Loving Your Nest

March 16th, 2011

Having the nest theme this month has got me thinking a lot about my home and the little and big ways we've been making it our own in the last year and a half. Many times it's the small touches (the pictures on the wall, the great piece of art you found while traveling, the vase you got as a wedding gift) that really make it yours.

Here are some of my favorite ways to love my nest:

1. Clear out the stuff you don't love. I think sometimes there's a guilt factor with stuff we get from family and friends or even things we bought and loved long ago, but no longer care for. These objects don't reflect who we are, but we keep them around because we don't want to be wasteful or ungrateful or simply because it's easier not to think about it. Moving can often help you get rid of excess stuff (less stuff to pack!), but you don't have to wait for a big move to move things out that longer sing to you.

You hereby have permission to release unloved objects into the world. Give these items to someone who could use them, sell them on craigslist, donate them, or just toss them. It's ok. By the way, you can also do this with clothes you haven't touched in over a year, books you'll never read, and food in your pantry that you'll never eat. It's freeing, you'll feel lighter after the fact, and you'll have more space for the things that speak to you!

2. Highlight the items you love. Frame that print you've had sitting in a drawer, your child's art, or that special picture of your pet, and hang them on the wall. Put out those special soaps you've been saving, light a candle in your favorite candle holder, pull out that beautiful blue bowl you only use at holidays. Use, share, and display the things that you love and you'll feel the glow of beauty all around you.

3. Treat your space: Flowers are a great way to bring some color and life into your space. I especially love to have them around before the flowers begin blooming outside. The smell can be fabulous too. You could also try pulling out a flowered tablecloth, making an arrangement of seashells in the bathroom, or sewing a pillow to go in your favorite chair. Just a little touch can make a huge difference in how you feel in your space.

4. Make the ordinary extraordinary. Arrange your shoes in a fun pattern in your closet, focus on the presentation of your food when you make dinner, sort your books by color, leave a trail of flower petals behind you when you walk out the front door. Be playful!

5. Dream your space: If your living space isn't what you'd like it to be. take some time to write and/or collage your ideal environment. I keep a blank journal with collaged images of spaces, with items and color combos that call to me. There are no rules or expectations in this journal, it's simply a play space to go with what inspires me in the moment and dream up new ideas.

Try writing 3 words you'd like to describe your space. How can you bring more of those things into your space today? this week? this year?

Need some help with the process?

I love the work of Jennifer Hofmann. I've take lots of her Office Spa day classes when I needed a clutter-clearing boost and found it enormously helpful. She's also got a 4 month "For Haven's Sake" class starting up in May!

I've also taken Goddess Leonie's Creating Your Goddess Haven e-course through her Goddess Circle and there's loads of juicy goodness there to help you love up your space.

Lastly, a friend forwarded me a beautiful article by Anna Kunnecke today and I followed a link within it to a course that starts next week called, The Queen Sweep, which focuses in on your home, your story, your closet, your calendar, and your wallet over five weeks. It sounds great!

9 Responses

I couldn’t agree more with the getting rid of things you don’t love, or with all those points actually, but I am firm when it comes to that one. My home looks sparse in a way, but only because I HAVE to love something in a big way to have it taking up space. My house is very much an extension of who I am.

Inspiring post. Having a creative space will also spark those creative juices.

nesting, I’m so happy for you. It’s still a sore subject for me, but I in many ways dealing with “it” and reading your words helps me appreciate what I have.

I’ve been very house bound for the last 5 days, lot’s of gardening! And watercolour painted one of my cats.
http://bit.ly/g6TwZ0 and some urban sketching from a photo.

xx

What perfect timing; I’ve just embarked on a Big Clear Out, and am finding all kinds of resistance to releasing certain things – I really needed that permission to let things go!

Thanks also for those links; I’ve started Goddess Leonie’s course but seem to have got a bit sidetracked! But I know that whenever I clear stuff out I always feel so much better afterwards.

Leah,
I think spring is just the perfect time for this kind of inspiring post!

This post came at just the right time for me. Maybe for all of us at this time of year. My house is a tiny ‘two up, two down’ affair with far too much stuff in it. I feel I can’t breath/find anything/move around freely/relax properly. It’s just knowing where to start, especially when you only have a couple of days off a week and are feeling tired before even starting! You’ve helped me to think clearly about what needs to be done. Thanks so much!

A lovely article, Leah. You made this topic fresh and even more appealing with you special touches- loved the idea of the flower petals and the shoe patterns.

Thank you so much Leah for your article (sent to me through Ana Goncalves, thank God you’re here to send me all this love Ana!)
It was exactly what I needed: I just hung up three pictures I had in frames but on the floor for the last three weeks, because no one wanted to buy them. I felt un-loved, but now that they are up on the wall I simply understand they needed MY love first, before they can go to someone else’s room!
Thank you for reminding me that the “nest” I want to create starts here & now.
With love, Juliette x

Just the inspiration I’ve been looking for. Thank you, Leah. I’m ready to give myself permission to let go of things I don’t love and I especially like your point about making the ordinary extraordinary.

Post a Comment