FARMHOUSE 654
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • Contact
  • Freebies
  • Favorites
  • Disclosures

a fresh start.

7/15/2017

0 Comments

 
Since moving into the farmhouse and sharing our journey online, I've had so many people contact me wanting a fresh start.

"I am so jealous that you get to start over."

"Seeing you put the new house together makes me want a fresh start for my house."

"I wish I could empty out our house and start again."

This opportunity to go through every single thing we own and make a decision about whether or not to keep it has been pretty amazing.

Add to it the fact that I get to decide exactly where it goes in the farmhouse, and I am feeling pretty good about our "fresh start".
Picture
However, last summer, I had that "fresh start" feeling when I did the KonMari method in my home and went through (almost) everything we owned.

I stalled near the end, as you might remember.

But I do have some tips to help you have your own fresh start in your home, even if you're not moving.

1. Stop buying stuff.

To start the process, you must stop bringing new stuff into your house.  Yes, there will be a time for buying new items that you love and adore, but not yet.
For now, just hold off on bringing anything new into your home.  

Deal with what you have.

There will be plenty of time to buy new things after you've gotten rid of everything you don't love.

2. Set an end date.

This one is something that many people don't think about, but it helped me immensely last summer when I went through and did my big house purge and it's helping now as I put the house together.

Find a date to work towards and mark it on the calendar.

For me, this year, that date is July 25th.

We are hoping to take the girls on a little lake vacation starting on the 26th and I don't want to leave one thing in the house undone.

I want to leave the house all peaceful and put together so when we come home from vacation, it's still all peaceful and put together.

3. Tidy by category.

This phrase is taken directly out of Marie Kondo's book called "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up".  

​By the way, I just looked and the book is on sale on Amazon right now for $9.89!
Tidying by category was a big one for me and really changed how I think about that dreaded task of decluttering.

I used to go room-by-room and purge items, then put the items I kept back, and finally decorate.

After reading Kondo's book, it hit me that I was keeping a lot of the same types of items in various rooms and for a lot of those belongings, having two or three separate sets was unnecessary.

​Kondo suggests an order and it seemed to work well for me.  I created a checklist to keep myself on track.
Picture
Click the image to the left to print your own checklist!

​The biggest thing to remember is that your categories might be different than anyone else.

For example, I created a category for myself that was "photography items".  
As I came across any photography-related items in the rest of my tidying endeavors, I put them into a box labeled as such.

I did this with all of my miscellaneous categories and dealt with those boxes when I got to that category on my list.

I left a few blank boxes for you to fill in your own random categories, but if you're like me, you'll need more than a few boxes!  Feel free to start your own list on another piece of paper or the back!  Don't overthink it!

4. Don't start organizing until you're done with several categories.

The temptation is there to start putting everything away before you're done with the discarding process.

From personal experience...don't do it.

Purge first...then organize.

Otherwise, you'll get one area completely organized and find something later that would have fit there so much better.

​5. Think in "stations".

I have started to think about my house in terms of where certain things happen.

This has really helped me to get organized and to stay organized (for the most part).
The brush, hair dryer, curling iron, & straightener are all in one accessible basket in the bathroom.

All of my Bible Journaling supplies are housed in one caddy in the office nook.


The coffee bar houses the K-cups sits near the mason jar I use to fill the Keurig.

The laundry detergent, stain remover, 
​fabric softener, and dryer sheets are all in this (clearance) Laundry basket from Dollar General.
Picture
When you begin to think like this, your house starts to organize itself.  

Out in the mud room, our beach towels are now housed with the sunscreen & goggles...far away from the bath towels that they used to be stored with in the old house.  It just made sense to have them there, instead of taking up valuable room in the bathroom.

When you've done enough categories that you feel like it's time to start some organizing, make sure to keep this "station" mindset.

​6. Go quickly!

Don't think too much!  

When you pick up an item, ask yourself, "Does this spark joy?"  

If it does, keep it!  No questions asked!

If it doesn't spark joy, but it's something you need...keep those things too.  Toothpaste doesn't really spark joy for me, but I would sure like my family to continue brushing their teeth!

Go with your gut instinct about things.  

Try not to think in terms of what you "might need someday".  

If it's something you could borrow or replace pretty inexpensively if you ever "need" it again...throw it out!  

Donate it, trash it, or give it away to a friend.  

Get it out of your house, as soon as possible!

7. Decorate intentionally.

Put your belongings into categories and go through each category, ruthlessly purging items that you don't love or need.

Organize the leftover items into functional stations throughout the house.

Then...decorate!

Keep the decorations you love and start to think about what other items you might add to your decor collection.

This isn't something you have to do immediately.

I prefer to check Hobby Lobby every month or so and scour their clearance aisle for things that spark joy for me.

I hardly ever spend over $5 on any sort of decoration for my home.  

And when I do, it must be a joy-sparking item that I know will fit perfectly into my home!
Picture
Picture
These two items were joy-sparkers the moment I laid eyes on them!

The United States map that now hangs in the playroom cost me $39.99 on our mini-vacation to Pawhuska, Oklahoma and it was so worth that price!  

Every time I look at it, my heart leaps for joy!

In fact, yesterday when I hung it in it's home up in the girls' playroom, I couldn't stop smiling!  

I feel the same way about my Farmhouse sign from Hobby Lobby.  It's $22.50 now on Hobby Lobby's website!  I spent $27.00 on it because it was originally $45.00 and I had a 40% off coupon.  Again...so worth the price!
Picture
I know it might not be exactly the same as packing all of your belongings into tubs and moving into a new house, but I hope that I've given you some ideas for getting a fresh start in your current home!

Just remember to be intentional with all you do.

Purge.
Then organize.
​Then decorate.

Happy weekend, friends! ❤️
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    October 2021
    July 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    June 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017

    Picture
    Picture
    Shop Hannah's Amazon Wish List

    Categories

    All
    12-week
    12 Week Challenge
    12-Week Challenge
    12 Week Year
    12-week-year
    2018
    2019
    2020
    2021
    2022
    30 Book Challenge
    52 Weeks
    5K
    About Me
    ACC
    AirBNB
    Allergies
    Amazon
    Annual Planning
    Anxiety
    Apart
    Assessment
    Author
    Automatic
    Autumn
    Babysteps
    Back To School
    Balance
    Bedroom Decor
    Before And After
    Bible
    Bible School
    Bible Study
    Biggest Loser
    Birthday
    Birthdays
    Blessings
    Blogging
    Blues
    Book
    Books
    Budgeting
    Building
    Calendar
    Camo
    Career
    Car Purchase
    Celebrations
    Cell Phone
    Challenge
    Challenges
    Change Of Plans
    Changes
    Children
    Children's Bedroom
    Children's Organization
    Chores
    Chores With Kids
    Christmas
    Christmas Cards
    Christmas Countdown
    Christmas Tree
    Church
    Church Camp
    Church Ladies
    Cleaning
    Cleaning House
    Clearance
    Clothes
    Clutter
    Coffee
    Commitment
    Contentment
    Control
    Cooking
    Countdown
    Country
    Country Living
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    Cows
    Creativity
    Crocs
    Crying
    Daily Routines
    Dave Car
    Dave Ramsey
    Debt
    Debt Snowball
    Decision-Making
    Declutter
    Decor
    Decorating
    Decorations
    Dedication
    Delta Airlines
    Depression
    Devotion
    Difference-Maker
    Digital
    Disagreements
    Diy
    Dreams
    Duke
    Ebook
    Education
    Emotions
    End Of The School Year
    Every Dollar
    Exercise
    Faith
    Family
    Family Dinners
    Family Meeting
    Family Trip
    Farm
    Farmhouse
    Farmhouse654
    Farmhouse Decor
    Farmhouse Front Porch
    Farmhouse-kitchen
    Farmhouse-office
    Farmhouse Organization
    Farmhouse-playroom
    Farmhousestyle
    Farmhouse-style
    Farmhouse Table
    Farm Life
    Finances
    Fine
    Finish
    Flooding
    Food-freedom
    Four-Week Plan
    Friendship
    Frustration
    Funny
    Furniture
    Gallery-wall
    Giftgiving
    Gifts
    Goals
    Goal Setting
    Goal-Setting
    Good-enough
    Google
    Grandparent
    Grandparents
    Grateful
    Gratitude
    Gretchen Rubin
    Grief
    Growing Up
    Growth
    Habits
    Happier
    Harlee
    Health
    Healthy
    Heaven
    History
    Holidays
    Home
    Home Decor
    Home Improvement
    Home Management
    Home-management
    Home Manager
    Home Organization
    Home-renovation
    Home-studio
    Hospitality
    House
    House-purchase
    Humor
    Ideas
    Impulse-purchases
    Influence
    Inspire
    Insurance
    Intentional
    Interior Design
    Journal
    Journaling
    Journey
    Keto
    Kids
    Kindness
    Kingdom Kids
    Kitchen
    Konmari
    Last 56 Days
    Laundry
    Leadership
    Legacy
    Life
    Loss
    Love
    Love Languages
    Marriage
    Meal Planning
    Meals
    Memories
    Mentor
    Merch
    Merchandise
    Midwest
    Minimalist Lifestyle
    Mizzou
    Money
    Mood Elevator
    Morning
    Morning Routine
    Mornings
    Motherhood
    Moving
    Mug
    Music
    Newkirk Photography
    New Year
    New Years Resolutions
    Nutrition
    Office
    On A Budget
    One Line A Day
    One Word
    Online Shopping
    Opinions
    Organization
    Organizing
    Outdoors
    Overwhelmed
    Paint
    Parenting
    Past
    Patience
    Photography
    Physical Wellness
    Planning
    Playroom
    Porch Swing
    Positive Attitude
    Prayer
    Preparation
    Printable Book
    Printables
    Projects
    Publishing
    Quarantine
    Quiet Time
    Quilting
    Raising Kids
    Ramsey
    Reading List
    Real Estate
    Refinance
    Relax
    Relaxation
    Reminders
    Reset
    Resolutions
    Rest
    Resting State
    Road Trip
    Role Model
    Room Reveal
    Routine
    Routines
    Running
    Savings
    School
    School Administration
    School Year
    Seasonal
    Seasons
    Senior Pictures
    Shoes
    Shop Local
    Sick
    Simple Living
    Simplicity
    Simplify
    Sisters
    Small Business
    Snow
    Snow Day
    Special Education
    Special Education Director
    Spiritual Growth
    Spring
    Start
    Stop Day
    Storage
    Stress
    Struggle
    Struggles
    Student Engagement
    Summer
    Supper Swap
    Survival Mode
    Target
    Task Cards
    Tasks
    Teaching
    Technology
    Tee
    Teenager
    Thankful
    Thanksgiving
    Third Grade
    Thunderstorms
    To Do
    To Do List
    Together
    Tradition
    Traditions
    Transformation
    Transitions
    Travel
    Trip
    Truth
    T-shirt
    Tshirts
    Twelve Weeks
    Vacation
    Valentine's Day
    Vision
    Vision Board
    Walmart
    Water
    Weather
    Wedding
    Wedding Photography
    Weekend
    Weekly Goals
    Weekly Home Blessing
    Weekly Plan
    Weight
    Wellness
    Whole30
    Window Shopping
    Winter
    Word Of The Year
    Work
    Workout
    Workspace
    Writer
    Writing
    Zones
    Zone Work

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • Contact
  • Freebies
  • Favorites
  • Disclosures