I own many beautiful things, but also some less beautiful, more functional items. Lately I’m reminding myself to use and enjoy my beautiful things. Today I’m not just slopping my morning tea into a mug I just microwaved. Instead, I’m pouring it into a delicate Art Deco teacup I bought on eBay a few years ago and display proudly in my curio cabinet.
And later today when I go out to do errands, I’m not just throwing on my boring errand clothes. I’ll put on a cute skirt and some new leggings to keep me warm in our cold Seattle weather. I’ll take the time to select some pretty earrings, instead of going bare-eared.
Are you using and enjoying your most beautiful possessions? Or are they gathering dust while you use boring, ugly blankets, dishes, towels or clothing instead? Let’s appreciate what we have, take good care of our lovely possessions, and add beauty to our lives wherever possible.
QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Fridge and freezer maintenance: Clean one drawer, one shelf or two door shelves in your fridge and freezer both. Doing this each weekend means your whole fridge and freezer get cleaned out every month!
- Grocery shop and see how many errands you can get out of the way in one trip. That way you can go do other fun things or return home and relax at the end of the day. Bank? Post office? Library? Costco? Dry cleaning? Hardware store or Home Depot? Dropping off clothes or books at a donation box? Returning borrowed items to friends’ houses?
- Clean out your car if needed. Mine needs the dashboard wiped, floors vacuumed really quickly, trunk de-cluttered, and dog kiss marks wiped off the back seat windows.
- Don’t just spend the weekend camped in front of the TV, enjoyable though that is! Plan something fun to do tomorrow out of the house, whether it’s elaborate and expensive or simple and free. We’re going for a long walk in the woods with our dogs tomorrow, and visiting the Museum of Flight.
TODAY’S PROJECT: Dusting
One of my teenagers is visiting this weekend, so I want to focus on spending time with him, not housecleaning. Still, I have two parties coming up next week and I don’t want the house to get out of control.
Dusting is something I can do in the morning while my roommate and teenager are still asleep, without disturbing them. It’s also something I will need to re-do again on Wednesday and Saturday before my next parties – our doors opening so frequently for the dogs means that dust accumulates here rapidly. This morning I can easily finish the upstairs living room, kitchen and dining room, and it won’t take more than five or six minutes to dust the downstairs family room when we get back home tonight.
LOVELY BLOGS: Bump Smitten
Unless one of my close friends has some surprising news for me, I am not aware that I’m hosting any baby showers any time soon. Still, I can’t help but enjoy this beautiful baby shower inspiration blog. It’s so fun to look through pictures from various baby showers that have taken place recently. The photography here is excellent! The blog showcases ideas for baby shower invitations, favors, table settings, decor, and of course food. Many of these lovely ideas could even be converted over to a regular dinner or cocktail party, too.
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
Carrot Soup With Carrot Muffins (Spittoon Extra)
The Digital Lives of Babies (NY Times)
Fun Crafting With Felt (Martha Stewart)
How to Cut a Butternut Squash Without Injuring Yourself (Rachael Ray)