Mission: Clean Slate

I used to be a sucker for those organizing/decorating shows that were all the rage a few years ago. Clean Sweep, Clean House, and Mission: Organization were all appointment TV for me. For an hour at a time, I’d sit and swing between judgment and chagrin, knowing full well that I was a box of clothes or two shy of being a “makeover” myself. I’d gather little tips from this show or that one, and internalize the pep talks about letting go of clutter and making your house a home.

I’d start a project and peter out just as the hard work began.

So, this past weekend, for my birthday, I decided to bite off a small doable piece, and actually complete it during a four-day weekend. (Three days, actually, because Sunday was already fully booked.) I took a day off from work on Friday, and made sure to plan and prepare (a change from my usual on-the-fly approach).

My target: the front entry.

Here was the depository of everything that we were too lazy to give a good home. Coats, backpacks, purses, shoes. Books, papers, folders. Keys, magazines, mail. A travel-sized Communion kit. It all came to rest in the hall, and once there, never went away. It got to the point where I felt like I needed to apologize to any visitors as soon as they came in. It made me feel flustered, anxious, and embarrassed. It had to go.

I shopped and prepped on Friday. Scooby and I painted our hearts out on Saturday (it didn’t hurt that it was an Indian summer holiday weekend), and found a perfect piece of furniture (if not an antique, then close enough) to make a good first impression. I finished up the details on Monday.

We went from this:

to this:

Okay, so it’s not the biggest space in the world; barely a blip on HGTV’s radar, but it came out almost exactly the way I’d imagined it in my head. (And at least now, I don’t feel like I’m headed for the latest TLC show, Hoarders.)

Gosh, what a relief. Not a bad way to start my 45th year. Clean House, Clean Sweep, clean slate.