Day Eighteen: Change Your Environment

If I’m feeling a bit stale and unmotivated, something that always makes me feel better is to freshen up my surroundings.  I’m not talking about general tidying and cleaning, but what comes during/after that - actually moving things around.

I do things like take all the pictures/artwork off the walls, dust the frames and glass and then hang them up in different spots.  Some only have one place where they can go if it’s a cluster or a larger item, but moving around what I can makes things seem new again.

Same with any decorative items on flat surfaces.  I take everything into the kitchen and clean and dust them.  These items include over-sized candle sticks, a small vintage globe, vase-type ornaments etc.  I can then dust the areas they’ve been and look at what I want to put back where.

I have a small number of decorative objects that are frequently decluttered.  Some favourites have lasted years and I doubt I’ll ever part with them.  I have about half out at a time and the other half in my sewing room wardrobe on a shelf.

I go ‘shopping’ and make new tablescapes (I believe David Hicks invented the term).  Sometimes they are quite ornate if I’m in a creative mood and I add things such as a couple of books from my bookshelf in colours that go with my display.  And sometimes they are very simple -  a hall table (in the photo above) with only three items on it pleases my eye.

Cushions too are good things to change around for a different look.  Having alternate covers clean and folded up makes it quick to change the room décor.

My small magazine piles are moved to a different area and some are weeded out.  Like my ornaments, I have my favourite issues that I like to keep and re-read so it makes me want to read them again if they are moved to somewhere new.

I also move around smaller pieces of furniture where possible which makes the room look different.  This gives me excitement because the space looks new to me and it makes me want to do new things.

Home is the obvious place to start but it depends on where I’m feeling stuck – freshening up my work space always makes me feel good too, and I feel more on top of things.

Whilst checking I had my facts right, I found this great interview with David Hicks’ daughter India Hicks talking about her father’s design influence.  It’s so inspiring!  It makes me want to work on my tablescapes.