Wanna Be-Scandanavian Homes

Clean, but not sterile. Bright, but not glittery. I love the look of Scandinavian homes. One would think with all my Norwegian and Danish blood, a little of the design standards might have made their way to me, but alas, I swim in  a shabby chic, heavy on the shabby, mixed with unoriginal store showroom designed living spaces. I drool over this blog, My Scandinavian Home. Granted, for me, some of the pictures of homes and rooms that are featured move into the sterile category for me, but I long for the rooms with bright walls, simple furnishing, and not a stack of jumbled papers or clothes anywhere. I admit to keeping the Ikea catalogue as a coffee table book to help draw a little inspiration. 

DD2's room is the closest to where I have embraced it, with her white furniture, and pops of color on her bedding. However, still too much stuff and mess (Christmas gift bag still on her desk), and her green and blue walls, her choice, scream American teen. 

Little touches-her pillow from London, peace blanket made by her sis, Rags,her puppy  from childhood, and more books than a typical teen, with many more still boxed up, that she is deciding whether or not to keep.
 

My little office nook, mostly because I can close the cabinet/desk doors on the paperwork clutter, is the simple look I would like to have in the whole house. All the closets in my home are larger than closets from modest homes built before 1984, and from what I can tell from some British home shows, most UK and European homes. Still, I struggle with finding enough storage space. I know this is a stuff problem, more than a design problem, but would like to tackle both. 

 I'm off to take a look at a couple Thrift stores today to see what I might be able to create or re-purpose into a television stand. I think heavy dose of white or Scandinavian inspired colored  paint and sand paper might get me the look I want for cheap. Who else is a Scandinavian design fan? Who has ideas of how, with spending little to no money, I can get some of the look and feel of these spaces?

Minimalist Journey Days 13 and 14

Minimalism is quite hard.  The not buying part has been a breeze, but the decluttering stage, has been quite rocky.  It is hard to undo 28 years of accumulation of unnecessary stuff, Yesterday was for selling, and today is for digitizing documents, photos, kids art work, or anything else that we may need or want to keep, but doesn't have to occupy physical space.  I have two actions to share.  First, I did set up an E-Bay account.  I have no clue how to use it, but at least it is created so as I do find things that might have enough value monetarily, but not enough to warrant space in my home, I could try and sell it.  

Second, I bought a couple (yes I know these were new to my home but pretty tiny) flash drives. After we complete purging old paper work that we really do not need to be holding onto, the next step will be to slowly scan the documents we do want to reference, but do not need originals.  At last count, we had 16 bankers boxes of old papers.  I think most is beyond the years of needing to keep records at all, and another 4 boxes worth could be scanned. 


At present we are in the it has to get worse before it can get better stage of attacking minimalism. I say we, because if this is going to work in the short run, and continue to be a lifestyle, I need my partners who helped do the crime in the first place to be on board and stay there. I don't live alone as did Ryan in the Minimalist blog, and I was holding onto a whole families worth of stuff.  Still, any progress is  progress and I need to tell myself that. 

Some success and flops this week, not strictly n the 21 Day plan, but important to my goals include:

Food and meals flop:

• Yuck, with working late a couple nights, dinner one night was takeout tacos and another was a bucket of chicken.  Then there was the infamous chicken sandwich.
• Joined the work group and went in on ordering Jimmy Johns one day.  I did make it vegetarian, and loaded with veggies for some consolation.
• Let 4 avocados go bad.  They were fine one day and when  went to use the next, they were moldy and inedible, that quick.

Food and meal success:

• Used all the leftovers from the weekend for lunches
• Turned  a handful of grape tomatoes about to go bad, and 1/3 of a can of diced tomatoes left from making guacamole ( I had planned on making more before the avocado fiasco), olive oil, and lots of seasoning into a tomato sauce for some leftover noodles. It essentially was a free lunch for DD#2 and I as all were such small quantities individually that many people would have just chucked aside. 
• Had a lovely steak dinner and wine of our own at home last night, with the meal prepared faster than we could have walked to the bar and grill. We capped dinner with a stroll as the full moon was coming out-quite storybook.

Household Success

• Saved a soccer bag, basketball bag, and back pack, all heavily used, soiled, and stinky by washing in a mix of laundry soap and baking soda, on delicate, and then letting them air dry.  all look practically brand new.  Each of these items new were over $50 each.  The sports bags have been used by DD# 2 since she was 8, and have years of life. While we bought new, it is a good reminder that buying good quality second hand things is smart as opposed to buying new cheaper made things that will need replacing. 

That is all I have this week, and am not all that pleased on the kitchen front, but the week ahead should be less chaotic. How do you manage the kitchen in weeks of chaos? As for paperwork, what are your methods for staying on top of it?  Besides legally required documents such as tax filings, and titles, how long do you keep things like utility bills?  For those of you with children, how long or how much do you save of your kids school days? 

Room Spillage

Welcome to my homes conservatory. No wait, welcome to my office.  Actually it is my main floor living room, and there has been a whole lot of it going on in this room.  Lately we have had a bad case of room spillage.  DD#2 has a concert coming up in a few weeks, and unusual for her this year, she is giving practicing  a lot of attention. Rather than practice in her room, among her own chaos and clutter, she says she can focus better downstairs.  I've continued, sans lower level refurbishing and clutter still from the older kids, to plant myself on my chaise sofa with a laptop, because getting to the office armoire is an obstacle course.  

The living room was meant to be my oasis, the one room in the house that at any time I could feel comfortable having a friend over to sit and chat and not worry that they will find a crusty bottom mug, or a smelly pair of socks in a corner.  I could curl up on this same chaise with a good book and a cup of tea, and not worry about tripping or stepping on something when I got up. Now I have sheet music, file folders, and USB drives cluttering the floor, tables, and couch. I need a house top to bottom intervention, but for the upcoming weekend, I need to take this room back.  I know there are immaculate homemakers out there that not only understand a place for everything and everything in its place, they actually follow the mantra.  I am not one, and at 49, unlikely I will ever grow to be so.  I'm just looking to get back to my own bit of calm.  Who else faced room spillage, but lived to conquer it?

A Lesson on Purging

Twenty-one years at the organization.  Eleven years in this office.  Decades of binders, research material, reports, and contracts.  As I start to remove all trace of my having occupied this office, I have a mountain of a task ahead of me.  I should have been reviewing and purging all along the way, but with a couple book shelves ready to hold yet one more binder, I let them accumulate.  There is no turning back now.  I am trying to make sure I  don't throw anything of current or archival value, though most anything current probably has an electronic version.  That is my task tomorrow-to clean and organize electronic files into neat and organized accessible folder for my mangers and my successor.  I take a lot of pride in the work I have done here, and I want the person that  takes my role to feel like they can start with success.  I also don't want to be known as the crazy hoarder lady.  Here are a few pictures at the beginning of the sort and purge.  Let this be a lesson to any of you  procrastinating or overfilling your shelves.  You too may have to tackle a massive mountain someday.

Shelves of pictures, desk with piles. 

Recycle bin number 1.

Looking Ahead 2015

Last Saturday DH and I had a frugal evening out at a local pizza and pasta chain. I frequent this place with a group of friends several times a year, and it is also a gift card vendor of choice for a couple organizations I volunteer with.  I've previously signed up for the rewards program, and received a e-coupon for a free pizza last week.  This, combined with using one of three gift cards I had stockpiled, provided dinner with beer and an appetizer for just the $10 tip.  I'm never sure if you are supposed to use gift cards for tips or not, so we just left the $10, or 20% of the full bill without coupon. DD#2 rarely likes to go out for supper, and she was still basking in the glory of having received seven new books for Christmas and was in full marathon reading mode.  The restaurant was busy, but not crowded so we could take the rare opportunity to linger and really discuss priorities for the coming year. 

He is as equally tired of the clutter and backlog of procrastinated projects as I am.  My health issue, on top of the scare we had three years ago with him, nudged us both to the reality that health and wellness has to be out on the top of the priority list. Knowing we are now in the final 4 years of having a child at home means jump starting savings to be earmarked for college again must be high as well.  These are the practical, responsible things that we agree need to focused on.  Then there are the more ethereal priorities-the ones that make the day to day special, meaningful, and help put the bad days into a new frame of reference as only being a minor blip.

Many of the barriers to truly living meaningful in the day to day are a direct result of the concrete and tangible being some what mucked up.  Having friends drop in, sitting back with a bottle of wine, is not stress free when all you see are unfinished projects and messy clutter if not down right signs of poor housekeeping habits everywhere. Taking a long walk, a morning swim, or a game of tennis is difficult without the stamina, resulting in being wiped out as opposed to feeling invigorated. Fretting over any expense now, because of nagging fear of future tuition, induces guilt, robbing us of satisfaction.

These priorities will not be resolutions, but hopefully the result of my new resolves. I've decided that for my resolution for 2015, I will make efforts to develop better skills in the art of compromise and alternative choices or solutions. In terms of clutter control, there are hundreds of tips and strategies on the web, in magazine, on television and the newspaper.  I don't have to master all-I just need to come up with a few compromises and  options that work for me.  I don't have to cook from scratch every night, but I do need to get the processed and overly chemicalized garbage out of my kitchen. The 10 for $10 side dishes are filling, but not nourishing, and they have to go. This will mean very basic meals on the busy nights, and probably quite a few pieces of toast and a banana eaten quickly before rushing out the door, but the reduction in salt, fat, and preservatives will be worth it. I don't need to run three miles before work each day, but I can actually take my lunch break as opposed to eating at my desk, and using 10-15 minutes of it for a brisk walk outdoors. We don't need to say no to plans and evenings out, but we can spend 1/3 as much and invite friends over for drinks and snacks as an alternative once in a while. Our $60 pizza and beer night is evidence of that.

With that, I'm kicking off 2015.  It will be a year of new beginnings, as all new years are. I hit the mid century mark this year, and exciting and challenging events are on the horizon for friends and family.  Those momentous events will sure to be etched in my memories for years to come.  However, next year I want to look back and see more blurred lines between the calendar dates.  I want every day to be meaningful in its own right.  I think that is possible.

Declutter and Organization Mindset

Whenever I can, I try to take a vacation day the day before Thanksgiving.  I am fortunate to have extended family on both sides that host, so it isn't because I am trying to get ready for guests.  Often I am at my max accrual, and it is also always my birthday week, so a little gift to myself.   I also take it off  in hope that I can jump start a little pre-December, preholiday organization so that I feel like I can enjoy the month better.  Last year, I couldn't take the day off.  I was out of sorts anyway with having neither of my older kids home for either Thanksgiving or Christmas, and I just felt off the whole month.  I realize that more  December and Christmases than not, we will be a small household again, so grieving for past days aside, I need to take back my enjoyment of the season. I owe my youngest the experiences she remembers from before, complete with my setting up my Christmas village. That will be Saturday's project, if I can get my act together today.

Fall is very busy for most people.  If you have school kids, everything ramps up fast, new things launch in faith communities, the season changes so we in the north are looking at transitioning homes for winter.  We were extra busy with things with DD#2-two sports, four choirs, one orchestra, and a whole lot of taxi service. This year we had a glorious fall in terms of weather, so procrastinated a lot of things that should have been done in order to get outside more.  That coupled with an extra business trip, and my daughters move, my house feel really chaotic.  We have been dressing too many mornings with pulling clothes out of the dryer, rather than dressers and closets.  I have a front entry closet that I know have some snow boots somewhere buried, but can't quite get to them without a full out declutter. And yet, my procrastination gene kicks in, even today.  The picture above is what it looks like outside,  snowy and wet. You can see we haven't even dealt with the  patio set-still hoping for one more nice November day to sit out and enjoy my morning coffee. I'd much rather grab my Paris cup, brew up a good vanilla hazelnut cup of coffee, and spend my day with you all blogging and reading. 

I'm making a deal with myself.  I did the grocery store run after dropping my daughter off, so that is done.I have the dishwasher and washing machine running while typing this.  After I finish, I will stake out a practical to do list and break it into chunks, alter as I need more or less time to complete. I'll build in  a couple natural beaks-perhaps noon and 4:00, and pop back on line.  Yes-I have a plan. I want to get to the point where at least my laundry  is all clean and in rightful place, my kitchen is serviceable to the point I can prepare the side dishes I am bringing to family dinners and gatherings this weekend. I've put the "Best of 2013" CD mix my friend Steve makes each year on the player and am ready to dive in.  But first, I need to finish my coffee.