Inside My Home Editing Process
I have shared photos of my apartments online for the past ten years, so naturally I have seen a lot of the same questions come up time and time again. One of the biggest topics being home organization and tidiness especially now that I have a kid in the mix. Without fail, anytime I share a photo of my living room with a white sofa and an abundance of coffee table books it is met with a big fat HUH?! and curiosity about how my home feels pulled together with a toddler. Sadly I don’t have some great magical secrets, but I thought I would share in a longer format what works well for me!
First, I have always been a tidy person. I have made my bed (almost) every morning since I was a little kid and I generally function much better in a neat environment. My brother who grew up in the same house - slightly the opposite. My best friend (who has been my best friend since we were four years old) also the opposite and anytime I had to drive in her insanely messy car in high school or see piles of clothes on the floor it would actually blow my mind that it didn’t bother her. She has since reformed quite a bit, but last time I was at her house I did discover a bowl on the kitchen counter with the most random assortment of items with no function or purpose. I believe I said “just throw it away!” met with “I might need these!” Everyone is totally different, so part of my homes tidiness stems from my inability to have it any other way. It comes very easily to me to edit and purge. I also married a very tidy man who taught me a lot about having less, which has been ideal.
From a design standpoint this can be hard because I am absolutely drawn to maximalist spaces (think overly patterned, stuffed to the brim English cottages). I just know in my own home dusting, vacuuming and searching for my sons toy cars in said space might make my insides feel twisted. So I take the essence of what I am drawn to (cozy) and just edit. I think restraint is a learned skill, something I definitely didn’t always posses. I NEVER want my home to feel cold or sterile (quite the opposite), but that does not mean every blank wall needs a piece of artwork and every side table needs to be filled with nicknacks. For your home to feel tidier it often means having less stuff. Decor can feel like clutter if it is not intentional. If your intention is “more is more” and it is executed properly - amazing, but if you feel like you are just drowning in your things instead of admiring them, that may be part of the problem.
I Buy Less Than You Would Think
As part of my job I constantly share pieces that I love. That does not mean I buy all of these things or that I am suggesting that you buy them all. I am always practicing impulse control.
