Two Birds with One Stone

 

Empty Bookcase

This is how the bookcase in the living room looked after everything was taken out for painting the room.  Completely empty.  

After the room was painted, I planned to take my time and put back the items in an intentional way, replacing only the items I wanted to keep and taking the opportunity to declutter as part of the process.  I also planned to thoroughly clean the living room as well as I went, a sort of late spring cleaning.  Those are the two birds I've referred to in the post title - cleaning and decluttering.

This is how the bookcase looked before:

Before

Midway through the process:

During

It took just over a week, as I put things back in the china cabinet, as well, but, the last of the books were put in place on Friday night.

After

I have a few leftover bits and pieces that I still want to keep and display, but, they have been found new homes for now.  And I told my daughter that there is room on the third shelf (where I have the trio of elephants - a gift from my mother) for her books when she comes down.  

I might declutter a few more of the books, but, for the time being, I am happy with the number of books stored on the two bottom shelves.  I didn't count how many books I have, but, I know that there are more than the 30 books recommended by one famous organizer.  

I am pleased with how the bookcase looks.  I am by no means a minimalist, but, I think I've reduced the visual clutter to a level that seems right to me.  All the items being displayed are meaningful to me - the laughing Buddha at the center of the top shelf which was a gift from my mother, the six smaller laughing Buddhas I've placed at the base, which were gifts from aunt C, the seated Bodhisattva which was a gift from my sister, the standing Chinese sage which was a souvenir of our time spent in Taiwan and Hong Kong, the round Japanese platter which was a gift from my daughter one Mother's Day, and the trio of blue and white elephants which were another gift from my mother.  

A bit further down along the same wall is the fireplace:

Fireplace

The painters forgot to rehang the mirror that used to be above the mantelpiece and I haven't done so, yet.  I also haven't put back the large blue and white vases that used to be placed on the hearth, on either side of the fireplace.  I do like those vases, so, I might put them back.  But, for now, I am enjoying how it looks without them.

In the meantime, the shelves and the items displayed on them have been washed and the pictures have been dusted.  The fireplace and shelves were not painted, and I don't think they look bad, but, I might decide to paint them, later.  I've never used the fireplace in all the years I've lived in this house; I'd have to get the chimney inspected and probably repaired, before I do so, if I ever decide to light a fire!  With my luck, I'd probably end up setting fire to the house!

At this time, I think my living room decorating and decluttering is almost done (still have to decide if I want the mirror rehung and those large vases placed near the fireplace).  

Obviously, a living room only requires some seating, a flat surface such as a coffee table or a side table on which to place a cup of tea or a glass of water (and maybe a small plate with a cookie or a piece of cake!) and a couple of lamps for lighting.  Everything else is a want, not a need - pictures, books, decorative items, etc.  But, they are the items that make a house a home, I think.  I've lived in an apartment that had no furniture other than a patio table and some chairs that the landlady gave us, which we used as our dining table.  We had no spare money to buy any furniture, so we covered sturdy cardboard boxes with table cloths or fabric and used them as places on which to keep a few necessary items.  Now that was real minimalism although, I don't think we had heard of that term at the time, in the mid 1970s.  I don't think I want to get back to that level of minimalism!  What I'm looking for is a happy medium where I have enough to be comfortable and feel grateful for the abundance without feeling overwhelmed by it.

I am grateful for:

- My home
- Furniture (cat clawed as the upholstery might be!  😸)
- My favorite things on display to enjoy seeing without feeling overwhelmed by visual clutter

- Being blessed with enough and plenty!
- Memories to look back on and smile

What do you think?