It's been one of those springtime weeks that seem to go on forever ... cloudy, rainy, drear.
And so I indulged in one of those homekeeping tasks I absolutely love.
I let my imagination run just a little wild, rolled up my sleeves, and corralled my patient husband into dragging furniture from room to room.
And in the process, I re-imagined each piece's place and role in our home. And ended up with fresh appreciation for our possessions yet again.
This is my therapy.
Here's how it went ...
The table my husband built a decade ago was far too big for our little dining area in our current house. I'd been envisioning it holding court front and center on on the back porch for a year. So after much thought {a year}, he bravely cut an inch and a half off the legs so it wouldn't be too high for the chairs that are out there. We tenderly maneuvered it past the sliding glass doors to its new home where there's plenty of room to breathe, to shine, to be put to good use.
The rectangular glass table on the porch was moved to the front patio by the kitchen door.
The round glass table on the front patio traveled up to The Nest, my office over the garage.
The round wooden table cheerfully relocated from The Nest down into the dining room, beautifully replacing the massive table that had been dying to head on out to the porch for a year.
The little oak file cabinet that had been lost in the corner of the dining room finally found itself in the living room tucked next to the sofa, happy as a clam.
The dining room felt kinda lonely, so we moved the old bookcase with the glass doors from the loft upstairs down into the corner and filled it with my favorite collection ... two sets of vintage yellow ware bowls.
After my husband quietly disappeared from sight, I hauled the very old oak bookcase from the bathroom where it had been holding towels and my Grandma's white enamelware canisters into the loft and filled it with all the books and pictures that had been in the bookcase that was now ensconced in the dining room.
I moved the green ladder-like shelf from the corner of the bedroom where it had been standing idle and useless into the bathroom to hold the towels.
Grandma's white enamelware canisters are randomly biding their time in the corner of the bedroom where the green ladder-like shelf used to stand.
Got it?
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Karianne from Thistlewood Farms shared 50 Simple 20 Minute Decorating Ideas on her blog today. I can't think of a more profitable way to while away a damp, gray afternoon than re-appreciating the stuff you already own.
I polished off #1, #2, #4, #9, #19, #23, #26, #36, #46, and #50 this week before I even set eyes on her post.
I do love springtime.
Let's talk about your house, your garden, your spring decorating whimsies ...
Linda
P.S.
I'll see you on Sunday evening for Session #2 of our Book Club! All the details are right here.
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I'm not one who moves things around much so I always enjoy seeing what other people do. I did take "before" pictures of a closet this week that I hope to clean out in the next few weeks. Does that count as moving things around? :)
ReplyDeleteWell, absolutely yes, my friend!
DeleteLinen closet, here I come ...
What a productive time! I don't move big pieces around much. In early marriage I got my husband to help me move furniture around to try to create a better traffic pattern in the living room. We ended up placing everything like we originally had it. He released the biggest sigh of relief as he sat back down in his chair afterward - not just that all that was done, but that it was familiar again. :-)
ReplyDeleteBut I have been cleaning out kitchen cabinets and the pantry lately. The cabinets started out as just a cleaning project, as I noticed a layer of dust on the shelves I could see (I figured it must be on the shelves I couldn't see as well!) But I did end up finding a few things to get rid of and some better ways to arrange things. I had also needed a place for the pureeing equipment we had used when Jim's mom was here. It used to stay in the dish drainer since we used it nearly every meal. But now that she's gone, I wasn't to find a home for it, and did. The pantry was a bigger issue, with a lot more sorting and rearranging, but I like the results so much better. There's a great sense of satisfaction when completing a task like that. And I got reacquainted with stuff I had forgotten I had.
Don't you just love sorting and rearranging closets?
Delete* sigh *
Satisfaction indeed, friend. Especially in tossing and donating all the stuff that isn't loved or needed in this season.
Sheer bliss.
Oh, I'm definitely checking out that blog. We will be spending the next two weeks in our retirement home hoping to get the basic furniture pieces in and make a lot of those decisions you did only starting with empty rooms! I anticipate the home-making will last longer than the initial 2 weeks we'll lay the foundation and that is part of the joy.
ReplyDeleteOh what fun! A fresh start! I'm so excited for you, Debby ...
Delete;-}
You are crazy! I am allowed to say that since you are my sister! Nothing moves in my house from the day we move in to the day we move out. Last house was 18 years. So far 12 years in this house. I can't imagine all that work and enjoying it! I am sure it looks great, but I thought your house looked great last time I saw it. As long as it makes you happy and Tim doesn't throw his back out lugging all that heavy furniture around - I guess it is cheaper than a dinner out for entertainment! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI know, I know. That's how we grew up, everything in the same place, not moved one inch.
DeleteYawn.
;-}
There's been some rearranging,
ReplyDeleteby one who does it well,
and it's quite amazing
work by a dog named Belle.
Her thoughts on the sofa
was that it needed space
so she turned it over
into its proper place.
That it now was upside-down
was not, for her, defeat.
She merely turned it 'round,
again, and movement was complete.
She's eyeing now the narrow hall;
I think she may remove a wall.
Sounds like Sweet Ol' Belle is keeping you on your toes, Andrew ...
Delete;-}
She sure does, Linda. She keeps EVERYONE on their toes!
DeleteGood grief!!! U have a different house!!!!!
ReplyDeleteNope, it's the same. A bit roomier, though. I like it.
Delete;-}
Loved the full circle of table moves. And I think it's great that you find such satisfaction in moving things around. My husband is the furniture mover here on the hill. Every once in a while, the muse just strikes and he needs a change of scenery.
ReplyDelete'A full circle of table moves.'
DeleteYeah, that's apt. For sure.
So ... does your husband tell you he's going to get creative ... or do you find out in the middle of the night when you get up and walk into a dresser that wasn't in that location before?
;-}
Wow I did this today but only in my living room. I had very different reasons. I needed to open up the living room so I can position a camera to see my puppy when not home. He is graduating and becoming cage-free. So far so good. He winds up just going in his crate when I am not here and sleeps.
ReplyDeleteI love moving things around and organizing. It is energizing and things look different, like they are new.
I like your round table in dining area. Of course, Tim’s table, according to me, looks great anywhere! Just like my china cabinet.
You're right, Carol. It IS energizing and things DO look different, like they are new.
DeleteI like how you said it.
And yes, he did do a fine job on that china cabinet.
;-}
Linda, you did the table shuffle and maybe even a happy dance with all the moving and rearranging. I used to love to move furniture, not so much anymore.
ReplyDelete'The table shuffle.'
DeleteThat's cute, Pam.
;-}
We did a bit of that type of moving not long ago when we purchased a new sofa and love seat for the living room. Danny is much better at re-imagining things than I am, but we are still enjoying the results.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Linda!
A new sofa sounds mighty good right about now. Our sofas are 30 years old or so and in sore need of replacement.
DeleteMaybe next year?
Love that you're partnering with your man on reimagining your home ...
So cool.
;-}
Linda, isn't there something about spring that makes us want new and fresh? Either because our house and furniture don't lend themselves to moving around, or because I don't have creativity in this area of home care, our house and furniture have lived in the same state since we moved in many years ago. I'm okay with it, but I do love changing things up from time to time. :) Your changes sound delightful!
ReplyDeleteI'll be planting a garden this year. I've done it for the past few years, and I've loved it!
I'd love to hear about your gardening, Jeanne. I could use a little motivation and instruction ...
DeletePlease?!
;-}
What a lovely front porch and view!
ReplyDeleteLynn, hi! My sister and I are sitting at the long dining table this cloudy Saturday morning, computers up and running, focusing on our respective tasks, watching a turkey wander around right outside the windows.
DeleteI'm grateful for her company.
Your home looks so lovely! What a great way to start Spring, with a fresh new house! I continue to declutter and it's the slowest project ever. 2 steps forward and 1 step back!
ReplyDeleteKatie, hi! I'm glad you're here ... and you're oh so right, sometimes it is a forward and backward process. But when all is said and done, the decluttering 2-step was worth every step of the way.
Delete;-}
I love your furniture moving adventures--and those books on your bookcase are amazing! I see a few of my favorites. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy day rock star!
karianne
Rock star. That's cute!
Delete;-}
Huge fan of moving furniture around. Once I rearranged our master bedroom late at night after our kids were in bed. Hubby was working the 3-11pm shift at work and when he got home found quite the surprise. The room was dark and he couldn't find the bed!! Now I give him a heads up when I rearrange furniture while he is gone!
ReplyDeleteYep, same experience with my husband ... I like to surprise him with changes and see how long it takes for him to realize something's been re-imagined!
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