mindful monday.

August 29, 2011 in Uncategorized

(I want bedroom walls the color of these eggs that Tess found.)

Yes, boxes are being filled with things I no longer need to carry around in this life with me. Bookshelves are being purged. Closets are emptied and choices made on what goes back in.

I'm looking at paint chips and figuring out how to measure for blinds and curtains. Shouldn't I already know how to do that? Maybe. Probably. But I don't.

I'm shedding.

And I am paying close attention to what William Morris said:

"Have nothing in your homes that you do not know

to be useful and believe to be beautiful."

That criteria has helped fill many boxes over the past few weeks: Is this Useful? Is it Beautiful? Does it represent me now, or 30 years ago? Does it represent a story I want to continue telling in my life? Or one I don't want to tell any longer?

Here are four things I'm reading and thinking about creating beautiful, simple spaces:

This has me thinking: Everyone gets organized at some point, they just might not be around for it.

10 Things You Can Do Today to Simplify Your Life

21 Tips on Keeping a Simple Home with Kids

Here's the wallcolor that started all this paint chip gazing.

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

6 comments to " mindful monday. "


KimMailhot

August 29, 2011 AT 8:42AM

Love Joshua’s room color…dreamy.

Thanks for all the tips and the inspiration, Brilliant One. Working on it one drawer at a time here. ;-)
Happy Monday !

Katie

August 29, 2011 AT 8:43AM

WOW Stunning Colour! I can’t wait to see it done!

Wendy

August 29, 2011 AT 3:04PM

I’ve been slowly filling boxes for the mother of all garage sales. My goal is to get rid of one third of everything I own and bring in beautiful colors and art instead.

And I love that color too. I’ve got a similar one “pinned” on a Pinterest board (of a lovely chair).
http://pinterest.com/wendyg/living-room/

Wendy

August 29, 2011 AT 3:42PM

Oh, here’s another decluttering link that I just found in today’s rss feed… http://brooks-palmer.blogspot.com/2011/08/being-kind-to-yourself.html

Kathy Van Kleeck

August 30, 2011 AT 10:09AM

Such delicious colors! No wonder you’re inspired. Two of my favorite books on color – Mood Indigo is incredibly lush – http://amzn.to/qqjopz, and Etcetera Etc. by Sibella Court is chock full of amazing palettes and inspiration – http://amzn.to/nVpf2D

I love the feeling of heightened awareness when I’m changing the way I see – what’s in front of me, all around me, my work, my clothing, my yard, the grocery store – everything. A never ending work in progress.
Enjoy the ride!

Kathryn at Good Life Road

September 5, 2011 AT 10:44AM

I think this is such a useful guide for cleaning out (which we are in the throes of now.) The useful and the beautiful can be good. But there are so many items that fall halfway between and that’s when this is so valuable:
“Does it represent me now, or XX years ago? Does it represent a story I want to continue telling in my life? Or one I don’t want to tell any longer?