I am always so quick to see what my home lacks or things that it needs to be better instead of seeing what it actually is. When in fact there are a lot of things that are wonderful about it. I wonder if we spent more time seeing what our home is instead of what it isn't we would be more content and happy with it.
Right now I am trying to not buy much for our home. I am still in a season of purging plus we are at a financial point where we need to be watching a little more carefully what we spend to finish paying off purchases we made this summer.
When I run into a store to pick something up I usually end up wandering around to the home section where pretty pillows call my name. I recently bought three pillows and ended up taking two back partly because when I got home I realized there was no reason why I needed more pillows.
I am trying to keep this lesson in my head. I have trained myself to buy things with full intentions that I will take it back if it doesn't work. This has given me freedom to try things out without totally committing. Unfortunately this has also created a bad habit of buying things I don't need, holding on to it for weeks, and then realizing I lost the receipt. I used to have my purchases and returns under control but once it became unbalanced it was too much to keep track of.
Now when I am in the store and I feel the temptation to purchase something I try to remember how I felt about my home before I stepped into the store. I was content. I had no need for more. I was actually quite happy with the existing pillow situation as it is. Before I walked into the store, I had no need for what I was about to see and then talk myself into thinking I did actually need it.
And so I walk away making the right decision but disappointed. But that disappointment is temporary and I forget about it by the time my mind wanders elsewhere. And I do this because I know that my temporary disappointment is much better than the disappointment I get when I do take those things home and become overwhelmed about the excess in my home. Or the disappointment I feel on yard sale day when I look at all of those beautiful things I thought I loved but lost interest in months later.
There is great victory in walking away from things we don't need. And I am finally getting to a point in my life that I can get that. Instead I want to change my focus onto seeing my home for what it is.
Our home is a place where family and friends feel welcome and special.
It is a place that has room for my nephew to run around.
It is a place where I find great joy in being at. I find much contentment in just being in my home, taking care of it, and enjoying it for what it is.
I love that we are blessed with wonderful neighbors. Though living on a corner is not always my favorite, the amazing neighbors that surround us, watch out for our homes, and generously give their friendship and kindness outweigh the location of where our home is located.
I love that our second hand couches are comfortable...so comfortable that my dad is constantly falling asleep on them!
I appreciate that our home is small enough that I can holler to my husband in the other room and my nephew can follow me around as I clean and put things away.
Though we want to put a garage in one day, I am thankful that right now as we have the freedom to have more stuff, we don't have a garage to fill with things we don't need. We are challenged now to live with less before we make our home any bigger.
I am thankful for a home. A place to call my own. A place where I am free and welcome to create and express myself. This is truly a blessing that many do not have.
// I would love for you to share in the comments...what imperfect things in your home are you thankful for? Let's see our homes for what it is and not for what it isn't.
Check out all posts from the 31 Days of Creative Homemaking Series here.
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