Consumption, conspicuous or not, can be either a good partner or a wicked master depending upon how each of us manages it.

The old phrase, ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’, can, and often is, detrimental not only to the household budget but the household mental state.

I think there is something to be said for shopping seasonally, taking advantage of lower seasonal prices, being very intentional regarding trends – as in do I really need to be doing this or … ? None of us lives in spaces that can hold every thing we could possibly imagine and I would go so far as to say that the majority of us don’t have the financial resources to afford every thing available. Many, however, tend to operate on the idea (?) that those realities don’t apply to them.

Have you noticed that there seems to be this cottage industry around uncluttering? I see that going hand in hand with another cottage industry that tells us we Must Buy This [ fill in blank ]. And while I applaud the idea where when one item comes in another goes out, the reality is often not quite so…accurate.

Stuff, like rabbits, tend to multiply.

On the Other Hand…

Buying seasonal foods is often cheaper and – added bonus – the flavor is better. Couple that with the anticipation of those first of season berries or fruits or veg and the meal could exceed more expectations than you thought it might.

Staycations might sound dull but how many of us look up one day and realize that we have never checked out the local national park or gone to the lake, beach, whatever? Even in smaller towns there are locations easily accessed that could provide a welcome get away – many that out of town/state tourists know all about but somehow were overlooked by us.

As we tackle higher fuel and food prices it behooves us to take stock of what we are spending and look at our options. What have we not been doing? Where have we not been going? What have we been dreaming about but keep putting off? That quiet picnic with all the good food might be more accessible than we thought. Gatherings with friends and family could be even better as huge pot lucks.

While the idea of doing without can be depressing, maybe we need to just adjust our attitude a bit. Find a way to make it more exciting, if not interesting.

The balancing act could be the way we look at what we are doing and why we are doing it and make a change here and there. Just to see what we think. Who knows? It could becomes the best thing we do all Summer!

While I love many decorating styles, I have a particular fondness for homes filled with color and whimsy. These homes are created with the intention of NOT going with the grain. They might be Pinterest worthy but they aren’t going to be found on many, if any, home decorating magazines because <gasp> they aren’t whatever the latest version of ‘stylish’ might be.

Ariel Bissett’s very old Canadian home has been her playground for several years now. It is filled with color, creativity, comfort and, yes, whimsy, Her latest video showcases a few small projects that have added that little something extra. Check it out:

The stripes are wonderful. The colors she uses are fun. The best thing of all: You can use whatever colors make you happy. Even if they fall into the current <cough> preferred pallet… And, of course, I love the artwork, too!

Despite what some of the influencers might like us to believe, keeping a clean house is not as simple as 1-2-3. No magic wand is involved. The additional fantasy that a clean house will stay clean is another one of those pipe dreams. Reality is that if there is at least one person living the home, neat and tidy lasts as long as it takes to remove shoes, change clothes, make a meal, eat a meal or even just sit down on the closest chair.

Now I am not one of those pristine housekeepers. My home looks lived in even when the floors are cleaned, laundry and dishes are done and things are picked up. Side note: I am not averse to cleaning, I just choose not to spend 24/7/365 doing it.

If you are curious, See Mindy Mom posted a great video on how she tackles her house where she and her husband and 3 kids live.

Wise use of time and practical methods help tremendously. Mr. Carrington’s Clean In 15 book is a great example of a tool that will help you get your home in order, too.

A home should be exactly that, a home. Not a hotel or a fancy mansion kept up by servants. A home is that place where we should feel comfortable.

Grab a cuppa and settle in. Let’s chat a bit! As I write this we are expecting a day of drizzle and showers, maybe some winds, too. March seems to have run the full gamut of weather. All of it. I don’t know about you but I am over it.

April sort of feels like it might settle down a bit to allow us to ease into Spring. Preferably without snow drifts (not the plants) or ice storms.

As you might have noticed, I’ve recently been reviewing my pantry and my interest in updating my menu. The warmer months lead into lighter fare and more fresh fruits and veg. I’ve been browsing my cookbooks and seeing what they suggest. Some have given me ideas, others reminders of what I used to cook…way back when. <G>

As grocery prices rise and Spring is in the air, it might be a good time to check out the local garden center to see what veg and fruit plants could be incorporated into the garden or into pots on the deck. It would be a disservice if I did not remind you to seriously consider how much time and effort you have and are willing to put into such gardening. Granted it isn’t a 24/7 requirement but there is sufficient effort involved.

I’ve pondered adding an indoor hydroponic garden to my home for years. Over on YouTube, Stacey’s Simple Meals received one for Christmas and has shared her experience with it. As with traditional outdoor gardening, size and space are important considerations, in addition to figuring out what you want to grow. While Stacey’s hydroponic garden is not that expensive and she has had positive results. It might be worth checking out.

Around The House Projects

No matter if you live in a home or apartment, owned or rented, there always seems to be some sort of project that needs to be tackled. From Spring cleaning to decor update to just shifting the furniture around, there is always something to be done.

My mom used to shift the furniture around twice a year. It took me a while to realize that part of this update was to freshen the room and make it feel ‘new’ again without buying anything new. Moving things about – when you can – changes the way the room functions. You actually find yourself paying attention as you maneuver through the space rather than operating on auto pilot.

Now, my space doesn’t allow for major shifts but I can swap out curtains, cushion covers, throw rugs which gives the eye something different to see. It is astounding how we get so familiar with a space we forget what it looks like!

Local Places and Events

It is always a good idea to keep abreast of what is going on in your area. When and where is the next Farmer’s Market? What’s going on at the local library? Are there local groups that interest you? Is there a community garden you can join? Are there classes you might be interested in taking? Sewing, gardening, canning?

You never know what you will discover simply by taking a few minutes to check on local activities.

As we are easing into Summer*, it is a good time to see what we can do to improve our lives, ease our stress, and bring some joy home.

*Spring is around the corner but Summer is closer than we think!

I have lived in a variety of spaces over the years. I also have a rather eclectic taste in decor. My mentor once took me to the Los Angeles Design Center and when we walked out the door (after hours inside) she looked at me and said I was a designer’s dream because I liked almost everything. <shrug> She wasn’t wrong.

I was raised by a mom who understood the use of color, texture, and light. She, who had no formal training, could put a room or house together in a way that looked easy but I know she put a lot of time and thought into her rooms. Needless to say I not only learned a lot from her but I ‘caught the bug’ and learned to love learning about home design.

Recently I came across the following video from Homeworthy on YouTube and couldn’t resist. My home is a little over twice the size of this home.

I love the colors she chose. I love the patterns, too. The use of space is amazing. I admire the way she took a chance and created spaces using furniture and paint.

Small homes are not for everyone. I happen to have a cozy home where space and storage are minimal requiring some creative thinking.

This apartment is one of the more creative homes I’ve seen in a while. The beauty of the design is you don’t notice just how much, or how little, space there is.

Would you attempt a design like this?

Daylight Savings Time changes can be … uncomfortable … annoying … no big deal … brutal.

It really depends upon your situation. I have a friend who has a lot of clocks. A lot of ’em. She’s been known to start updating them the night before the Actual Date. Most of my home time pieces reset themselves but there are a few spots that require my attention. Some of them, quite frankly, are ignored. Tells you how much I use that clock to tell the time…

Saturday was a quiet day after several major storms passing through during the week. The kind you have trouble sleeping through. I tend to have certain things I watch on Saturday – mainly my YouTubers who post then – and depending upon my mood I might fill in with odds and ends.

Sunday has been interesting. I awoke not too long after the time switch. Something that always amazes me because I really don’t know why I do it, but <shrug> I do. I got up when it occurred to me that I wasn’t going to turn over and return to a snooze. Both Mr. Carrington and Luke Catleugh had videos up. Once Mr C’s video was over, I headed back to bed. It was 4 a.m.

A few hours later I started to feel Human again and ate a nice lunch, watched a few videos and tunes and managed to nap on the sofa.

What is it about a time change that seems to require more sleep?

I do feel more myself rather than when I was first up and around wondering whether I should make some coffee… <chuckling>

While I can’t say my weekend has been ‘productive’, I can say it has been peaceful. The storms have passed and we have a bit of a respite until the next one(s). I am contemplating my grocery order (keep an eye on this blog for more about that). I’m slowly catching up on some shows that I missed due to the storms.

That coffee is starting to sound a bit interesting…

Monday is far enough away to allow for a quiet enjoyment of a Sunday afternoon.

I remember a conversation I had with a work friend years ago. We would start for home on Friday evening and she would be talking about Monday… I reminded her that my weekend began on Friday afternoon and work talk would be off limits until Monday morning so I could enjoy my weekend. Work talk shortened what should have been a nice long couple of days. Frankly, she was surprised. It took a while before she admitted that I might have stumbled upon something. That perhaps ‘work’ could be left for work days and not allowed to intrude when it wasn’t necessary.

Imagine that!

Put on some nice music. Grab a cuppa. Contemplate a nice meal. Put your feet up. Recover from the unnecessary adjustment of the clocks.

Ciao!

Sometimes surviving winter is more than just outliving the cold, the snow, the whatever. Winter like we in the mid to eastern side of the country have had has been a bit extreme for many of us.

Norrine over at the Crafty Organizer recently posted a very useful collection of tips. Check it out:

I will add that I think we also need to recognize and acknowledge that winter is a time for rest and renewal. We need to give ourselves permission to hibernate a bit. But for folks who, like Norrine, are new to the whole loads of snow and ice and being stuck at home vibe, it can be challenging.

I would add that it is important to avoid food stress by keeping the Magic Pantry in your home stocked. This means making sure the freezer is full, the pantry is full, and you have options for meals on hand. There is nothing more stressful that heading off to the market when bad weather is on the way only to discover that their shelves are not fully stocked. It happens.

But, as she said, Spring is on the way!

Like many folks I am slooooooowly coming up for air after what felt (feels?) like an enormous Holiday Season. To be honest, it feels like the Universe is working against a Brand New Start In January, too.

I got a new kitchen toy over the holidays (more about that later) and as much as I would love to start exploring and playing with it, the things I want/need from the grocery store simply are not there. Like, restock has not quite happened on top of Wintery Weather where everyone seems to be stocking their pantries for potential storms.

Now, it isn’t as if I don’t have a reasonably well stocked pantry myself, but (you know there is always a ‘but’) I have new recipes to try… <sigh>

The house need a good post holiday clean, too. And it isn’t as if the job(s) are overwhelming, either.

Trying to catch up with or find new shows to watch have been iffy, too. Is it burn out on my end or just boredom?

You know it is an odd time when the highlight of the <ahem> season is that my copy of Mr. Carrington’s upcoming book should be in hand soon…

So, my goal for the next few weeks is to rest, recuperate, catch up as I feel like it and contemplate plans for the rest of the year. Maybe.

Maybe the reset I need is for me. Food for thought…

There is something to be said for implementing them into your daily life.

Much to my amusement, over the years I have been the proud (?) owner of not one, not two but three planners. All at the same time, too. There was also the calendar on the wall but I think that was more for the artwork than the tracking of days, weeks and months…

The funny thing is, those planners, calendars and such provide a sense of the rhythms of time. They offer a way of tracking the rituals, too.

• Doctor’s appointments
• Trips to the library
• Lunch with friends
• Vacation
• Due dates for all sorts of things
• Reminders
• Birthdays and anniversaries

When you think about what you jot down on (or type into) your calendar or notes or reminders, it is not only apparent that you have things to do and places to be but life has a flow.

Sometimes you just have to stand back far enough to see it.

Weekly notations include watering the plants. Sometimes they just need a bit of attention to make sure they are doing okay but other times they need a good watering.

Let’s not ignore (much) that vacuuming needs to be done and the bathroom needs cleaning. I know that sounds like a no brainer but sometimes the brain needs a reminder to not put it off until later… again.

Then there is the gentle reminder that the lawn needs attention. In my case, it is a reminder that my lawn crew should be appearing soon.

There is also the reminder that certain things will be updating. Subscriptions are on that particular list.

The change of seasons bring with it an entirely different set of “don’t forget”. These are usually the things we tell ourselves that we won’t forget but…

As for rituals… Home decor often gets updated, if not renewed, at certain times of the year. The Winter Holidays usually start around Halloween and head through New Year’s Eve with stops each month for updates, replacements, shifts or just removal. It depends upon what you feel like.

There is also the preparation for the holidays. Menu plans, shopping plans, preparing for visitors, you get the drift.

I know of at least one crafter who creates a rather detailed holiday planner for the Winter Holidays. Frankly, I applaud the effort and am excruciatingly grateful I don’t need it. 😀

While many folks subscribe to some version of Spring Cleaning, where the house is cleaned to within an inch of its life, there are folks who also do a Winter Cleaning, similar to Spring Cleaning but with winter preparation in mind.

While most of us subscribe to the belief that life is way too busy and there is too much to do and not enough time to do it in, there are also those who recognize that, yes, life can be too busy but often the things we really want/need to get done does and the rest … doesn’t.

From my experience, the rituals and rhythms of life change and evolve as we do. Personally, mine have gotten less complicated as I’ve gotten older. I no longer ‘need’ to be, do, go just because of the season. And you know what? I don’t mind it a bit.

I have also discovered that a touch of ritual can make everyday life more organized, simpler, comfortable, predictable. Rituals can take the chaos out of the every day.

• Menu planning
• Grocery shopping
• Food prep
• Laundry
• Housework
• Bill paying / budget update

Yes, turning the day to day (or week to week) grind into a ritual and adding it to your reminders gives you the opportunity to check things off your list while you get ready for the next days and weeks. It takes the ‘I have no idea what is for dinner so I’ll hit the drive thru’ into ‘all I have to do is take my meal prep out of the fridge/freezer and dinner is almost done’ which has impact (good impact) on the budget, not to mention your stress level.

Taking care of the bills, which could be stressful, provides a sense of accomplishment and, believe it or not, control.

There is power in that To Do List! Or, rather that Done List.

Don’t forget that rituals and rhythms can also apply to quieter, more restful, things, too. Setting aside time to read, listen to a good book or music, watch a film or favorite TV show. Settle in for a bubble bath. Cuddle time with the fur baby or babies. Granted that last one is not always necessary to put on a To Do List but… LOL!

Rituals and rhythms are the ebb and flow of everyday life. They provide structure and guidance. They can alleviate stress by reducing chaos. In unexpected ways they can even ‘give’ you extra time you didn’t know you had. This happens when you know what you have done, what you need to do, and what can wait a bit.