2024 goals: a "make do" challenge (minimise discretionary spending); and guard my tongue better.
I’ve been thinking a lot about interior design, decluttering and all things Home. I saw a short video ages ago from the school of life, which was about the sense of Home being something like when our space reflects our soul, when our surroundings are things that we like and have meaning to us it feels right.
And I have suddenly noticed after my own efforts that there is a real joy in “decorating” your house and making it less generic and more personal. And also in making it more functional, more private, not just aesthetic changes. Making it a space that is an extension of you in a way, bc you feel more comfortable in it both physically and emotionally. Putting thought and effort in and even spending money. I’ve always liked rearranging furniture and not having ugly stuff, and but that was about it. I tended to think that it’s a superficial material thing but it’s not. Feelings are important and how you feel at home is suuuuper important. Even removing annoyances and repairing and maintenance is a part of it.
I was blessed to share my home with friends over the new year, including one who hasn't visited in years and has been through a lot. It was precious to give her a place to have a holiday that she could afford, and reconnect with each other. At the end of her stay I realised however that I was in introvert burnout after 10 days of hospitality, so I will have to factor that in, in the future, especially as I still had more to go!
I ran music at church for one of our combined summer 5pm services which was amazing, and then got up at 5am on Monday to go to Summer school, where I stayed with my sister and her family. It was really lovely, and a good time of bonding especially with her kids. It was, however, to intense for me, the house had no bedroom doors so I was around them all the time, or around 2000 other people at the sessions, so it was hard. It was also hard for them as a family! And there was added logistics from the wet oval so no car parking. A few meltdowns but we made it through and grew closer.
I was so glad to be home and alone for a weekend before returning to work. My soul needed it and I decided to move furniture around in preparation for my new couch and also to just freshen things up and update the vibes. I got my old couch down this narrow hall with only minor wall damage. The TV unit and everything from the back room is now in the front room.
Returning to work was hard, I've been back 2 weeks now. The first week was a blur, it was so hard to focus and it seems that the year started at high speed not a slow build up. The second week was better, I did some immersive work which helped me feel focused and calmer. Thankful to not have home group or church music for a few weeks and build my weekly routine up slowly.
Me forcing myself out of the house on Australia Day, it was so hot even the beach was hot.
On decluttering. I received 2 boxes of nostalgia from my parents, and I also had a cupboard fall apart so I have been shifting storage and shelves around to try and make do without buying another cupboard or shelves for a while, because the long term goal is built in shelving in my wardrobes, not a whole bunch of random bookshelves and such.
Back to the nostalgia boxes and the things IN the storage. I cried while I threw out some toys, ended up keeping a couple I don't really want but it will be a multi stage process. I realised that they brought back memories of my childhood, especially my cosy safe bed and cute kiddy pyjamas. It was a whole thing remembering that time is gone, I'm an adult on my own in the big world now. It is however important to get rid of things anyway. "It's hard to let go of things but it is easy to live without them" (Caroline Winkler). I've taken some things to the op shop, I've photographed things and thrown them away, and I'm going to give some things to Elsie and my nieces at appropriate times. Due to the aformentioned storage situation, I decided to unpack my "glory box" full of random toys, fancy work and sewing supplies, and turn it into a toy box, so everything is in one child-accessible place now. I did a bit of a sort and cull of the sewing stuff but I'll do it properly later.
https://catieloveless.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/hear-me-quickly-lord/
Big note to finish on. This is my brother and G's baby, my new niece, Elsie Mae. Thanks be to God for her safe birth!
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