Monday, February 21, 2011

Happy Home

Welcome to my first series Happy Home! As of now, I am not sure if this is going to be a weekly thing, bi weekly or whatever.... but I am going to be sure to make them regular. Enough of the chatting, lets get things started!

When you think about your home, what comes to mind? Do you just shake your head? Do you laugh and brush it off as though its condition just doesn't matter? Do you daydream about what you wish your home was like? Well, you shouldn't! Your home should make you happy, comfortable, excited and proud.... just to name a few things. I want to start Happy Home simple. I know that having clutter free and organized pantry, closets and drawers is important, but we need to start with the basics.

Visual space

Your homes visual space is one of the most crucial elements. If your visual space is cluttered you can't keep the unseen space kept up either. It is nearly impossible. So lets get right to tip #1.

Tip #1: Keep your visual space clear (focus on the living areas in your home clear first. Personal areas like bedrooms can come later.)

Do not let your kitchen table become a drop off point.


Keep it clean and ready for a meal all the time. Your table is probably a large space and if you keep it cleared your visual space is possibly 50% taken care of.


Now that the table is clear, lets move on to the next areas that need to stay cleared. Counters! Don't let your counters absorb the impact of keeping your table clear.


Our buffet is another surface that I am constantly working to keep clear. It is in the center of our house and does not need to house "stuff" waiting to be put away.


Can you think of other surfaces in your home that you are catchalls? Our entertainment center is one. I even limited my decorating on this piece of furniture because it is the focus in the room. Too many decorations can even look cluttered, so choose wisely. At least try to be minimal of focus points. See that chest there? Not only is it a decorative item, it also houses our remotes so they aren't just laying all over the place. I love multipurpose things!

So what is the solution for tip #1? Have designated locations for your "clutter" type items.


Hang an organizer in the kitchen to hold your keys, mail, wallets and things of that nature. Want to know my real secret?


I have one spot in my house that is allowed to be cluttered. My school table in my bedroom. If there is something that needs to be looked at or just needs to find a home, I put it there. Have a place like this in your home. Somewhere that isn't in your living room ;-) Be determined to only drop your clutter off there. Then, have a day of the week that you focus strictly on dealing with that area and its acquired clutter.

So, what did we learn today?

  • Keep your visual space clear.
  • Keep your kitchen table in eating condition at all times.
  • Don't allow your living areas to become catchalls.
  • Have specific locations that are designated for clutter.
  • On a weekly basis make it your goal to put away and organize your designated areas.
These few things will give you a great start on having a Happy Home. I know I was long winded and probably confused you on several occasions, but I hope something here has made a light bulb go off in your head. Take tip #1 and run with it! See how you feel about your home with clear visual space!

4 comments:

Rachel said...

Awesome! I agree, having visual spaces uncluttered helps with that feeling of never being "done" organizing!

It sure would help if that man of mine wouldn't set his fishing gear down in the dining room every weekend, hee hee!

Unknown said...

can you just come over and do this one for me?

Emmy said...

This is great! And you are so right. We have a really big island in our kitchen and if it is clear, which isn't nearly often enough it really makes the whole kitchen look clean.

Brandi said...

We have a very similar buffet in our home (did I tell you that before?) and you would FALL OUT if you saw it. Um, my sewing machine is on it, as well as a lamp, a Bible, my camera and camera bag, a candle, several picture frames, and some random superhero action figures. lol! Also? Your designated catch-all space in your bedroom? I have about half a dozen catch-all places scattered about the house. Maybe you need to come over and organize me? Please??? ;)