Is Your House A Home?

Hello Friends,

When you think of your home, what comes to mind?  

I love this particular definition, "a place where something flourishes."

Unfortunately, in most of the homes I work in, the disorganization has flourished and not much else.

From my experience, there are 3 types of homes. 

The Store  

Your home contains more than adequate storage such as built-in shelves and cabinets, but every nook and cranny is filled with rows upon rows of brand new items that are stockpiled as to never run out. Typically there are cases of paper towel, toilet paper, kleenex, bottled water, multiples of commonly found kitchen tools, duplicates of small appliances but can be racks of clothing with the tags still on, multiple dish sets, even a gift closet gone awry and the list goes on.  Some items are kept in multiple places and some are located behind others.  It's hard to find what is needed so it becomes easier to just buy more and more.  Facing what's behind all this shopping and warehousing may be so painful, that it's easier to just close the doors and continue to be the shopkeeper.

The Storage Facility

This home has spare rooms, a basement and/or garage packed to the brim with everything imaginable.  All items were removed from other parts of the home and placed here to decide on later.  Out of sight, out of mind is the thought.  Some items are broken and some boxes just contain pieces or parts to once useable things. Items could be organized and stored in plastic totes or cardboard boxes but the trouble is, there are random items mixed in and since it is difficult to find a path to walk into the room to find what we need, we just don't.  Everything is usually dusty, there is sometimes evidence of insects, mice and sometimes mold, mildew, pet damage and even water damage that has gone unnoticed.  It feels like a burden to live with all this clutter, but it's easy to distract yourself and forget it's there....that is until company arrives.

The Museum

This home has become an archive for collections. Some belong to you, some to relatives and there may be some that pay homage to a friend's gifts to you or to someone dear who has passed away.  These items are displayed on every available shelf and surface space. They require frequent dusting but some are located on the tops of cabinets and cannot be reached with ease.  These collections may also include memorabilia and photos stored in bins and totes, shoe boxes and envelopes and hidden away in closets, tucked under beds, and located inside drawers.  This is your family history and whether you like it or not, the amount of collected stuff is too great to actually decide to do something about it.  Whether it's guilt about the money spent or the panicked feeling that you are dishonoring a memory if you were to get it out of the house, it feels like you will always be the caretaker of the museum.

Which home resonated with yours?

Isn't it time to do something about it once and for all?

What would you like your home to be like/feel like?