Last week I wrote a piece called Finding Home, all about what home means to me. I concluded that home for me will always be the place I was born rather than where I am currently living.
So it’s with a slight tinge of irony that I survey my home after arriving back from a week’s family holiday in the Lake District. There is clutter everywhere - nowhere is safe. Half unpacked bags from the holiday jostle alongside half packed bags (for Uni bound sons). The washing machine is permanently on and the stairs in the hallway hold a variety of pile of neglected belongings just waiting for someone to claim them and (eventually) move them.
But everywhere, there are signs of love too. Signs that make this house a home.
There is a knitted blanket draped over the back of the sofa - desperately in need of a wash and a cat hair defluffing treatment.
There is a small pile of handknit socks by the washing machine waiting their turn for it to be free so they can go in on their ‘special’ wash.
There is a basket in the corner of the living room out of which spills a half-finished crochet blanket for my youngest sons Uni room. Who am I kidding, it’s not even a quarter-finished - it’s a good job he is happy to have it as a Christmas present 🤣
All of that being said, a part of me is missing the pared back, essentials only existence of living in a holiday cottage. Clean surfaces and removing the element of choice that comes from only having a few items of clothing with you, or a single knitting project (gasp - I know - I only took a sock project with me, and even then I only knit a sock foot).
While I know that I’ll never achieve that minimal aesthetic, nor would I want to, I would quite like to be able to shut some cupboards and drawers without having to exert force.
With that in mind I have been busy searching for decluttering solutions, or as my husband likes to jokingly refer to it as ‘buying things to put other things in’.
I’ve been really enjoying @thelifeonpurposemovement on Instagram. Whilst her style is a bit more minimal than I’m aiming for I love that she tackles the emotional side of why we hang onto objects, and how she helps people to reframe their thoughts and feelings around ‘stuff’
I’m also planning to jump into a new @orjenise decluttering challenge. I love her focused decluttering sprints and they are great for stopping that overwhelmed feeling that can come when you try to tackle too much at once - highly recommended.
I bought some new vacuum storage bags too - ones that claim to actually work and not gradually inflate over time. I used to use them for yarn but I have successfully manage to declutter a lot of that. Knitted blankets, shawls and sweaters on the other hand are a different thing altogether and take up so much space (that I don’t have).
Speaking of blankets I am on the hunt for an inexpensive blanket ladder to store the ones in use - and make a bit of a decorative feature out of them. This Ikea hack might well work (and I have to go to Ikea anyway for the dreaded Uni shopping)
If you need to revive your own blanket knitting don’t forget that we have the Logalicious - Log Cabin Blanket knitalong starting soon. You can find all the details here. There’s still plenty of time to join the dedicated Facebook group and share your blanket planning thoughts.
Wishing you a calm - and uncluttered weekend ahead 🧡
Thanks, Louise! Your timing on this subject couldn’t be better. I, too, am on a decluttering campaign in my house and appreciate your “finds” toward that effort. I understand there are TikTok-ers who have posted cleaning encouragement videos for those of us who benefit from having someone working alongside them as they tackle this daunting task so I’ll be exploring that virtual help as well. Off to clear a path to the closet!
Your description of the pared-back holiday cottage existence sounds heavenly! I've always been drawn to the minimalist aesthetic, but like you, I find it hard to maintain in everyday life. I'm intrigued by your search for decluttering solutions and the idea of finding a balance between functionality and beauty. The Ikea hack for a blanket ladder is brilliant – I might just have to try that myself! Thanks for sharing your journey and reminding us that even small steps towards decluttering can make a big difference.