Playing House

I spent my weekend running a 5K and shopping. 

The 5K was great, all things considered, and was just what I needed to get back into routine. I have about four weeks to get into shape, before weddings, vacations, alumni events and work trips all hit, starting in September through the end of October. These two months are usually the busiest of my year, and the time where I go to the gym the least. Call it Back to School season… 

The shopping, however, was awesome. This trip hit on two of my goals for this year: 1) To build a complete wardrobe, and 2) To create a pleasing and comfortable home/work environment. Mary and I spent the afternoon at the mall, talking style and home decor. It's surprising how lost a girl can get when looking for accessories, beauty products and cookie sheets. And now, at midnight, my head is making lists of things to get for these two goals. Emily Schumann's new book, Cupcakes and Cashmere, has been a big help. 

Both Mary and I are looking forward to playing house in this respect. She will be moving into a new home officially in October, and I am prepping for the new home search in the Spring. After so many months of "If we had a bigger place…", the BF and I will be looking for a new non-apartment. It may be jumping the gun, but I'm already brainstorming paint colors, bookshelves, and repurposing antique furniture. 

After graduating college, my girlfriends and I all had the same thought. We wanted to get married, just so that we could have a house to keep. It seems a bit anti-feminist, but we all had a Barbie Dream House. None of us really felt adult enough to buy china or non-Ikea furniture to elegantly decorate our super tiny, super expensive apartments. Now, at the age of 27, my two best friends and I are all moving into houses with our significant others. And in addition, we're now talking about entertaining guests, refinishing floors, planting gardens and Kitchen-Aid mixers. 

Mary said that this was her opportunity to purge everything from the past that was keeping her from feeling like adult. We all have old t-shirts and stuffed animals, but consolidating your possessions and moving them in with someone else is a good wake up call. 

I think this move is not only another reason to clear out the old, dated clutter, but an opportunity to enter a new space and make it your own, similar to Frances Mays in Under the Tuscan Sun. My late twenties have definitely been the time where I've grown the most. Not even my awkward teenage or college years saw such a shift in mentality and personal style. Please don't call it growing up. It's a transition period that, for the most part, is completely under your control. You dictate what style you want, what you want to surround yourself with. You know your personality traits and there aren't as many big questions. 

So take the opportunity today to pick a space in your home, whether it's your bathroom, your nightstand, or for me, my little office desk. Clear everything from the space and give it a good wipe down. When your putting things back, throw out what you don't need/use. Think about what can be repainted or repurposed. Do you have any favorite accessories that would make the space more you? Could you use a new color or some flowers to brighten up the space? What can you do to make this space a place you enjoy spending time in? Do the same thing with a different space tomorrow. What differences will you see by the end of the week?