Downstairs Bathroom

I’ve decided that this year I want to go through each room in the house, decluttering, deep cleaning, and decorating. It’s something I’ve wanted to do before, but I always get caught up in wanting the rooms to be perfect and being unable to afford perfection. Now that perfectionism and I are parting ways, I’m looking forward to trying it. I started last week with the downstairs bathroom, as it’s tiny and didn’t need much. It looks so sparkly clean now. I cleaned both light fixtures and I think it’s actually brighter in there. Although I replaced the overhead bulb with a CFL and it seems really dim, even though it’s the same apparent wattage. I don’t know what that’s about.

Anyway, I also did a couple of little makeovers that I’ve been wanting to do. I painted the little rack that hangs on the wall over the towel bar with black spray paint. I’m not even showing it here because it really doesn’t look much different. It was dark mottled green before. Truth is, I’d like to replace it with something I like better. I found a couple things I like on Etsy:

Something like this would be cool, although not this color. Maybe just a distressed white. I found this here.

I really like this, too, which I found here. Of course I would want it distressed a bit. Although in my house, that’s usually not a problem.

I may order something, or I may keep my eyes open at the thrift stores for something I could turn into one of these.

I also want some funky hooks from which to hang the rack that’s there for the moment, plus the bicycle basket above the toilet. They’re both hanging from picture hooks right now, but I’d like something that looks more appealing. Maybe some hand made iron hooks, or some old rusty hooks. Again, I’ll be looking around, or I may just give in and get something from Etsy. Don’t you just love Etsy?!

The other makeover is one I’m really happy with. I painted the old stepladder that stands in the corner! I’ve wanted to do it for a while and I finally did. I knew just what color I wanted to paint it, a bright turquoise, so off I went to Lowe’s. Then I got completely overwhelmed by all the paint chips. Is this one too blue? Or maybe this one’s too green? Is this one bright enough, or too bright? I almost decided to take a bunch of paint chips home and try them, and then I said, “No way! I’m going home with some paint!” So I just picked one and got a little sample pot. I figure, worst case scenario, I don’t like the first color, or even the first few, and I end up with a bunch of chippy paint layers on it. Now wouldn’t that be a shame?!

Here’s the ladder before. (You know the cats have to inspect everything that gets moved.) I really like this ladder, the rough old wood and rusty hardware. I tried not to get too much paint on the hardware, although of course I couldn’t avoid it completely. But I like the way it looks with some oops paint on it.

After I was done with the first coat of paint, I stood up, turned around, and found this on the floor behind me:

Little devils! I don’t even know how they managed that. They must have stepped on the paint can lid, although it was right next to me the whole time. Fortunately, I was able to get the paint out of the carpet.

The after:

 

It makes that little corner much brighter. I smile every time I walk in there.

My first before and after!

I Heart TJ Maxx

Yesterday I went to TJ Maxx to see if they still had a couple of things I saw when my mom and I were there right before Christmas. They did and I was happy/sad because I could still have them, right after paying for them. Then I saw another thing that I absolutely loved (damn you, TJ Maxx!) and I had to buy that, too. I tried so hard to talk myself out of it, but it didn’t work. Here’s my goodies:

Aren’t these candlesticks gorgeous?! Blue glass. I tried to convince myself I only needed one, but they belong together, don’t you think? And I’m 102% certain one of my friends would happily take one off my hands if I (unlikely) decide two is overkill. Also, two words: Beach House!

Do these even need an explanation? Rusty wire baskets. Plus rustic wood handles. Now who would be surprised that I had to have these?

And the new thing I fell in love with:

I have been wanting one of these for a while now. More rusty wire. Tiers. Sigh. I can’t wait to fill it with something wonderful. It may just hold produce in our kitchen for now. Or not, depending on whether Trick decides that garlic is fun to bat around. What should I put in it for Halloween? That is the real question. Ideas, please.

I didn’t even go through the rest of the store, I was too afraid. But I caught glimpses of cute Valentine’s dishes, so I might have to go back later. Damn you, TJ Maxx!

Big Rocks

Although I'm not a big fan of Stephen Covey's writing style, I think The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has some good stuff in it. Probably my favorite idea of his has to do with rocks. When talking about prioritizing our lives, he uses an analogy about putting big and little rocks into a container. If we pour in all the little rocks first, he says, there's no room for the big rocks. But if we put the big rocks in first, then we can pour the little rocks into the extra spaces and fit in everything. Well, I'm not sure that we can, or should, put in everything, but that's another point entirely.

Last semester I spent a lot of time focusing on what I didn't want. I didn't want to be a perfectionist about school, I didn't want to spend all my time on school work, and I didn't want to be stressed and overwhelmed all semester. I worked hard on those goals and I learned a lot. Now, however, I'm seeing that I want to shift my focus to what I do want.

So now I'm focusing on putting in the big rocks first, every day. Using the Law of 3s I have identified three areas which profoundly impact the quality of my life. These are food, movement, and finances. Each day I make sure that I do my planned nanosteps in these three areas and I check in with someone when they're done.

It feels good. I feel proud of myself in a way I never have before. I feel hopeful. I feel, "yes, I can do this!" Focusing on what I want puts a positive spin on my days that is new and exciting. To quote a favorite old song by Boston, I think I like it.