The last two weeks have been a little crazy around the Witemeyer homestead. After raising three children on carpet that was probably 15 years old when we purchased the house in 2000, our previously “white” carpet had become so stained that I was embarrassed to have people over. However, with one child married and the other two at least temporarily moved out for schooling, our house had the least amount of furniture it had had in years. Now was the time!
So we went shopping, spent about a week deciding on colors and plushness then made the plunge. But that was just the beginning. Next came all the packing. Any loose items on furniture had to be boxed up, closet floors had to be cleaned out, breakables had to be stored. This was the perfect time to get rid of things we really didn’t need. I donated several boxes of books to our local library book sale, we filled at least three large trash cans, and we hope to give away some furniture that we’ve been storing just in case we might need it someday. But after more than a decade, I think it is safe to pass it on to a new home. As we begin to unpack, I’m finding that I want to get rid of even more.
Clutter stresses me out. Seeing all this open closet floor space and wall space has created an urge in my soul to do what I can to reduce the stuff taking up space in our home. One of the plans we’ve come up with really excites me.
I’ve never had a home office. I’ve always just written from my bed with a lap desk. But now that the nest is emptying, there is room for new possibilities. So when the carpet installers started moving furniture back into place for us, we had them put a few things in new locations. One being a desk and bookshelf being moved to my boys’ old bedroom so I can have an actual writing office! We will probably still have a twin bed and dresser in the back half of the room should it be needed for company, but I’m giddy about having a place not only to work, but to store all those boxes of books, promo items, and shipping materials that had overrun our study for the the last ten years. Now I have a closet with a currently empty floor where I can organize and pile all those boxes!
I’m already scheming up ways to decorate and get comfy in the space. I’ll be sure to post the finished product when I’m through. The Star Wars poster will need to relocate, and I’m sure I’ll need some cute bookish décor to liven the space. Eventually, I’d like to paint as well, but with brand new carpet, I don’t think I’m brave enough to go there just yet.
The other project my husband and I are really excited about is the change to our front room. It’s technically a formal dining room, though we’ve never used it for that purpose. For years it was the “Play Room” where we kept all the oversized toys for the kids. It morphed into a study room with three desks for the kids to do their homework. I’ve always dreamed of turning it into a home library, however, and with the new flooring, we’ve taken the first step.
We opted to put in wood-grain tile as our base to build upon. After I recover from the sticker shock of the new carpet, I’ll start gathering estimates for having custom shelves installed. Maybe even with a window seat! I have visions of cozy reading chairs big enough to snuggle up with future grandkids. A table to hold my tea cup, and an accent wall with a bookish cross-stitch design I hope to make in the next few years. I even talked to my daughter-in-law about painting a couple of my favorite bookish quotes over the two doorways in the room. (Can you tell I’ve been dreaming about this for a while?)
This will be a long-term project, but having the floor installed, helped it take the first step out of dreamland and into reality. So exciting!
Do you have dream projects you’d love to bring into reality in your home?
Latest posts by Karen Witemeyer (see all)
- Wedding Joy - November 21, 2024
- How Faith Meets Dreams - November 7, 2024
- Giveaways Gallore! - October 17, 2024
How exciting! I rent so can’t do as much as if I owned my home. I anticipate being an empty nester within the next 2 years. When that happens I plan to turn the 2nd bedroom into a sewing room.
I would love to have a craft room like that, Vickie! I’m a cross-stitcher and never seem to have enough space for everything. 🙂
I remember how excited I was to finally get my first dedicated office when our kids started heading off to college! Yes, I still write all over the house, including on our bed with a lap desk, but I do love my office space (and it’s getting an update too this spring! I’ll be comparing notes!) I love your wood/tile floors and the plans for that library sound charming! Can’t wait to watch your progress!
Deb – You are the decorating queen! Every time you post about one of your spaces I take notes. 🙂
I’m excited for you! We turned one of our kids’ now empty bedrooms into my office last year and it’s amazing! I know you will enjoy your new space.
I have the itch to declutter as well. Simplifying is one of the spiritual disciplines covered in my current Bible Study, Encountering God by Kelly Minter. It really is freeing.
It feels so good to clean things out. It’s a huge job so it’s easy to avoid, but once it’s done – even in just one small area – I really notice a difference.
I always wanted a library in our house but the cost of the addition keeps stopping us. While my husband was out of town this winter, I had a bedroom painted and new carpet installed (original had been in since 1994). What a lot of work to pack and move everything out. Then inspired by that, I had carpet installed in the upstairs hall and the stairs. AND then had our living room repainted a totally different color (it also had never been painted since the house was built). It was a lot of work and still have things to move back, but the results are so refreshing. We got rid of a lot and still are. As you said, just to see the closet floor again! We so want to do a kitchen remodel/refresh but have to keep thinking on that one.
Good for you, Susan! I love that fresh feel of a spruced up room! I hope you get your new kitchen one day. 🙂
I can relate to the freedom felt after decluttering. Mine though was to get ready to move from our house of 24 years to an apartment thirteen hours away from that home. We lost 1000 square feet from one place to another, so giving up things was a necessity. We e been moved one month and I don’t miss anything I gave up. It just proved to me that we had too much “ stuff.” It also encouraged me to “declutter” my life. God showed me things taking up space in my life that didn’t need to be there. What freedom there is in cleaning out!
What a challenge, Harriet! It sounds like a big job but one that left you feeling great on the other side. I’m not ready for a move, but I am ready to give my kids all their stuff so they can clutter up their own space with it instead of mine. Ha!
I’m readying for the summer of de-cluttering! Kids are at an age now where I think we can store/sell/donate a lot of toys and books and make space for living! I’m still at the dining room table for writing as we still have a full-house most of the year, but a little more breathing room is needed. (And to rip out some carpet!)
Sounds like a great plan, Carolyn. “Make space for living.” Love that line. That’s what really matters, after all. 🙂
Wonderful!
Thanks, Jean!
How fun! I’ve so enjoyed fixing up my “office” in various homes–especially after kids flew the coop! Enjoy the process–and your new writing space!
Thanks, D’Ann. I have to admit that I’m such a creature of habit, that it’s going to feel weird at first. But I know I will love it once I get a new habit formed. 🙂
I’m cheering for you! We’ve lived in our home (a 50’s ranch) for many years now and I’ve found that updates like the ones you’ve just accomplished are an expensive headache but SO worthwhile in the end. Not just because you get to enjoy the renovated house but because–as you mentioned–it forces you to purge stuff and reorganize stuff. We just renovated our master bedroom and bathroom and we’re loving the results. 🙂
How fabulous, Becky! Now that we have the carpet done all over, I hope to gradually tackle one room at a time. The transformation will likely take years, but I look forward to making little improvements here and there. And purging as much old junk as I can. 🙂
Yes, so many. 😛 Our carpet is over 20 years old, and with a half dozen kids and pets doing their worse, well, you know. It’s not pretty anymore. We are planning on switching to hardwood flooring, though I like the feel of carpet the best. But we live in the country, and our acreage is actual clay, so when it tracks in…ugh! I also want to redo the kitchen to make it more open to the great room because it is where everyone hangs out, but we will see if I can get over the sticker shock on that one. 😳 Can’t wait to see the end results, Karen!
We thought about doing tile in the main living areas as well as the front room, but my hubby loves to go barefoot and really likes the feel of carpet. So even though the tile would have been easier to keep clean, we went with carpet in the living room. 🙂
Congrats on the new office area and updated home!
We went through a similar “mess” last fall. Mom who lived with us passed and a week later the hot water tank pipes separated (never glued when installed) and flooded the house — all but mom’s room. So everything had to come out — contents, flooring, and baseboards — so the walls could be dried out to prevent mold. Thankfully, all the walls dried, but the laminate flooring curled and the baseboard was ripped out and holes punch for the drying. We replaced all with tile. And took the time while boxing to sort then again while putting everything back. So cleansing, refreshing, and restoring to get rid of the “stuff” that was no longer needed, used, helpful, forgotten, etc.
It is amazing the nooks and crannies where stuff got stuck!
Enjoy the new-old home
What a disaster! I’m so thankful you found a way to find a silver lining, Marie. Whew!
I would love to be able to find the time to “de-clutter”.
Long story short.
Oct. 18, 2019, an EF3 tornado came to call.
Fast forward 2 years before we were able to move back
onto our property, our house was condemned.
Since then, life has gotten in the way due to hubby
being diagnosed with bladder and kidney cancer.
So, now, we are running here there and everywhere.
BTW, the house still looks like we just moved in yesterday.
My goodness, Janet. What a horrible experience. My heart goes out to you. Praying for you and your hubby to find peace in the midst of the storm.