I've been home-dreaming today. Do you do that? I do it often, I am a renowned daydreamer. I often find myself looking around my home and trying to envisage the changes I could make, the way that I feel my home should look (arty, homely, cosy, eclectic, beautiful, tidy, warm) as opposed to the way it currently looks (messy, untidy, chaotic, shabby, disgraceful). I can transform it in my mind into a beautifully styled interior worthy of a magazine shoot. Yet in real life it is nothing of the sort. It's a mess.
It's The Dream v The Reality.
And the reality is that
I am ashamed of the state
of my house right now. Yet rather alarmingly, although it is making me feel wretched to see everything in such a state of disarray, it is not seemingly bad enough to motivate me to get on and actually deal with it.
Of course I should be tidying, de-cluttering, re-arranging, sorting, doing right now, right this minute......yet I am not. I am procrastinating and daydreaming (and blogging), which offers light relief but ultimately doesn't deal with the root of the problem.
Amongst the mess, the accumulated stuff of everyday life, I create little oases of
escape and prettiness. Painted pebbles, a little stripy chicken with
wire legs, pots of leggy narcissi. Fresh flowers, stripy things, crocheted things.
I can zoom in on these details and make believe that the whole place has this simple, colourful, homespun, pretty freshness. I wish. Oh I wish!
I wish I was better at keeping house. I wish I could be given a means to make the place tidy and keep it that way. Better storage? A Filing System? A ruthless clear-out?
Ah well, I will not dwell on such matters, will not bore you with my faults (primarily extreme Idleness). Lets stick with the home-dreaming shall we?
March issue of Country Living...wasn't this a fabulous issue? Did you see it? Love it?
I absolutely adored the house featured this month, the home of Jette Arendal Winther, a Danish potter.
I love what she said about using the home and interior style of Matisse as her inspiration. It made me look at the rooms in her house in a different way after reading that, seeing them almost as paintings, as compositions of pattern and colour.
I love this phrase, describing her kitchen where "the organised disorder has it's own intrinsic charm".
Oh that tickled me so much!! I love the idea of Organised Disorder!
I think that could be my catch phrase, if only I could make my own disorder appear organised somehow.
I am obsessed with this turquoise colour paint. I just adore it. I would like to paint the legs of my coffee table this colour, keeping the top wooden as Jette has done.
Ahhhh....I so enjoyed my dreamy visit to this magazine-house. So inspirational! So diverting! I breezed through this home and felt uplifted and inspired, truly I did.
Now the question is, do I ::
a) have a coffee and browse through this delicious book yet again?
b) roll my sleeves up and go make a start on tidying the awful mess?
The Dream v The Reality?
What's a girl to do??
Oh, I think I could have written this! I find comfort in knowing there's another person like me, but really wish I could summon the drive and motivation to *get it done*!
(I love the glimpses of your home and find it quite inspiring, actually!)
Posted by: Linda | February 25, 2009 at 02:01 PM
Lucy, I would have a drink and a flick through the book, because the kids will be home from school soon and you might not get a chance. Wouldn't it be great to be able to tidy up the way "Mary Poppins" does, by simply pointing at things. I too am procrastinating at the moment (blogging instead of ironing) and I feel that the kettle may be calling me also. Have a great day whatever you decide - jacqui
Posted by: JacquiMcR | February 25, 2009 at 02:05 PM
I will have my magazine next week in France and I think I will love it loke you !!
The pictures are a great inspiration....
Posted by: ElisabethB | February 25, 2009 at 02:15 PM
Dear Luce, I too feel this way at times. But trust me, you will feel much better when you roll your sleeves up and tackle what needs to be done just so that you can get back to all the yarn loveliness when you are done! You knew there would be an underlying reason for that. :) Whenever I let things go for a bit and they begin to fluster me, I just pounce on getting it done so I don't feel down anymore. Who wants that? Not me or you I can imagine. I'm behind you dear. I'd help if I could. No money for a plane ticket at the moment! :) Kick things in the tail, climb that "clutter" hill and be Queen of the Attic! Go Lucy Go!! Ra Ra Ra!!! :0)
xxxxx
Posted by: Kar | February 25, 2009 at 02:16 PM
Continue to dream today Lucy then get up early and do a bit of tidying around tomorrow. I too am ashamed of how my home is falling to pieces and yet not ashamed fully enough to act on it. Maybe I should reveal all on my blog. Trouble is I am a hoarder and lack organisational skills. If only my art teacher who says I am left brained (logical and organised) was to pop around and see the chaos in live in! That would put her theory out of the window!!!
Posted by: simone | February 25, 2009 at 02:22 PM
I think creativity comes with that befuddled mind set sometimes. I have been through that a lot recently - almost makes you feel slightly mad.
Mosaic - will do a blog on it I think.
I loved that article in CL too. I loved the little desk. She has a fabulous house. Please remember there will be a few boxes in another room not photographed full of the ugly crap of the day that is necessary!
Love Emma xxxxx
Posted by: emma | February 25, 2009 at 02:26 PM
Well you already made my day with this blog entry (and probably the day of many other blog readers)
I'm daily checking in to see what you've came up with next and today you managed once again to turn a smile on my face. So recognisable ; )
Well if you don't get around to tidying up remember that you already did something good today and made somebody smile. You just need the right mood for tidying and it will happen...some day.
Posted by: Nathalie | February 25, 2009 at 02:33 PM
Morning (here) Lucy,
Your Country Living is so much better than ours. So much more color and charm. I may have to see about getting a UK subscription. :~)
Now how am I supposed to tell you what is best, when here I sit on my computer neglecting my own duties in favor of your bright, colorful, beautiful, and inspirational blog? ;~)
I would however have to agree with Kar above. Sometimes I have to whip this place into shape in order to fall back in love with it again. It also helps me to focus better on enjoying the things that I like to do if I know that the clutter is gone and the floors are clean.
I think your home if full of so much loveliness and charm. I see a lot of those colors from the magazine in your home. :~)
Posted by: gardenymph | February 25, 2009 at 02:33 PM
Funny my son and I were talking about this only this morning, he asked what I was doing and I replied "Plotting" ie. dreaming we both agreed that the "plotting" is SOOO much nicer than the actual doing!
Unfortunately he then went on to declare that this family trait was probably one of those bag habits he had picked up from me!
Oh the shame....
Posted by: carolyn | February 25, 2009 at 02:40 PM
Isn't the plotting a necessary first step before the doing???
(I love to procrastinate as much as the next girl, but really....the first step toward any change in your life is dreaming, right?)
Of course, sooner or later, just dreaming isn't enough!
Good luck!
Sue
Posted by: Life Looms Large | February 25, 2009 at 02:48 PM
Dear Lucy:
So glad to hear that you experience the same stay at home concerns that I do!Sometimes I think it is because we spend all of our days in our homes that we are so hard on ourselves. My sister came for a visit yesterday and commented on how cosy my house was. This is the same house that I have been meaning to dust and straighten for the last week. I have odds and ends all over the place. I don't entertain to any degree so I find that I am not motivated to keep everything in order.I am trying to develop a simple way of living and to be happy with what I have. I am. I figure if it isn't up to someone elses standards then thats quite alright too.I am sure you will eventually get done what has to be done on your own time.
Debbie
Posted by: Debbie | February 25, 2009 at 03:13 PM
it does take me a while to get round to things sometimes but then i feel so happy and content when all is tidy, clean and in order (even if it doesnt last long!!)
my new tactic this morning involved emptying the worst drawer in the world into a bin bag and dumping it in the utility room to see if we miss anything out of it .................
enjoy the book ;-)
Posted by: Lesley | February 25, 2009 at 03:44 PM
If you fel bad about your house then I don't think theres much hope for me! The photos you show give the impression of such a beautiful home.
Posted by: joanna | February 25, 2009 at 04:03 PM
Well, instead of doing something about my cozy/messy house, I'm reading about yours! Is your bathroom renovation finished? When do we get to see the new and improved room? Having been through a bath remodel I know it takes far longer than expected. I'll be patient.
Jill
Posted by: Jill | February 25, 2009 at 04:10 PM
Well, it says it all, its a Wednesday afternoon and we are all reading your blog instead of doing the many chores and dull dull things that need doing around the house. You are not alone believe me, creative minds have so many better things to do that tidy....eeuuuurrgrghhh!!!
Me, I am patiently waiting for my midwife to arrive. Not feeling great this week so just want to be safe. Finding distractions wherever I can. Country living was a good one, just wish it lasted all month!!! xx
Posted by: Janet | February 25, 2009 at 04:23 PM
Sounds like you are writing about me in this post! I have great plans to organize my whole house and clean out what I don't need/love but it never seems to happen... Oh well.
BTW, I love all your crochet tutorials/patterns and am eagerly awaiting your tut on joining granny squares!
Posted by: Amy | February 25, 2009 at 04:37 PM
Hi Lucy, dont worry about the mess-at least your house it clean-not like mine! a dog and a farmer boyfriend does not a clean house make!....Just wanted to check you did get the necklace email i sent you(no pressure-just making sure you got it) xxx
Posted by: kirsty | February 25, 2009 at 04:56 PM
You can't imagine how I understand you so well.And I keep saying to myself: if I didn't work outside my home I would be a better homemaker, I would have a nicer house...
One day the dream will turn reality.
Posted by: paula | February 25, 2009 at 05:01 PM
'round Hip-Ville we call that spring fever...and I got a bad case of it right now...and I love those painted pebbles...in fact I may need to make some of my own.
Posted by: hip chick | February 25, 2009 at 05:12 PM
Dear Lucy, your house is just fine, its ahome and a rather nice comfy cosy one at that. Your children will not remember how spotless and tidy the place was but all the fun things they did there with you. carry on the way you are, making a lifetime of happy memories. There will be time for "magazine photoshoot" tidy during their university term times and believe me you won't mind the mess when thry come home.Love S. x
Posted by: susan hall | February 25, 2009 at 05:21 PM
Hi Lucy:
I read your blog every morning and you always leave me with a good sensation about life. But today is different. I didn´t like the part where you said your home looked messy, untidy, disgraceful etc... I think that including me, all your blog readers have had our homes looked the same. We all have family (little people, teen age people, husbands, boyfriends etc), dogs or cats. We all share the space with someone. It´s what our homes are. I know that magazines look divine.... let´s make our homes look the same.
Start painting your coffee table in that turquoise color, paint your walls, paint some terracota pots, make new curtains, buy some basktes and rearrange the space (kids toys, magazines etc). There are a million things you can do. Start today.
But the most important thing is that a home is where your family lives. Treat it kindly and with lots of love.
Good luck!!
Posted by: paty z from mex | February 25, 2009 at 05:23 PM
It seems like everyone has the same worries.I was looking at the layer of dust in mine earlier wondering if I could justify a cleaner and my friend said she thought it looked fine. The upshot is if I got rid of Cats,Kids and husband I could have a show house but I wouldn't want a life like that. and neither I suspect do you!
Posted by: Arianwen | February 25, 2009 at 05:49 PM
You show us so many little vignettes (oases) of beauty that your home can't possibly be as awful as you think. I know, others never see the jumbles in the closets or the towering boxes in the garage but, really, you're a long way ahead of some of us. It is rather reassuring to know, however, that I am not alone in having these feelings.
Posted by: Vallen | February 25, 2009 at 06:12 PM
Believe it or not Lucy I actually thought of you and your lovely rainbow bright world when I read the article about Jette the potter.... Wonderful
Posted by: flutterbypatch | February 25, 2009 at 06:42 PM
If our homes all looked like the ones in magazines we'd never buy them ..... ! I have a big house and 4 kids who have one mission in life it seems - "how much mess can we make". I make my own fair share too - with piles of fabric, yarn and paper here and there but I try to tackle one cleaning job a day and then I feel justified spending the rest of day on my projects!
Posted by: Traceypereira@me.com | February 25, 2009 at 06:49 PM