I love these ideas and tips. I used to love a good deep clean but haven't done it for a long time. I agree that God is interested in the details and in how we feel day to day. Home is a refuge, and I think it all matters to Him. Visiting from Sweet Tea & Friends.
You're so right, Jennifer ... home IS a refuge and I can't help but think that these days we need to cultivate this place of warmth and safety more than ever ... for ourselves and for others. I'm glad you're here for this conversation.
Ah, yes, all the games! Just the sight of their banged up, rubber-banded boxes bring back so many memories and yet we haven't touched them for years. What to do?
Please come back and let us know how that tackling goes, ok Lisa?! I can't wait to hear ...
Oh, that pink quilt! I could gaze at it for hours! I'm so glad you got it out and put it on display! I absolutely love your decorating style and can just imagine how welcome guests feel in your beautiful, cozy home. This whole post was such a delight to read, and your decluttering ideas are right on point. God bless you, sweet friend.
Oh I know, I know! The quilt is so beautiful and I never grow tired of it. I'm so glad I dug it out of the basement drawer. Every time I pass the room I stop just for a second for another peek.
I'd like to think my mother-in-law would be so happy to see it reborn here all these years later. She put it on my bed when I went to meet his family 50 years ago. Yikes!
Love, Love. Love this, Linda! So practical, yet inspiring! I love whitespace to distraction and often throw out or donate things I regret later because I am so overwhelmed with the clutter.
Love your ideas for sorting through the mess and displaying those treasured items we store away...for what exactly?
Oh another whitespace lover! Be still my heart! We are kindred spirits indeed!
And yes, there's a few things along the way I should have kept. But they fade in the light of the glory of all that space that lets me breathe deep and smile with contentment.
Linda, my sweet friend, I do believe we ARE kindred spirits, which is why I absolutely love spending time with you here! I couldn't agree more, whitespace lets me breathe deep and feel like I've finally 'come home."
Linda, I'm so glad you're back, and that the break was good! I love how you are using and enjoying your quilts. And I don't have time now, but I'm thinking once summer is really under way I'm going to revisit some of your decluttering suggestions. I was just talking to Randy about getting a new lightweight vacuum ... how is the suction on yours?
It's perfect in picking up crumbs and sand and little bits of stuff. Great on stairs and very nimble in sliding right under furniture and baseboard heaters. There's no animals or long hair around here so I don't know how it would do with more than what we use it for. I see it as an electric broom, the perfect thing to run around with at the end of the day. For heavy duty stuff like carpets, I'll pull out the old vacuum. (But not often!)
Check out the customer reviews and see what you think ...
Some wonderful ideas shared Linda! Spring deep cleaning is always a chore, but you've made it shine with excitement! It is never easy making tough decisions about what to keep and what to share. It is all a process though, and you've shared encouraging ideas! Many blessings to you :)
You're so right, Marilyn, this is all a process and it varies from person to person, season of life to season of life. I'm glad we provided you with a bit of excitement today! For me, I'm just plain old relieved to have things lined up 'decently and in order.'
It's good to have you back, Linda. ❤️ There is so much to glean here! I love your Porch, both the physical one and this one. 😊 Thank you for enlightening us to "cultivate a childlike delight in noticing, naming, and celebrating God’s winsome creativity in our daily rhythms at home." Love and blessings of peace and tranquility!
I laughed out loud reading about the guest room because I so relate! Just the other day I put a few things back to where they belong in there and somehow, more materialized! Well, I have a guest coming over Memorial Day weekend, so that's a good incentive! I love how you used the quilts on your window seat. I believe in using quilts -- young and old. They are hanging on walls, over the backs of furniture for an easy wrap-up, as bedspreads in both my bedrooms, and sometimes on the table (if we're eating neatly!) Yes, good things must be used.
The way you're putting your quilts to work makes my heart smile, Jeanie. I had one on our table for most of the winter and it made mealtimes warm and cozy. That quilt has now traveled to the rocker in the porch which is in the picture above. Your ideas will surely prompt other quilt lovers to unpack these treasures and use them in places where they'll be well loved yet cared for, too.
I like the idea of stacking your quilts! Why buy another cushion when you can stack your beautiful quilts? I'm still in transition with my things since merging my house with my husbands. And still purging, and re-organizing after the big "dump" of moving. I used to listen to a podcast on ways to live simply. You've inspired me to start again! Lovely refreshing ideas!
I'm guessing that merging two lives and households and traditions and possessions comes with its share of both joys and challenges. What would you say to other women in the same season, Lynn? Do tell ...
Welcome back, Linda! Danny is a firm believer in getting clutter under control and I do my best to help him. There are many things stored out of the way that are mainly letters, photos and such, but they aren't in our way. Right now, that's not high on our priority list. Danny had a successful heart ablation last Wednesday and is back in the hospital to assess what could be a mild stroke in his right eye. His son, Nicco is staying with him and I'm so thankful for that! On top of all this we suspect my computer hard drive has been corrupted by a virus. I can't use it until that issue is resolved. I can go directly to blogger to read and comment but will hold off on composing a new one for now.
Love and blessings to you and all your readers here and keep praying for Danny!
Please make Your comforting presence felt in Danny's hospital room this evening. Thank You that his son is there, thank You for good medical care to assess and treat this sudden concern. We are grateful that Martha is resting at home and I ask that You'd speak deep peace to her while she is separated from her husband. Please bring the perfect people into her life to keep her company and to help her with this annoying computer problem.
Thank You for being an on-time God, never late, never early, always present in times of trouble. We trust You.
Oh Andrew, I'm so sorry. What a shock to hear this sad news ... and he just arrived. Trusting you and Barb will be comforted by the fact that you gave him a safe home even for such a short time.
So good to have your cheerful voice back on the interwebs, Linda! And that opening photo provides the perfect visual for this virtual visit with you. That cozy, comfy, pretty corner you've created on your porch is SO inviting! I too love the forsythia--a delightful counterpoint to the blue decor. Also love your quilts. We own one that my husband's grandmother made in the 1930s or 1940s. For so long it lived IN her cedar chest (from the 1920s) at the foot of our bed. One day it occurred to me, we might as well be enjoying it! Now it lives, folded and spread neatly on top of the cedar chest, with a decorative white tray on top. With you I've been paring down (AGAIN) and collecting another load of stuff to be donated. Now it's a delight to open my dresser drawers and see order and empty spaces!
Oh I love the way you're displaying that special family quilt, Nancy ... sounds so pretty and inviting. It pays tribute to his grandma who spent all those hours so hard at work creating something needed yet beautiful.
I absolutely hear you about the delight of drawers that are not crammed to the gills with clothes we've long lost interest in. There's enough irritating and frustrating things in life to deal with. Negotiating jam-packed dressers and closets need not be one of them.
It's kind of satisfying to know that yes, there are some things we can control.
Your post is motivating me to go through my closets this coming long weekend.
I also like the idea of freshening up the bathroom with new shower curtains and bath mats.
I bet your bathmats aren't as old as my bathmats were!!
I love these ideas and tips. I used to love a good deep clean but haven't done it for a long time. I agree that God is interested in the details and in how we feel day to day. Home is a refuge, and I think it all matters to Him. Visiting from Sweet Tea & Friends.
You're so right, Jennifer ... home IS a refuge and I can't help but think that these days we need to cultivate this place of warmth and safety more than ever ... for ourselves and for others. I'm glad you're here for this conversation.
The quilts are gorgeous! Thank you for the lightweight vacuum cleaner recommendation. I feel inspired to tackle my game cubicles!
Ah, yes, all the games! Just the sight of their banged up, rubber-banded boxes bring back so many memories and yet we haven't touched them for years. What to do?
Please come back and let us know how that tackling goes, ok Lisa?! I can't wait to hear ...
Oh, that pink quilt! I could gaze at it for hours! I'm so glad you got it out and put it on display! I absolutely love your decorating style and can just imagine how welcome guests feel in your beautiful, cozy home. This whole post was such a delight to read, and your decluttering ideas are right on point. God bless you, sweet friend.
Oh I know, I know! The quilt is so beautiful and I never grow tired of it. I'm so glad I dug it out of the basement drawer. Every time I pass the room I stop just for a second for another peek.
I'd like to think my mother-in-law would be so happy to see it reborn here all these years later. She put it on my bed when I went to meet his family 50 years ago. Yikes!
love the renewed energy I felt as I read this post. You inspire me!!
Oh I'm so glad!
I love this!!! I've been wanting to write my own What's Saving...post as well. Your space is beautiful, I LOVE the quilts and window seat!
Amanda, I can't wait to read yours!
I'm going to post it next week!
I'll be keeping an eye on my inbox ...
Love, Love. Love this, Linda! So practical, yet inspiring! I love whitespace to distraction and often throw out or donate things I regret later because I am so overwhelmed with the clutter.
Love your ideas for sorting through the mess and displaying those treasured items we store away...for what exactly?
Oh another whitespace lover! Be still my heart! We are kindred spirits indeed!
And yes, there's a few things along the way I should have kept. But they fade in the light of the glory of all that space that lets me breathe deep and smile with contentment.
Linda, my sweet friend, I do believe we ARE kindred spirits, which is why I absolutely love spending time with you here! I couldn't agree more, whitespace lets me breathe deep and feel like I've finally 'come home."
I love how you put this, Donna - 'whitespace lets me breathe deep and feel like I've finally 'come home.'
Like a warm hug.
Linda, I'm so glad you're back, and that the break was good! I love how you are using and enjoying your quilts. And I don't have time now, but I'm thinking once summer is really under way I'm going to revisit some of your decluttering suggestions. I was just talking to Randy about getting a new lightweight vacuum ... how is the suction on yours?
It's perfect in picking up crumbs and sand and little bits of stuff. Great on stairs and very nimble in sliding right under furniture and baseboard heaters. There's no animals or long hair around here so I don't know how it would do with more than what we use it for. I see it as an electric broom, the perfect thing to run around with at the end of the day. For heavy duty stuff like carpets, I'll pull out the old vacuum. (But not often!)
Check out the customer reviews and see what you think ...
Some wonderful ideas shared Linda! Spring deep cleaning is always a chore, but you've made it shine with excitement! It is never easy making tough decisions about what to keep and what to share. It is all a process though, and you've shared encouraging ideas! Many blessings to you :)
You're so right, Marilyn, this is all a process and it varies from person to person, season of life to season of life. I'm glad we provided you with a bit of excitement today! For me, I'm just plain old relieved to have things lined up 'decently and in order.'
For now.
* smile
It's good to have you back, Linda. ❤️ There is so much to glean here! I love your Porch, both the physical one and this one. 😊 Thank you for enlightening us to "cultivate a childlike delight in noticing, naming, and celebrating God’s winsome creativity in our daily rhythms at home." Love and blessings of peace and tranquility!
You encourager, you. It's so good to see you again, friend ...
And tranquility, yes. A perfect benediction for all of us who are reading your kind words.
I laughed out loud reading about the guest room because I so relate! Just the other day I put a few things back to where they belong in there and somehow, more materialized! Well, I have a guest coming over Memorial Day weekend, so that's a good incentive! I love how you used the quilts on your window seat. I believe in using quilts -- young and old. They are hanging on walls, over the backs of furniture for an easy wrap-up, as bedspreads in both my bedrooms, and sometimes on the table (if we're eating neatly!) Yes, good things must be used.
The way you're putting your quilts to work makes my heart smile, Jeanie. I had one on our table for most of the winter and it made mealtimes warm and cozy. That quilt has now traveled to the rocker in the porch which is in the picture above. Your ideas will surely prompt other quilt lovers to unpack these treasures and use them in places where they'll be well loved yet cared for, too.
Thanks!
I like the idea of stacking your quilts! Why buy another cushion when you can stack your beautiful quilts? I'm still in transition with my things since merging my house with my husbands. And still purging, and re-organizing after the big "dump" of moving. I used to listen to a podcast on ways to live simply. You've inspired me to start again! Lovely refreshing ideas!
I'm guessing that merging two lives and households and traditions and possessions comes with its share of both joys and challenges. What would you say to other women in the same season, Lynn? Do tell ...
Welcome back, Linda! Danny is a firm believer in getting clutter under control and I do my best to help him. There are many things stored out of the way that are mainly letters, photos and such, but they aren't in our way. Right now, that's not high on our priority list. Danny had a successful heart ablation last Wednesday and is back in the hospital to assess what could be a mild stroke in his right eye. His son, Nicco is staying with him and I'm so thankful for that! On top of all this we suspect my computer hard drive has been corrupted by a virus. I can't use it until that issue is resolved. I can go directly to blogger to read and comment but will hold off on composing a new one for now.
Love and blessings to you and all your readers here and keep praying for Danny!
Oh dear Lord.
Please make Your comforting presence felt in Danny's hospital room this evening. Thank You that his son is there, thank You for good medical care to assess and treat this sudden concern. We are grateful that Martha is resting at home and I ask that You'd speak deep peace to her while she is separated from her husband. Please bring the perfect people into her life to keep her company and to help her with this annoying computer problem.
Thank You for being an on-time God, never late, never early, always present in times of trouble. We trust You.
In Jesus name, Amen.
So pretty. Love the photos and tips.
Debbie, thank you.
We had a bright new centre
for our house and home and pride,
but something else did also enter
when our Dane, Beau, so sadly died.
He was ours for thirteen days
and in this time changed everything,
the means, the purpose and the ways
we had thought right, for he did bring
such love in such a giant heart
that melted ours, to reconsider
all of which we had been part
so that we could all the more deliver
the gifts that flow from smiles and hands,
flowing through from Heaven's lands.
Oh Andrew, I'm so sorry. What a shock to hear this sad news ... and he just arrived. Trusting you and Barb will be comforted by the fact that you gave him a safe home even for such a short time.
So good to have your cheerful voice back on the interwebs, Linda! And that opening photo provides the perfect visual for this virtual visit with you. That cozy, comfy, pretty corner you've created on your porch is SO inviting! I too love the forsythia--a delightful counterpoint to the blue decor. Also love your quilts. We own one that my husband's grandmother made in the 1930s or 1940s. For so long it lived IN her cedar chest (from the 1920s) at the foot of our bed. One day it occurred to me, we might as well be enjoying it! Now it lives, folded and spread neatly on top of the cedar chest, with a decorative white tray on top. With you I've been paring down (AGAIN) and collecting another load of stuff to be donated. Now it's a delight to open my dresser drawers and see order and empty spaces!
Oh I love the way you're displaying that special family quilt, Nancy ... sounds so pretty and inviting. It pays tribute to his grandma who spent all those hours so hard at work creating something needed yet beautiful.
I absolutely hear you about the delight of drawers that are not crammed to the gills with clothes we've long lost interest in. There's enough irritating and frustrating things in life to deal with. Negotiating jam-packed dressers and closets need not be one of them.
It's kind of satisfying to know that yes, there are some things we can control.