Feeling so grateful for women like Misty who fight to be seen and heard.
Jamila is a committed decorator and visuals manger who us passionate about her company, her home, her friends, and entertaining.
Feeling so grateful for women like Misty who fight to be seen and heard.
When I saw this picture it made me laugh. It’s exactly how I started my marriage. I moved from South Florida to the suburbs of Chicago and brought everything with me I thought I could possibly need. I was prepared for anything.
A year later, when we signed a lease for an apartment in the city, most of my stuff was still in suitcases and boxes. Our new place would be 200 square feet smaller and I had no clue where any of it would go. I felt like a borderline hoarder. Exhausted from the mere thought of hauling all of this stuff, yet again, I knew was time for a serious purge.
So, Justin and I came up with a plan—declutter our apartment. Well, our lives really. Fueled by the adrenaline of getting a new place downtown, we got rid of everything we didn’t have an immediate use for. Some of it was trashed. Some of it was sold. Most things were given away—wall art, lamps, books, kitchen appliances, clothes. Lots and lots of clothes. We whittled our closet down to the bare essentials.
Once we settled in to our new place and the excitement waned, we felt…empty. But sometimes the best life changes start with the smallest things. In time we grew to love our clean, minimal space. It was simple, yet cozy and comfortable. Our mini lifestyle makeover injected a freshness into our home.
Two years later, it’s still our way life. Living with the bare essentials has opened our eyes. When our life was filled with things, all of it seemed so important. Every dress, skirt, pair of heels, book, magazine, coffee mug. But when the excess was removed, we could see clearly. It became much easier to distinguish between wants and needs, must-haves and maybes.
It’s an ongoing process for us. Every few months we make a point to shred old papers/bills, and shed a few layers from our closets. Right now I’m looking to buy new dinnerware and flatware. But, I won’t be piling the new sets on top of the old ones.
This is not to say that I don’t want (even crave) more “stuff”. In fact, I keep a running list in Pinterest. But, for now, it’s just the two of us, and what we have will do.
So how do feel about clutter? Is it something you can live with or do you feel like it’s time for a change?
Photo credit: {Brooke Schwab}
I get the itch to take trips every summer and lately I’ve been dreaming of a long getaway. Maybe it’s because growing up, we spent every summer away once school was out (my parents are both teachers). Wouldn’t it nice to get a three-month break from life’s duties as an adult too?! I guess for now I’ll just have to settle for a week off here and there.
So, on my internet travels I came across a Mediterranean home on the island of Minorca and it is GORGEOUS! I love the charm of the wooden beams, rustic wall paint, and the arches throughout. And take a look at all the bougainvillea (swoon!). It’s all so elegant, yet warm and inviting — the perfect “home away from home”. What I wouldn’t give to spend an entire summer here:
If you want to escape for a few more minutes, head over to El Mueble to see the rest of the photos. I’m in love…