photo by an indoor lady
Outdated Items on Display
Here is a dynamic that warrants some discussion. Do you have items on display in your home that never get touched or noticed because they have been there for so long? Most of us do. If you think about it, each of these items we allow to stay in our home is robbing us of an opportunity to express ourselves through our environment.
12 Year Old “Pretty Towels”
Here's an example from my own home, as I recently had this realization about some towels in my primary bathroom. I remodeled that bathroom about 12 years ago, and at the time I searched tirelessly for the perfect towels that were the exact blue of the accent tile of my new shower. I finally found some (actually my husband did! I was quite impressed by that) and I proudly folded them and put them on display on the main towel bar. In the meantime, I have some mis-matched old white towels that are preferable for daily bathing. I mean - why would I mess up the pretty folded ones to actually USE them!? Duh!
Then one day recently I was behind on laundry. I was about to get into the shower and realized that I did not have one of my ‘useful’ towels available. I walked around for a minute looking for other towels. Then I glanced over at one of the 'display towels'. I stood there for a moment, and went through the following thought process: 'Hmm, those have been hanging there for awhile. Do they work? Are they dusty? Do I really want to mess these up & then have to wash them and primp them again?' I literally stood there for about 30 seconds thinking through all of these considerations...
Grandma’s Furniture Covers
Then it occurred to me - this is similar to the dynamic that some of us experienced with our grandparents when we were young. They had plastic covers on the sofas in the ‘formal living room’, where no one was allowed to sit. People nowadays laugh about what a funny concept it is, yet I might as well have plastic covers on my bathroom towels!
Thoughtful Editing
Is there something you have on display that you no longer notice? Knick-knacks on your mantle? Art that you’ve had forever or was not purchased by you? Family photos from so long ago that no one would recognize them as your family? (here is a sneaky clue - if there is dust on it, it’s outdated!).
This is a similar dynamic as the display towel. When you are featuring things you no longer “see” and not editing occasionally with a thoughtful eye, your decor is likely growing stale and tired. It is what will start to make a house feel dated. How is your home a reflection of your personality if the items on display don’t resonate with you? Here is a little challenge: make it a point to pick one area like this in your house and freshen it a bit in the upcoming weeks. You’ll be surprised at the difference it makes!