My bedroom needs a little face-lift, a lick of paint on walls and ceiling, a little bit more storage and the furniture needs to be rearranged. So this morning I spent time making a list and while I sat, sipped tea and scribbled my eye flitted around the room and I realised that the rest of my home could use a little face lift too.
As my list grew longer the morning passed and I still had so much to do. Because I knew I wouldn’t get much done today I decided to just do the shopping for all the bits and bobs today and then designate the individual tasks to different days this week. My plan is simple but hopefully by the end of the two week I will have a sparkling new home, and I can’t wait.
But in my excitement I had a thought, why is it that I always feel better when my desk is neat, my home is tidy and I feel good about how I look? As I pondered this question I remembered a study I read many moons ago, it looked at the lives of many different people and how clutter and things affected their lives. The owners of cluttered homes or avid collectors of everything tended to be more tired, the stuff they owned literally drained their energy and left them fatigued. But not only were the clutter-bugs tired they also had a more negative outlook on life. It was as if the stuff they owned tied them down more, made them less able to change resulting in a feeling of hopelessness and frustration.
I also remember being amazed at the fact that people who have clean, nearly minimalistic homes tend to be wealthier. Yes the more money in the bank meant the less cluttered a home was. Maybe it is because our minds are less likely to get distracted by what surrounds us and we are freer to pursue our dreams and careers.
With my list finished and theses thoughts still fresh in my mind I am going to go and get the paint now and even-though I now I will never be a minimalist I may de-clutter and sort while I revive my home. And who knows maybe I will follow in Agatha Christie’s footsteps while I sort, paint and redecorate, after all she did say:
The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes