W
hile I’m on a little break and suffering at the beach 🙂 I decided instead of leaving my blog all empty and alone, I’d invite a few blog friends over to share some of their wisdom and projects. I’ve met SO many wonderful bloggers out there in the last 2 and 1/2 years and these ladies are just a sample of the talent and creativity that is out in the blogosphere. So get ready to be inspired this week. You’ll hardly miss me! 🙂
First up, welcome Joy, from Joys of Home, as she shares with us a little about her decorating philosophy, one that I adhere to myself. Don’t wait until everything is just perfect to begin decorating your home and personalizing it for your family.
Get started now, it’s a journey and half the fun is in the process of that journey. Welcome Joy….
Rhoda, I adore you and your blog! I truly appreciate this opportunity to do a guest post. Thank you!
What if you could have the HOUSE OF YOUR DREAMS in the home you’re living in. How would it look?
Most of us have a list of things we’d like to do to improve our home. But, do you find yourself saying “If only…”
If only I had hardwood floors, then I would be happy with my home.
If only my appliances were new stainless steel, then I’d have my dream kitchen.
If only our furniture came from a high end furniture store instead of a thrift store and hand-me-downs, then I’d love to entertain.
If only my walls weren’t decorated with children’s hand prints and the floor with toys, then I could fill my home with beautiful things.
If only we had enough money to make home improvements, then. . .
The problem with the “If onlys” is that you choose to delay your happiness and miss out on JOY you could be having right now. I think that every day we should do a little something to find the JOYS of our home. That’s my goal. Let me illustrate with photos of my own home.
Our main bathroom looks picture perfect. It’s not! The tile floor has cracks, the top drawer falls out if you pull it too far. The cabinets are low end wood laminate and the sinks have rust stains that cannot be removed.
I could have chosen to live with the “If only’s.” Instead, I painted the cabinets, replaced the hardware, and stocked the linen closet with fluffy white towels.
The flooring in our home was not pretty, at all. If I lived in “If only” land, I would not have torn out the ugly carpet and tile, painted the subflooring and personalized our stairs. Would I love to have beautiful hardwood? Of course! But look at the creative opportunities that I would have missed.
The kitchen has the same cheap cabinetry as the bathroom and the appliances are white. It had the ubiquitous U-shape of the 1970’s until we decided to tear it apart and make improvements on a budget of a thousand dollars. The “If only” attitude would have robbed us of wonderful memories of working together and of preparing our turkey on top of the washing machine because hubby was installing the sink on Thanksgiving morning.
Our beautiful fireplace is still not finished. It’s missing the surround on the firebox. No one notices because I painted the whole thing black and loaded it with pretty candles. Would I love to have a finished gas burning fireplace? YES, but I can enjoy it this way until our finances allow us to finish it.
With an “If only” attitude I would never have discovered the depth of my creativity. I would not have had the opportunity to help others design their homes, and I certainly would never have started to blog.
Don’t let the thief “If only” rob you from the JOYS of home that are at your finger tips. Please stop living with the “If onlys”and do what you can, with what you have, to find the JOY in your home.
Thank you, Joy! If you’ve never visited Joy’s blog, go on over and take a look at all of her projects and you’ll be inspired too!
Kelee Katillac says
Rhoda -NO thrifty Treasures today??
Amanda @ Serenity Now says
Fabulous guest post!!!! 🙂
Yvonne says
I really needed to hear all of that. I “if only” way too much instead of appreciating the ” what I have”. Thanks… great guest!
Adrienne says
Great guest post! How true! I say “if only” a lot!
Can’t wait to check out Joy’s blog!
Adrienne
Sue says
Great inspiration for us dwellers of old houses..LOL
I love the two topiary trees over the mantle..did you create them yourself?
cynthia says
Are you adding thrifty treasures? I so agree with this post! Not having everything you want forces you to be creative! Sure it might be nice to have it all done and top end everything. On the other hand, the joy is in the process and finding a great treasure or two at a bargain price! Cindy
deb says
Awesome Guest Post, and soo true!
*hugs*deb
Darlene says
What a delightful post Joy! We should never let the “if only’s” get in our way. I always LOVE visiting Joy’s blog and seeing her delightful home.
The Pleasures of Homemaking says
No matter who posts you will be missed but I hope you’re having a fabulous time!
I totally agree with Joy’s philosophy! I find that living frugally challenges my creativity in so many ways…from decorating to shopping to cooking and beyond.
Great post Joy!
I believe Rhoda said last week that Thrifty Treasues would be suspended until she got back?
Manuela
Elizabeth @ blue clear sky says
A great and very timely guest post! I have really been working on curing my ‘if onlys’. I am finding that each little thing we do, each day I relax and enjoy our home, makes me feel so much better.
Janelle says
Now that is just darned inspiring! Thanks to you both!
Stephanie L says
If only i had known! I love this post! Great post and attitude from the Joys of Home! She is a fav now!
Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says
Great guest post, Joy! Even with my house on the market right now, I’ve been saying, “When I get into a new house” not “if only”. I’m planning things and they are not things that will cost a lot or that I’ll have to hire someone to do. So “when” I move, I have plans and it will just be a matter of which room do I tackle first.
Lisa@Picklesandcheeseblog says
This was a great post and very inspirational. A house is never perfect. We are determined to enjoy our home as best we can and make the necessary changes and updates as we go along. Thanks for reminding us to enjoy and to know it will never be “perfect”!
Glenda/MidSouth says
Great guest post! Thanks for sharing.
grannyann says
enjoyed the post and the photos
Jess says
Great post. It’s so true. I have lived in “If Only” land for too long! It’s time to get on with it. Thanks!
Sonya says
Loved “Joys of Home!” Everything she said was so inspiring and it was something that I myself needed to hear!
Thank You!
missmustardseed says
Thanks for sharing. I have been stuck in the “if only” phase lately. I spend so much time working on projects for clients or my shop and I’ve been looking around at my own house…down about not having the money or the time to make it exaclty like I want it to be. Thanks for the encouragement to find joy in what I have. 🙂
g.suzie says
Thank-you for inviting Joy to be a guest host, I’m pretty sure she was talking straight to me. . .It’s sort of the glass is either half full or half emtpty, which ever YOU decide it will be! I will try and look at my older home and yard a little differently now!