Saturday, January 03, 2009

squeaky.


I love re-arranging things. I always have. Since I hurt my back in August, though, I can't do it by myself, and must rely on my husband being home to help move the big couches. Yesterday we took a few hours together as a family to move furniture, put away all the holiday decor, vacuum and wipe behind and under everything, and re-arrange the living and dining rooms. I love that fresh peaceful feeling after finishing.


Every time we re-arrange furniture I find that the boys have a nice long period of renewed interest in games, puzzles or toys they haven't played with much recently. They sit and focus on things longer. They don't seem to bug each other as much. I love it!


This time we also moved and re-organized their 'cozy corner' areas. Different things close at hand, drawing and writing supplies organized and in baskets, books nearby, things sorted so they can find everything (again!). They love having 'special' spots where they can sit and hang out and have their favorite projects of the moment at hand...once we finished they played and played and played.


I also managed to go through all of our photo boxes in the dining room that I use to organize our art & craft supplies. After all of the holiday hoopla I can find everything again! And I have a few projects we have had sitting around ready now to complete -- like a try at basket making and some leather work. Should be fun!

I feel like we are back to calm and organized and can get into the groove for the next few months of deep freeze! Now, about the kitchen...

21 comments:

Stephanie said...

I wanna do baskets, too!
I was thinking about it a lot over the holiday crafting madness.

Er, maybe because I didn't have enough baskets to put all that various stuff! :)

But really - I'm totally interested.

Stephanie said...

Oh - and I know all about rearranging, as well as re-organizing brings on fresh interest.
It amazes me that that's all it takes! Fabulous.

denise said...

Stephanie - We plan to start with a basket making kit we found at Old World Wisconsin this fall. It is a small mail basket. And we plan to make a coiled yarn bowl and basket too. Should be fun!

TCallihan said...

I love that new, fresh start feeling that re-arranging things brings. Your home looks so cozy and it looks as if the boys are loving the new arrangements.

Sara said...

Your room looks lovely. I too have been organizing a bit around here. Have fun with the basket making.

Dawn said...

Ahh, it is refreshing....we are doing the same thing and taking most of it to goodwill.

I am excited to get started on some projects as well but ours involve sugar crystals and model magic ;)

Wished you lived closer so I could actually easedrop on your projects!

Tara said...

Your living space is so pretty- full of rich colors!

I do love the post holiday cleaning/re-organizing ritual. I will undoubtedly find some pine needles in June though lol !!

Joy said...

It looks great! We need to get that fresh clean start going around here.

dawn klinge said...

Thar's so true at my house as well. Whenever I move things around, there is renewed interest in old toys. Your house looks beautiful, warm and inviting.

Lisa Anne said...

ahh! There is such a great feeling here. We have that same futon! I told Jerome when we grow up I am going to buy a real couch. Our Christmas tree comes down today and looking forward to getting back daily rhythm. Happy New Year!

denise said...

Lisa Anne - Exactly. ;) Well, I say when the boys are older and every single thing doesn't get spilled or smeared on the furniture at some point, we'll get a comfortable couch!

Dawn - You would be a fun neighbor! :)

Anonymous said...

Well done! As a fellow furniture rearranger, I can imagine how hard it must be to be at the whim of someone else's schedule to have help making these critical changes to a room! Love your fresh new perspective, especially your rested areas. I love those chairs. We use oversized pillows which get more kid use than adult.

tiff said...

Your home is beautiful and filled with so much light!

I always love to rearrange and reorganize...it gives you new sense of energy & enthusiasm about other projects you might want to tackle.

Love that your honey is sitting on the couch with his laptop...that sight is so familiar to us in our home...giggle!

Jodi Anderson said...

Oh, how I love cleaning and rearranging. Okay, maybe not so much the cleaning, but the feeling afterwards. Ahhhh.

The room looks great, welcoming, creative, cozy.

Amy Bradstreet said...

Looks great, Denise! We do the same thing here (did ours last week, actually) and I'm a chronic furniture/room rearranger. We've always noticed a renewed energy coming from rearranging our spaces, as well, and often that means a renewed interest in toys and books or creative pursuits.

Anonymous said...

you are so good. i love the colors you've chosen for your home. they are really warm and inviting.

i hope you'll post the basket making and leather working crafts. i can't wait.

Anonymous said...

What a warm, welcoming space!

When we got our Christmas tree this year, we put my rocking chair in storage. Now that the tree is gone, I'm thinking I'll keep it there, even though I'll miss it, just to have more space. My kids used that empty space today to build an "office" and play UPS store, so it seems like the right decision!

Now I need to tackle the art and craft supply cabinet. . . .

Lisa Zahn said...

I love making cozy nooks for my kids too! From an early age they knew the word "nook" and loved sitting in them...

It's probably 'cuz I always seem to find a nook for myself...

Anonymous said...

I love your style and eye for color!

Where did you get the green bookcase?

Neat! I'd like to find one like that.

Anonymous said...

I love your style and eye for color!

Where did you get the green bookcase?

Neat! I'd like to get one like that!

amida said...

I love rearranging furniture too! I do it practically every month -- or whenever I vacuum under the sofa, whichever comes first. Good to know I'm not a freak.