Saturday began the 8-week journey through the process outlined in the book SoulSpace: Transform Your Home, Transform Your Life. I’m doing this with a group of folks as part of an online book club group facilitated by Amy Putkonen.
Each week we’ll be covering a section of the book, and some of us will be blogging about our process.
And although I’m really excited about this, and love the idea of playing in a group as we each work on creating our own SoulSpaces, I have to say this is a bit of a tender topic for me. I hold very mixed feelings about my home. I hold it with great love just as it has held me in great love for many years, and yet it’s increasingly clear it’s no longer a perfect fit. It’s old and needs a whole lot more loving attention and work than we can afford either emotionally or financially. It feels tender to be in this place where I’m not yet ready to manifest a new home, nor ready to untie myself from this one, nor able to commit to the extensive work this place deserves.
So I’m holding myself gently as I work through this process, knowing lots of stuff is likely to get stirred.
This week the topic is Assessment, and the assignment is to look carefully at every room taking an inventory of what we love, what we don’t, and gently opening to possibilities.
In overview, my home is a hundred years old with odd, quirky, and way-too-small rooms. On the plus side there’s lots of fabulous wood and odd and quirky totally suits me. I have long prescribed to the desire to be surrounded only by treasures, and to a large extent I think my home reflects me – it’s a kind of nice mix of arty and sacred. But heaven knows it could use some major decluttering, some freshening, and a whole lot of loveifying.
Yesterday I took a bunch of pictures around the house. There’s definitely something to be said about a photo offering a perspective your eyes don’t necessarily see. While I was going through them I realized a few things that go in my “I like this” column.
I switch out the knobs on things all the time, because regular knobs can just be plain boring. There are really cool knobs available commercially, but I’ve also done my fair share of constructing them. I’m particularly fond of the ones I made for our bedroom dresser made from vintage Bakelite buttons with cabs of unakite in the center. Another truth about my home is that I consider every knob fair game for hanging things.
I also like switching out light switch plates, and here are a few of my favorites.
I also love these curtain holdbacks. Milky opalescent glass is fabulous isn’t it?
I suspect I’ll be doing an occasional blog about what’s going on as we undertake creating more fully our SoulSpace – it’s a rich topic with many layers. While I hope to make changes in the things that aren’t working and I don’t love, this is also a fun opportunity to share more about the things I do treasure. I always like peeking into other people’s treasures don’t you? In the meantime, I invite you to look with fresh eyes at your space. What is it you love? What is an eyesore or heart burden? What’s your basic home “style” – more bohemian like me, or elegantly classic, or something else entirely? What treasure would you like to do a show and tell about? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
Hi Deborah,
How nice to see some of your cutie tidbits! I love knobs too, although I can’t say that I have a collection of them – not saying that I couldn’t start! As for your light switches, that is very cool. Another inspiring idea!
My home, as I’ve mentioned, is small. TOO small. We are always overburdened with STUFF no matter how much I try to lessen it. So, I would agree with you that my space literally does not FIT me! My style is pretty eclectic, although part of the reason that I am doing this book club is because I want my house to match my sense of style better. Thankfully, I think that me, Eric and Tatia have a similar sense of style. He’s a little apprehensive of my “photo wall” idea, but I am going to see what he says once it starts going up.
So perhaps for now you could just focus on clearing some of the things you don’t love and you may find yourself discovering that you love it after all. So glad that you are doing this! I cannot wait to see all your little goodies to share!
I love love love doing this as a group Amy – and endless kudos to you for the inspiration. It’s so interesting to see how we’re all approaching this in different ways, with different priorities and different dreams, and I can’t wait to see what magic we all create.
I love your light switch plates, that is one thing I have not thought about changing to some awesome and creative, thanks for the inspiration.
I predict you’ll have lots of fun selecting!
Love that you are with us in SoulSpace Deborah. Your home has beautiful unique things. Love all the different and fun knobs in your photos. Someone gave us a funky light switch years ago. So glad you shared with us your thoughts about the beginning of this process with regards to your home. All the best to you. xo
Thanks for the kind words Suzanne, and I’m delighted to be on this journey with you.
You have such COOL light switch plates! Funny because when I did my assessment on Saturday, that was something I wrote down, “light switches look awful” but I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I’ve never seen such unique ones like you have.
And your knobs… WOW! Such great creativity you have. Lots to think about for when I get to the ‘implementation’ stage or whatever we call that phase. Really appreciate the ideas.
Do you have any cool ideas for boring window blinds? 🙂
Playing together as a group doing this project is brilliant fun isn’t it?! There’s so much inspiration bubbling in the collective. I bet someone will have some creative suggestions for blinds.
I love those light switch plates, too. I’ll be eager to see what you come up with through this process. I, too, have too much “stuff,” but when it comes down to it, I’m just not a “less is more” person. I like the look of expansive spaces with minimal clutter but I think I am more drawn to that cozy, cluttered look with a few small clutter-free areas here and there for eye relief.
I totally think our places should reflect what we love. And I’m so loving the term “eye relief” – you officially win my favorite word of the week! I’m absolutely incorporating that into my thinking now.
This sounds like a fun group activity. Your treasures are great. You are very creative! I look forward to more glimpses into your home.
Thanks for stopping by and peeking Sharon. 🙂
This is an awesome post and in the flow of what i’m currently doing…making soul space in my home and within myself. Thanks for sharing your treasures.
Perfect! I’m so glad you stopped by and said hello.
How lovely to have possessions that truly represent you. Even though you have some issues, as you say, I am impressed that you are going through the book anyway! Part of the assessment process, as you know, is discovering what no longer works for us and letting it go. We can’t attract new wonderfulness until we let go of the old wonderfulness. I wish you peace as you work through your emotions.
Thanks for the kind words Naomi, and may we all be surrounded with wonderfulness at all levels.
I too, am in a place much like what you are. I do not fit my home. Our house was purchased because my husband fell in love with the shed. 🙁 As I need to remind him often we do not live in the shed nor will I ever since I believe he would if he had to. I feel as if my soulspace is somewhere out there where I have yet to stumble upon it. But I will as I go in search of it. I feel in my heart it is time for us to move on even though we have not lived here that long. Actually it’s only been three years. But, as of now, it’s just a stopping off to rest kind of place. Good luck on finding what works for you. I love the knobs by the way. A cool way to add a different presence into a space.
Here’s to finding your perfect home-sweet-home that makes your heart sing – all with perfect ease and grace Kelli!
I have been planning on switching out our knobs too. I have done ONE so far. LOL! I have been looking here and there but not seriously enough yet. I am inspired to get to it even more now. 😉 Love the switch plates too! I do like seeing what people surround themselves with as you get a sense of the person through their home and the decor. Our house is only ten years old. I’m not a great decorator and prefer to be surrounded by things we love and that are us. We want our home to be a place that gives the visitor a really good picture of who we are and what we like. We also want it to feel comfortable and peaceful to those who visit and not a show piece or parade of home sort of thing that is sort of the typical thing around here. Not to criticize those who like that sort of thing – it’s just not us. 🙂 I love the little glimpse into your abode. It’s full of character and stories. 🙂
I couldn’t agree more Tracy – I LOVE seeing peeks into people’s homes (and studio places as well!). It’s really fun seeing how we show up as ourselves in such interesting ways. And I think it’s interesting to do the kind of review/assessment thing we’re doing through this book to help make sure we’re keeping our home spaces as accurate up-to-date reflections of who we currently are. Not that we need expensive major re-dos and makeovers all the time, but rather that we’re broadcasting our current energies and not some dated energy that isn’t a match for who we are.
It’s so fun to see your photos! I am on a mission this year to purge my home of items that don’t bring me joy. At the same time, I’m giving myself permission to put some things (like chairs gifted to me by my grandmother) on the list of items I’m not ready to part with. I look forward to reading more about your SoulSpace journey (and seeing more photos)!
How fun so many of us are actively pursuing “only joy” in our home spaces. I hope you’ll be blogging about your adventure – I’d love to see as well.
Oh, those switch plates. Definitely swoon-able. Houses, in addition to being homes, can also be quite expensive to maintain. Always that balance, for us, in how much time and money we want to invest at this stage of the game. Like you, not ready to move yet, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we did.
Ah yes Linda – great appreciation and great balance – those are parameters I try to live within.
Oh my! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! The knobs and light switch plates are so yummy! I’m so glad you shared. I’ll be looking for little ways to bring some of this fun into my own home now 🙂
I’m loving all the inspiration we’re collectively offering each other in the SoulSpace group – it’s a fun creative think tank! Here’s to creating our perfect-for-us spaces!