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07-22-2016, 11:44 PM | #1 |
Rose Garden
I'm most definitely an INFJ. ;-)
Join Date: Nov 2011
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I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
I'm a horrible decorator. I can't match anything, I'm not good at figuring out layout. I can't seem to coordinate a room.
We're also minimalist. We own almost no furniture. Literally we have 1 small couch (that I'm campaigning to get rid of altogether) a rocking chair, A kitchen table, two chairs for said table (and a jr chair) and a book shelf and dresser. No bed frames, side tables, coffee tables, anything. And we have an almost three year old. And I'm not a great housekeeper but the place is never filthy our gross, just like piles of clean laundry, mail stacked up, half finished craft projects sitting out... So you walk into our house and you see bare bones, eclectic furniture (and not cute, shabby chic eclectic, either) no decorating, small piles of stuff that should be put away and random things that have been made toddler safe by putting them up high or otherwise making a barrier. I think our house makes us look unstable. As if we don't have furniture or pretty things because we can't afford it, rather than that we don't want it and are not gifted at decorating. I feel like it looks like the home of people who are barely holding it together rather than people who deliberately have little stuff but are not Pinterest worthy minimalist... So what can I do to change this that won't be a ton of work? Fit choosing, I'm breaking out the house that cleansv itself again. Probably going to read the art of tidying up, too. I already had my sis out I've to help. We made sone progress but I don't seem capable of picking up where we left off. Last edited by WaitPatientlyOnTheLord; 07-23-2016 at 11:03 AM. |
07-22-2016, 11:49 PM | #2 |
Rose Trellis
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 1,590
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
I would change and match the colour scheme to the typical minimalist palette.
We are turning minimalist after many years of having too much stuff. I don't have much of an interior decorating eye either, and we are in rented accommodation too giving us little choice for many changes. If your house is clean and uncluttered, and you have enough furniture for guests to sit down and eat / visit, then guests would probably feel quite peaceful. Do you want to do pics to trouble shoot / get ideas? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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07-23-2016, 02:09 AM | #3 |
Deactivated
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: UK
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
Yours sounds a lot like mine... though we have a bit more furniture but nothing matches. Personally, I don't care if it matches or not. I care about the cost, recycling (I like to buy used things) and that it meets its purpose. My mattress feels WAY better on the floor actually! I have loved it so much more since our bed frame broke!
To me... (about our stuff)... I see it this way... there is no problem with my stuff... if someone else is judging me based on the stuff I choose to have that's on them. My housekeeping could use a boost though! As for tips... a matching (even if you buy all the same color) and accents (like a few throw pillows, table cloth, something on the walls) can go a long way. OR... if you actually like your house the way it is and this is about feeling inadequate somehow in other people's eyes (which may or may not be happening), you can deal with those feelings instead of the house. |
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07-23-2016, 04:18 AM | #4 |
Rose Garden
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,819
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
Consistancy from space to space with a color or style. As for likes of things like mail and what not simple storage items that give those things a proper home help.
I wouldn't think your house says unstable if I was there but by the description it might feel unwelcoming. None of my business but where are you going to sit if you only have a rocking chair? (This snuggle up and read a book while sipping coffee kind of girl would be sad and lonely without a comfy couch.) I would love to minimize but The rest of my family not so much . . . |
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07-23-2016, 05:55 AM | #5 |
Rose Garden
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,120
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
What part do you want to change?
I'm a firm believer that to have a tidy home, all things must have a place to go. IRT your piles of clean laundry, are they out because they have no home or because putting them away is not a priority?
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07-23-2016, 06:02 AM | #6 |
Rose Garden
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 27,359
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
Tidying up is free, but not always easy.
Would you be interested in painting or finishing your furniture to match each other, so the few things you do have look like they go together? Put some large pictures on the wall, ones that are peaceful and minimalistic. If possible make sure that what you do have is high-quality (solid wood instead of particle board, etc). I would love to see pics if you don't mind posting them. Maybe then I could give better input.
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07-23-2016, 06:10 AM | #7 |
Rose Garden
An Enneagram 7 type 1/2 ENTP
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
Oh I'd love to help you troubleshoot with pics, too. We are fairly minimalistic-ish (I don't feel like we are succeeding at being that minimalist until I see other peoples' homes), and I have developed a fairly keen eye for simple, stylish decor.
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Enjoying my Complementarian marriage to Mr. Hutch since May 20, 2006 Blessed Mama of Miss H (16), Mr Big J (15), Miss T (14), Mr Little J (11), & Mr A (7) Missing three I will meet in Heaven (Feb 2012), (Apr 2016) & (Jun 2020) "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." -Legally Blonde |
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07-23-2016, 06:12 AM | #8 |
Rose Garden
Join Date: Feb 2006
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
Pics!!
I'm a terrible decorator. It's not my thing. I wish it were. I've been trying really hard to make my home feel more welcoming, though. I think some fairly simple changes would go a long way, but pictures would make it a lot easier to figure out what. |
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07-23-2016, 06:45 AM | #9 |
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
Maybe an accent wall in a lovely color? I love those
I'm not a decorator either. But the colors of our two small couches were carefully chosen to bring flow to the kitchen and dining room. Same with the curtains. I think color is the one thing I've actually learned. Oh! Also, a decorative gate separating a side room. That one touch brings some class into our space and wasn't expensive. |
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07-23-2016, 06:53 AM | #10 |
Rose Garden
Why thank you, it is naturally blue...
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
I think the key is having a home that feels peaceful and welcoming.
You can do that through some minor changes in color and decor. Where do guests sit if you have someone over to visit? |
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07-23-2016, 08:27 AM | #11 |
Rose Garden
I'm most definitely an INFJ. ;-)
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: New England, USA
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
So we don't have guest over very often, in a large part because of the house. When we do have people over its my family or very close friends who also are minimalist with kids (whose homes are similar to mine.) If we're sharing a meal together, we bring up camp chairs, and a chair I use at my sewing desk (a piece of furniture I forgot to mention.) For general seating, we have the couch, the rocking chair and I sit on the floor, so do our minimalist friend who until recently had no couch.
I do buy almost strictly used stuff for environmental reasons, health reasons and utility as a previous poster mentioned. I bought a nice couch cover to match our window treatments, but we always seem to be needing to take couch cover off due to the kid wrecking it. The couch we have is hideous, the couch cover really helps when it's actually on. It kind of brings the place together a bit. I'm more than happy to clean and tidy. We're working on that. I've just recently gone from working full-time and literally not having the time or energy to devote to housekeeping to now suddenly being home full-time. I'm still working to try to figure out how to make that shift. (For the first time ever) I know the tidiness will get better. As far as what people think of it, I'm generally with you guys on this! Who cares what people think!? We're the ones who have to live here, it should be to our comfort level. But, I would like to have more (diversified) guests over. I'm willing to adjust, but not too cookie cutter style. But the number one reason that we need to get the house more comfortable looking is that we will soon be having some important people over. THEIR PERCEPTION of our home will strongly influence whether or not we can move forward with certain life goals. we are definitely changing some things for that. Like we love our mattresses on the floor (for health and comfort add well as ease of cosleeping but we are being bed frames today to put them on. I'll try to post to pictures soon. It's such a pain. Lol. SORRY FOR AUTO FILL ERRORS. I'M ON MY TABLET WITH SWYPE. I'LL EDIT LATER BUT ATM I HAVE TO GO OUT... Last edited by WaitPatientlyOnTheLord; 07-23-2016 at 11:06 AM. |
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07-23-2016, 08:48 AM | #12 |
Rose Garden
"Take Joy Home, And make a place in thy great heart for her...Joy is the grace we say to God." ~Jean Ingelow~
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The Forest
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
I'm not minimalist, I want to be but between 4 kids in different ages and stages, homeschooling, being home bodies that enjoy crafting, building, and creating, also food allergies (so tons of cooking and making things from scratch), and 4 seasons: we have a lot in our home. I'm constantly reevaluating and culling because we also are given a lot of stuff. Constantly finding ways to better organise and fit what we have to be functional (usable) and tidy.
I would say that it isn't how much stuff in your home that makes it cozy, it is the fact that you enjoy being in your home. Do you have areas that are great for snuggling? Reading? Creating? Do you like being home? Are there things that *you* don't like looking at? What would make it more appealing to you? Our homes should be a sanctuary and shelter, a place that we love to rest. I tend to look at my home in zones. There are areas that are for creating: they are always going to look a bit messy unless we intentionally clean it up for company. There are areas that are for school things and learning, I try to make that zine as accessible and stress free as possible. The food prep and storage areas I try to be sure can be locked from the baby but easy enough for the kids to access. We have kitchen cabinets and a stand alone pantry cabinet we inherited. It also needs to be organized in such a way that doesn't make me want to avoid it/pleasing to the eye , it's hard enough to bring myself cook some times. It's all about how you feel in your space, if you feel warm and happy other people will feel comfortable, even if nothing matches and is kind of old.
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Hannah Joy
Intuitive People Loving Introvert Married since '05 to Ryan software and web applications developer. Homeschooling Mama to my 5 Joys... dd1 RJ (12/07), dd2 AJ (08/09), dd3 PJ (01/12), ds1 Ziggy (09/15), ds2 Sunny (05/18) Enjoying a Healing Diet to manage SPD and other health challenges. Sorry for the typos and sloppy grammar I don't have a good excuse anymore. |
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07-23-2016, 08:58 AM | #13 |
Rose Garden
Our Family
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
I'm on a roll lately of agreeing with Hannah Our house was rather minimalist, hand-me-down furniture, kind of bare bones and hard surfaces, it didn't really feel like home. We switched up some furniture, still hand-me-downs but more soft things and texture, hung curtains, I got some picture frames and paintings from the thrift store and hung them on the wall. Now I have spaces that I love and my house feels much more comfortable.
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Mary K
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07-23-2016, 09:11 AM | #14 |
Rose Garden
parenting better than I garden
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
Honestly, camp chairs and pillows on the floor aren't inviting to wide ranges of people. Think people with health issues/mobility concerns, or seniors. Camp chairs can be really hard on floors too, depending on the surface you have.
Side and coffee tables can be overrated - but if you do have people over, it is nice to have something to put a beverage on. We only have a small side table in our living room, and a built in low bookshelf. But when we have larger gatherings, I pull the extra side tables we have in the basement out (which the kids generally use for lego building). Makes it easer for people to have something to put a drink on, instead of the floor. As for bed frames, they can be helpful because I know of people who had their mattress on the floor become mouldy, with lack of air circulation (ew!). When we first got married, we had a 3 seater couch, and white plastic outdoor chairs for seating We slowly added better chairs, and a nicer table. Tying our seating together with low-cost, but fun throw cushions helped. Adding some art to the walls - even if it's homemade, or especially if it's homemade - make a big difference too. It didn't have to be super stylish, but it make our space seem more homey and comfortable. |
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07-23-2016, 09:45 AM | #15 |
Rose Garden
Why thank you, it is naturally blue...
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,278
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Re: I think our home gives people the wrong idea about us.
So what is the vision you have for your space - what do you want them to communicate? These important people... What is most important to show them about your life and values through the spaces they enter?
I think first you need a frame work for style. It's actually a lot easier than you'd think bc there are certain design principles that are universal. How is the natural light in the room? What decor do you have on the walls? When people enter the room, what is the first thing their eye is drawn toward? What items so you think give the wrong impression and you'd like to change? (I dreamed of a Moroccan style living room... We don't have it bc of so many older relatives. If you want to communicate "we're stable adults" then having a flow to your home helps. What you described is more "college student decor" at least around here). Last edited by Katigre; 07-23-2016 at 10:11 AM. |
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