How to Simplify your Home

It’s funny how our knick knacks can creep in on us. One day we are browsing through HomeGoods picking up one or two tiny little trinkets the make our hearts beat a little fast, and before we know it we have shelves and bookcases, and mantles covered  with far too many things. Now I do have some storage places that I rotate things in and out of, to change up a vignette on the fly without having to run to the store. But what happens when it all just starts feeling like too much? I wouldn’t say my style has completely changed since we moved into our house almost 5 years ago, but it has evolved. I’ve walked closer to the style I want, and further from the style that I had to just simply fill a space. You know when you first start out, and you just buy things because you are trying to “fill the space” but don’t necessarily have a complete vision. I shared before that last August I was starting to feel the need to “clean house”, and I am not talking about vacuuming or washing my windows. Everything just started to feel like it was closing in on me, and I started feeling a bit claustrophobic. I know, it can sound silly to some, I remember feeling that way when I would hear others talk about it. It just goes to show you it all depends on what season you are in, and what you need in your life at that moment. I feel though that every January as we start a new year, we all tend to want to clean, organize, and de-clutter a bit. So today I’m sharing what that process has looked like for us as I start to refresh our living room.

First I started by removing everything that had a pattern. Throw pillows, blankets, anything that was speaking loudly in the room.

As you can see I left minimal things on the side tables, and that small wreath on the shutter came down too. But just getting rid of the throw pillows, throw blankets, and clearing off the coffee table gave me enough of a clean slate to rest in.

I even took the round wooden mirror down over our sofa. I have a feeling it will end up back there, but I want to be meticulous when I start layering items back in, so we will see.I shared this little corner on Instagram last week, because I love the simplicity of the milk glass vase full of eucalyptus feels in the space. I’m using this as my inspiration point, and don’t want things to feel much more fuller than this. I’m still undecided about the frames on the wall, and I’ve temporarily moved the oar in the corner as well, but that’s what is so great about taking your time, and letting the design plan evolve instead of forcing the space to be finished.

I’ve already noticed that as I visually clear the space of all the little things, the bigger details stand out more. The texture in our rug, the fabric on our sofa, the fresh eucalyptus that pops and adds life to the space.

One of the biggest areas that can tend to feel cluttered are our built-ins in the half wall between the dining room and living room. Here is a before and after to show you what I mean. I had already cleared off a lot of the shelves to make room for christmas decor. So when I put the christmas decor away, I purposely didn’t add anything back, and made sure they were as neutral as possible without going completely bare. 

The top of the ledges have always felt off when left completely bare, but it’s a fine line of having items on them, and making sure it doesn’t feel like too much.

Do you feel the need to simplify your space? Are you feeling like you are surrounded by a bunch of small knick knacks you can’t see the ultimate design for your space anymore? Are you wanting to refresh a room, or a fresh start in your favorite room? Here are few things to consider as you start this process:

• Start by removing anything that has a strong or bold pattern
• Remember it’s only temporary, so if you feel like the walls are closing in on you, strip your room down to the main pieces, and take some time to breath in the space before slowly bringing items back in.
• Have you lost the vision for your space? Sometimes the best way to cast new vision is to remove everything so you can clearly see the space, you may be surprised by what you bring back to the space and what you don’t.
• Is your space feel stale or blah? Maybe simplifying your space for a room refresh is just what you need!

Want to join in on the fun? If you said YES to any or all of those statements above, then I’d love for you to join me! Use the hashtag #simplifyyourspace2016 on Instagram, and join me on this journey! I can’t wait to see what evolves.

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