Home Work

I think the spring-cleaning thing is hiting me a bit late this year. It's the last month of summer, and I've suddenly got this urge to sort out all the dog-hair, dustballs and sundry paraphanalia lying in hidden corners of the house. I'm looking at those shelves that get dusted around the objects they contain. I'm pondering the contents of cupboards. I'm noticing the tatty bits and the things that need a good scrub down or re-paint.

I took a good hard look at our abode on our return from Australia last year. I realized just how crappy a lot of things were, and that we'd become immune to squalour. But that quickly wore off, and we were back to the more-than-gently-worn look.

But somehow my perspective changed in the past few weeks. It could have something to do with dad staying with us, or the relatives dropping in, or the ex coming by to visit. I realized that what they see and what I see are two completely different things.

So, bit by bit I'm sorting out the house again. There was a time where I'd do one thing every day after work - until summer struck and I spent that time instead outdoors. I may need to revive that habit. Sanding down the passage is going to take a while, and it's not the only thing on my list!

I've been garnering inspiration from the nut-case that is Ty (Extreme Makeover: Home Edition), rethinking my use of space, furnishings, light and colour. I've started saving pictures of "looks" I like to a special folder on the home computer, and last week trawled through 6 years of House & Leisure mags to find what I liked there. I've noticed a serious trend developing - natural light wood, strong accent colour, lots of light and space, furnishings that do double-duty (sofa beds or things that fold into walls). I'm working with those to start creating the house I've wanted for ages.

So here's to homework, Home Work. While my son does his, I'll be doing mine.

image credit Merida Meridian.