Fresh Looks are in the Eye of the Beholder
I’m here to talk about decorating. But first, inquiring minds want to know. Have you taken down your Christmas decorations? I have not. This is a relatively new development for me. For many years, once the presents were gone from under the tree, I was ready for the tree to come down just as quickly. Seriously, I was known for hosting New Year’s gatherings without a hint of Christmas left on display! In the last few years I’ve been able to enjoy my Christmas décor well into the first week of January before the itch has to be scratched! (Baby steps, friends.)
Being a check it off the list as soon as it gets on the list type of person can work in my favor, but the older I get the more I realize that it can also work against me. And now I’m thinking of a funny line, “Wisdom doesn’t always come with age. Sometimes age shows up all by itself!” But I digress.
When I do get around to taking down Christmas and returning the house to pre-holiday mode, my goal will be to slow down and look at what is before me with fresh eyes. I’ve learned that I’ll appreciate the process more if I give myself room to breathe. Here are some tips I’ll use. Maybe they’ll work for you, too!
Be aware of the opportunity you have to bless others. If your mind is open, you may realize you’ve lost your affection for a decorative item that used to have your heart. That doesn’t make you fickle and it can be your opportunity to be a blessing. Your old treasure can be someone else’s brand-new delight. Last year I took a number of home décor items to my local Salvation Army. The volunteer was so grateful. She told me about seeing women come in for necessities like clothes and coats, and yet find great delight in being able to have something as simple as a new lamp for the living room, or a picture for their walls! That conversation left such an impression on me that I went back with some more items I may have simply moved to the attic had she not mentioned those dear women to me.
Give your home a fresh makeover without spending a dime by not automatically putting the same accessories back in the same place they were before the holidays. My non-seasonal accessories that were moved to make room for Christmas are stored in the same closet and storage shelves that now need to hold those Christmas pretties. Over the last few years I’ve learned to transport these accessories to one central place (my dining room) table. This allows me to be step back and find new places for them and in the process I find I appreciate them even more!
Employ those precious grands! If there are grands around during the decorating duties, you might find that they LOVE helping with the transformation. Mine, do. When the grand girls were younger they would even use their little wagons and doll strollers to move things to the dining room table. The more the merrier applies here, as long as they’re old enough to be careful with the breakables.
I hope you have found a tip here that helps you in the New Year, but regardless of when, where, and how we decorate and redecorate our homes, let’s all be cognizant of the great blessing that is ours in having a home to adorn!
Hugs,
Shellie
