Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 7, Issue 10, October 2003
Copyright 2003 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article below in your research. Be sure to cite the Seattle Sun as your source.
DECORATING DILEMMAS:
Have lots of 'stuff' in your home?
By ROBIN DALY
The countless sunny summer days have spoiled me, and the thought of spending rainy Saturdays curled up with a book by the fire just doesn't sound appealing quite yet. But inside we must go, so I think this months' question is especially important to anyone who is thinking about undertaking an indoor decor project.
Q: Dear Robin,
I am at my wits end. I have a nice home, but it feels too small. It's the same size as my neighbors, but mine seems tiny and cluttered. I want to redecorate, including upgrading my furniture, but I'm afraid I'll just make matters worse if I don't have a clear plan. Any suggestions?
A: Before you start flipping through fabric books, creating color schemes or shopping for furniture, you need to take a hard look at the space you have and how you are living in it. Because your neighbors' homes don't feel cluttered or too small, that indicates to me that you have a "stuff" issue (And yes, that is the technical term for it!).
Don't worry; you're not alone. I'd say that 90 percent of the population has the same dilemma as you. Now you are not going to like hearing this, because it involves some hard work, but the first thing you need to do is to really analyze your house and how you live in it. So put those paint chips away for a little while longer and get ready to really look at your home.
What do I mean by this? You need to look at almost everything you do in the house and decide if it can be improved upon, weeded out or streamlined.
Do you use your dining room table for a junk mail drop off site, or do you eat at the table? Where do the bills go? Do you have a lot of lotions and gels cluttering up the bathroom counter? Do you ever get the laundry put away? How do you use your house?
How do you handle the mail as it arrives, so that things don't get lost in the shuffle? How do you store towels, brooms, shoes and coats, so they are easily accessible but not in the way? Where do you keep suitcases?
I think you get the general idea with these questions. I have found that it all boils down to finding an easy procedure for handling paper flow and also creating a place for everything in the house. Expect this to be a process that takes time.
Taking an honest hard look at things will have a huge payoff. By getting rid of habits that don't work, and getting rid of clutter that's in the way, you'll find your home feels fresh and even roomier. Plus (I've saved the best part for last) your house will be easier to keep clean. Less junk equals less to dust. A true case of less is more.
Once your home becomes de-cluttered and with everything in its proper place, you can start with the fun stuff. Let the decorating begin!
Robin Daly is a third-generation co-owner of Daly's Paint and Decorating in the Fremont neighborhood. You can email her via the Seattle Sun at news@theseattlesun.com. She looks forward to solving your Decorating Dilemmas, however, relationship dilemmas are extra!