment! Here's the small change that made a huge difference: I turned my chair & computer so I was facing into the Library and away from the main living/kitchen. Now the view from my work space is of a pretty and relaxing room rather than the room where all the activity and life takes place. With the front door open, I can see the hills of Bandera and all the glorious beauty between here and there. One small change took my creative work space to one that inspires rather than distracts. No more effort was required than to move my chair from one side of the desk to the other and the results are tremendous.

Here's my challenge to you, look for one little thing to change the room of your choice. It does not have to cost you anything other than a few minutes of creative thinking. This exercise of creativity just might inspire you to continue the treasure hunt for other little things you can do to invigorate and stimulate your environment. Write me and tell of your first One Little Thing.

Happy hunting!