Do you really know what you have?

Question

I have a simple test for all of the HT followers and staff. People have said many times over how much it bothers them to do some of their daily/weekly chores like dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, etc.... so in light of this first let me say this: I have many, many black items, accents, and furniture pieces in my home. Dusting does not bother me in the least! Twice a week I take a dust rag and my coffee and stroll through my house dusting...but more importantly, enjoying the things I have purchased or made for my home. It is important to enjoy all your things if it was important enough for you to acquire them in the first place. Now for the test: NO CHEATING!! Pick your favorite room in the house..DON'T GO THERE...now, close your eyes and visualize that room. Can you remember in detail every little knick knack you have, why you have it, and where you got it? I don't think many people could..there will be something you forget. Don't feel bad about failing this test, just remember, it meant something to you at the time, it still should now...take the time to dust and enjoy your home and all things in it!

KMS Woodworks · Answer

I've got a few favs here in the living room...One is my antique railroad spike from the 'alpine tunnel' in Pitkin Co 1880- 1910.

OrganizeTips.com · Answer

It helps to enter your home with new eyes. When entering through your front door pretend its someone elses house.You'll be surprised what you notice that you didn't before. Then of course theres the old standard of taking pictures.

Therese C · Answer

I like to look at my home fresh when I get back from a weekend gone. It has certain things that jump out at you and things that are very subtle, but make a statement. I have been told I have one of the few homes that truly says 'come in, sit down, rest awhile.' I really don't like starchy, stuffy, or confusing homes. Why have a home that looks like a showcase and no one can feel comfortable in? Comfy homes have little surprises everywhere both inside and out.

Beverly · Answer

I love my home and all that's in it--but when I pretend to see it through someone else's eyes (like before I'm expecting company) I tend to see all the things that need to be done that I usually overlook!

Z · Answer

This brings up an interesting point Therese. The only time I enter through the front door is either when I walk out to get the mail or when hubby has left for the airport. After our kisses on the driveway I watch him drive through our neighborhood, then I run through the house, out the front door to wait for him on the front lawn to drive by on the highway. He honks, I wave and we get one last air kiss before I walk back in the house through the front entry. I don't really see our home either time since my mind is occupied with one sort of mail/male or another.

Today I'll make a point to use the front door when he gets home from golf and see what feeling we each get when we walk in. It will be interesting to see what we think. I'll be sure to let you know.

I have been rearranging things lately as, in my wise age, I've decided less is more and I'm done with too much 'stuff'. I'm over 'stuff'. I want to use very few things that don't have some meaning/memory behind them.

Gloria Duy · Answer

I love to move things around and make new vignettes. It makes cleaning less boring.

Country Design Style-Jeanette · Answer

I look at the rooms in our home as pictures. I stand at the door and scan across the room like I would a picture in a magazine. Although it not usually as clean as those in magazines:)

Therese C · Answer

It's strange to re-look at your home through someone else's eyes, but I will have my daughters stop over and see if they notice changes or things that have been moved, without telling them. Both girls are very adept to changes in my home over the years, and they notice very quickly. Now, I must admit, many times when they notice something gone, they ask where it went because they want it...lol...I tell them it is in the front closet waiting for you to take it home. :) Our homes have many 'shared' memories.

Z · Answer

Our son lives with us now so when I remove something from 'display' to the garage or basement, he'll say 'don't get rid of that, I may want it when I get my own place'. 
As for noticing things, his son, our 5 year old grandson is the one that notices changes before his Dad or Grampa does. When he first saw that I moved the MCM 'surf board' style coffee table from my drawing room to a wall in the Ladies Parlor he told me point blank 'that looks terrible there Grammy'. Ha ha! Out of the mouths of babes, huh? Since I have now moved it to it's new home he has expressed his approval.

Grammie Linda · Answer

uh oh, time for me to declutter! thanks for the post

Cathy Kurpil · Answer

My husband doesn't notice anything (Good for me sometimes :)) I brought home this awesome red wicker chair last week, It is sitting almost right next to his recliner, about an hour later I asked him how he liked the new chair...his answer, What chair? :)

Z · Answer

Ha Ha ha..... @Cathy. That is such a guy thing! Unless I make major changes to the whole room my beloved hubby doesn't notice either. I used to have a magnet on the range hood that said 'Nobody notices what I do unless I don't do it.' Boy did that fit my family. Probably most families.

Sherrie · Answer

I am a clean freak! OCD, fact. But I recently painted the bedroom and all the wood work and had to pull everything out of my bed room. How did I get all that stuff in my bedroom? I am still going through everything and was honestly mortified by the stuff I had so I am not putting one thing back that I don't love, use or wear. I have manage to fill two who trash cans, have 20 boxes so family and friends can look through what they don't want goes to charity, feeling thinner already. Not really and I could only wish it was that easy but my bedroom has much more room!

Melissa Gutilla · Answer

Right now I can. We moved in November and I haven't hung my pictures etc yet. I wanted to get everything painted and done up first. I can tell you where everything came from and where everything is that's out and on the wall in the house(after the painting etc). My problem is the closets, garages where I put all the things I don't know what to do with! lol All my prized items(not expensive just sentimental) that I don't want broken are in my closet so the kids don't accidently break them- things given to me from my late mother-in-law and grandmother. I have never been a clutter carrier since I got my own place years ago. I could say at one time I was a neat freak but 3 kids and 3 dogs later not such a neat freak! lol

Therese C · Answer

I have been OCD for many years. I have had to literally force myself to calm down. At one point in my life I would actually tear up my home just to have something to clean! I have to be able to see my baseboards and corners. It nearly drove my kids nuts. I live, still to this day, by this rule of thumb..'If you haven't needed it, looked for it, or used it in 6 months, get rid of it!' This obviously doesn't work for everyone, but for me it helps to keep the clutter out of my home. I redecorate at least twice a year in most rooms.(better than the 3-4 times a year before) I still know everything I have and exactly where it is or if it gets moved at all. Yep, that OCD is still there! Everything has it's place and everything in it's place...yes..that's me!

Cynthia · Answer

Since you like to dust, when can you be at my home. I hate dusting.

Therese C · Answer

I love seeing the different answers.

Therese C · Answer

Cynthia if I were closer...I would be happy to. But I do believe that is a bit of a drive for dusting. Thanks for the offer though!

Christine · Answer

U people have company? OMG. 
No, really, I envy the ability for neatness. I'm recovering/rebuilding from a fire and everything I have is in boxes or stacked along the walls waiting for me to build a closet or finish a cabinet. Ironically, I am a rabid giver-away-er. I don't sell things I could, I just Freecycle or give it to someone who has mentioned they could use ..xxx. In the meanwhile, once I get drywall up and finished, I will be able to paint, hang stuff up, add trim, molding, and have some peace. 
Clutter = visual agitation, which is how I live. I've come not to see it much, but I know it's there. Like a bee buzzing in the background. I strive for visual peace.

Sherrie · Answer

Taking everything out of a room to clean it is perfectly normal to me. Or it's not clean, right? 
I understand that obsession. I have a cleaning business and I never clean anyone else's home or business the way I clean my house. It has finally gotten to the point I reached out for help. My family and friends laugh about the way I clean my house, my husband not so much. And he is a new husband! I like him and want to keep him so I am having to work hard on my OCD. Like when he doesn't turn the top sheet when he makes the bed prefect down on the crease. I no longer wait until he's out of the room to fix it. I have always cleaned this way but not as often, when my late husband died it became a way for me to deal with it. But I can tell you my customers absolutely love me and my obsession has led to a successful business. But now I am trying to let to of my need for perfection! I had a dinner yesterday and stuffed the office full of all my junk I am going through and just shut the door! For me this is progress! Normally I would have stayed up all night to make sure everything was perfect!

Therese C · Answer

Sherri OCD is one of the hardest fought battles. One way I have trained myself away from how bad I once was, was to..and this still bothers me but was necessary ... I went to bed and left a few dishes in the sink. I hardly slept a wink. Another time I let the laundry pile up to 3 loads before washing!! I have over time learned that it is okay for my house to not be 'perfect' all the time. I am raising my 4 yr old grandson and realize that kids must be kids. The heavy cleaning can wait an hour or two because I will never have these days of innocence and fun with him again and I will not miss a minute of it by cleaning myself to death. Gotta go..there is a boy waiting to play tractors!

Sherrie · Answer

Therese C I am working on getting to that part of being ale to relax. Funny after my husband died how cleaning soothed me instead of consuming me. I am teased but its not so funny anymore. Progress for me is leaving one room undone. Have fun! That handsome boy won't wait!

Therese C · Answer

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Do you really know what you have?

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