Jackie's Story

Jackie’s Story

If you don’t like where you are, MOVE. You are NOT a TREE.”

This. This is so true. I think about it all the time. Honestly though, when you’re a mom of little ones you tend to feel like a tree.

Isolated, immobile, moving with the wind, but never getting anywhere.

I used to be a go-getter, organized and on top of things. Now, little things like not being able to find a pair of scissors, can send me into a downward spiral. This happens more than I’d like to admit. It’s hard to remember to “Be truly glad, there is wonderful joy ahead” 1 Peter 1:6.

I spend a lot of time in my home.  It’s the easiest place to be right now. I want it to be a peaceful, functional place where I can host friends and family. I try to remember that “Perhaps, this is the moment for which I’ve been created” Ester 4:14.  I think this is true for me. God is using this crazy frustrating time in my life to mold me into the person He wants me to be.

About six months ago I realized I needed help. I was going crazy. See for your self:

            

YIKES. You see the problem, right? STUFF EVERYWHERE! No peace. No function.

I went to Karianne, IKEA catalog in hand. Looking for advice on how to store my stuff. Instead, she made me realize I didn’t need more storage, I needed less stuff.

Time to re-think my space. After all, “God can restore what is broken and can change it into something amazing, all you need is faith” Joel 2:25.

(Karianne to the rescue!)

This was our inspiration. I knew that in order to make this happen I would have to completely reorganize the space. Which meant moving the TV, along with all the cable and internet stuff. Yuck. Remembering the wise words of Karianne, I thought to myself “Don’t wait to live abundantly!”. 

SO, I moved everything as she left. It was tricky. My husband was very surprised. We had to call the cable man (twice). That being said,  I’m so glad I did it when I did.

Because, about two days later, this:

 

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Not a perfect picture, but this is a real house with three kids who are home all day. The chances of getting a good picture are about as likely as everyone taking a nap at the same time. Or all the dishes and laundry being done in the same day. (Mom humor).

It’s important to note that the one thing holding me back from making any changes to this space was the fact that I had ZERO dollars to work with.

I thought that I needed all new things to get a new look. Karianne opened my eyes to the fact that I probably had everything I need already.

What I really needed was less.  Easy to forget in today’s world.

It’s important to remember what the Bible says. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Romans 12:2. I’m not an expert, but I’m pretty sure that means to pray about everything, even purchases.

Anyway. I was overjoyed with the results in the living room. All bought was the rug (off of Varagesale) and the plants on the mantle.

The arrow over the secretary was courtesy of Karianne, who found it on clearance. It totally gave the secretary new life. To think I was going to put it on the curb just a couple of days earlier. Now I really love and appreciate that secretary. Especially since I am using it for its initial purpose, storing books and mail.

Oh and here’s the TV wall:

Since scale matters, and my TV stand looked pretty small for the size of the wall, I took two unused endtables and added them to each side. This not only used everything I already currently owned, but finished off my area. It flows well, but if you look up close you'll notice that they're separate pieces.

It’s been an evolution, this wall. I’ve had random pictures and sayings in there along with some family pictures. Recently, I decided to go a different route and hang some classic artwork. I’m trying to teach my kids some of the basics.

I ordered these prints off of Costco’s website for about $2 a piece. A little Monet, a little Degas, Cassat, some Renoir, and voila! Instant art gallery. Some of these my Mom had hanging in our house growing up so I have a special attachment to them.

I remember staring at the “Luncheon of the Boating Party” by Renoir and wondering who all those people were? what they were talking about?

 Also when I encounter these pieces in the flesh, at an actual gallery, it completely changes the experience for me.

The plan is to get the kids familiar with these prints then switch them out with new ones. A fun activity for the family. Function, meet beauty, oh hello.

Speaking of family. I kind of failed to really consider their use of the room. Oops.

As it turns out, my husband wasn’t thrilled with some of the changes. Not sure if you noticed, but the recliner was moved to the back corner of the room. Not conducive to watching TV or visiting with the rest of us.

Also, now that the TV was moved, the kids couldn’t have a snack or color at the dining room table and still see the TV.  I’m keeping it real here, so don’t judge!

This wasn’t going to work. Oh and it came out later that Tim was NOT a fan of the new rug. Bummer. I loved it. But, alas, I aim to please.

Here is the solution:

A new rug, he picked, from Costco. It’s big, it’s soft and it’s more his speed. Ok. I can live with this. Oh and new lights from IKEA. They are nice, big and bright. They give the modern feel I wanted and they were only $50 a piece. Making the total investment on this look $200. Actually only $175, because I sold the old rug.

I’m not worried though, because now I know that if I want to change things up, I can probably sell this rug for $75 and the lamps for $40 a piece. When you think of that way it’s less scary.

Behind the couch is a narrow “sofa table” that was actually part of an IKEA bed that Tim got while we were dating, 12 years ago. Add a couple of chairs from my grandparent’s dinette set, and abracadabra! A snack/work area for the kids (and me!). Problem solved.

Whew. I feel like I’ve said a lot without saying any of the things I really wanted to.

Thanks for reading this far. My writing skills have pretty much vanished as a direct result of mom brain. It’s a real thing, don’t let anyone try to tell you differently.

So now…bullet points highlighting my favorite tidbits of Karianne’s wisdom.

1.      Don’t wait to live abundantly! (mentioned before, but really the most important thing.)

2.      If you don’t love it, get rid of it.

3.      If you don’t use it, get rid of it.

4.      Use what you have! And if you aren’t using what you have, sell it and get what you want.

5.      Stop using baskets as a catch all, it just creates hidden clutter.

6.      One WOW piece per room is enough. (For my living room I thought it would be the picture/tv wall, ended up being the rug.)

7.      Size is everything! If it doesn’t fit properly in the space, it’s not meant to be.

My journey is far from complete.  I’m constantly on the hunt for clutter and I’m constantly making a mess trying to rid myself of it. It’s a seemingly never-ending process, but becoming aware of the problem has changed my life for the better.

Sometimes I do worry though that I’m getting rid of something that we might need someday and can’t afford to replace. Then I remember 2 Timothy1:7 “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control.”

The more I get rid of, the less I feel like I need. It’s amazingly freeing. Psalm 112:7I says “She confidently trusts the Lord to take care of her”.  Why do I expect the things I buy to take “care” of me. The more I think about it the crazier it seems.

I used to get an overwhelming sense of urgency at a great clearance sale. I was a clearance junky. More! More! More!

Now, before I make ANY purchase, I ask myself  “where will this live” or “when exactly will I use this?”

This method has been about 80% effective so far. Not perfect but better than my old habit of “Oh! Only $0.25! I’ll take 50.” It adds up. Not just at the cash register but also in the closet. Not. Worth. It.

Another ah ha moment occurred to me while tripping (for the millionth time) on the same toy. Why was this happening? When was the last time I saw someone playing with this? Then, I threw it away. Directly into the garbage, with the poopy diapers. No coming back from that.

It felt AWESOME. I got a trash bag out and then another, and another, and another. No one has ever asked for one of those toys that went away.

Now I do that about once every two weeks. And guess what, now they play with their toys MORE!

My favorite day of the week? Monday. Garbage pick up day. It’s like a new beginning that comes every 7 days.

Hmm. I know there is more. But…mom brain… and it’s getting late. So that’s all for now.  Please, if you can, say a quick prayer for me that my journey continues, and I don’t lose sight of my goals.

I’ll pray for you too, if you’d like. You can do anything in Christ! “For with God nothing shall be impossible” Luke 1:37.

Despite what Satin wants you to think, you are not a tree. You can move out of darkness and into the light! You just have to reach out your branches and keep your heart and eyes on Jesus.

It doesn’t matter how you’ve done things before because “You are not defined by your mistakes. You are defined by God. He loves you no matter what” Romans 8:38.