Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Housekeeping

I've spent the day putting away the Chris-mess and now I'm living in a whole new house. Although I love every inch of the December trimmings, it is nice to pare down in January. Everything seems bigger and newer and ready for a fresh start.

Brad entertained the kids all day and I did my favorite kind of housekeeping. I call it "puttering."


Puttering is the love-child of deepcleaning and decorating. I am not the best at either, but I do love to walk through each room in my house, tidy things up and then rearrange. You know...put new photos in the old frames, restack books on the shelf, shuffle the merchandise a little bit.



I redid my mantelplace.



Hung something different in the powder room.



Set the living room to rights.



Took out the Christmas dishes and brought back the blue & white.


And, best of all, made a new home for the gabtop! This is my kitchen desk and, now, Gabblog Central! I am sitting here right now...so much better than Brad's den, which is always much too chilly and, shall we say, a little bit "masculine" for my taste.

Puttering is a no-cost makeover for my home and I usually get into a putter-mood when the seasons change. A few years ago, I bought the book, Use What You Have Decorating and I love what I learned...using professional decorators' secrets to make the most of stuff you already have. Because, although others might argue...I am deep-down a very frugal person!

(Don't get me wrong, I love to collect new things...but I also am quite sentimental and get great comfort from the fact that I have a piece of my mother's and grandmother's china in my dining room hutch and love seeing my nine-year-old's silver baby cup in my laundry room cabinet, holding loose change and pens.)

Some people might think puttering is a shallow hobby or a waste of time. But I don't think so. I think one of my jobs as a homemaker is making my home a clean, lovely and welcoming space. There is a difference between trying to create a showplace to outshine the neighbors and trying to make a gathering place where neighbors want to be. I choose the latter.

And, if you ever want to come for a visit...you're invited.

Now...for more January housekeeping:

  1. I have two special birthday boys to celebrate this month! My husband and oldest son(through a little tender mercy which still gives me a thrill of delight) share the same date of birth...31 years apart! Every year I moan over having two birthdays so soon after Christmas, when I am feeling my most close-fisted and non-festive. But the truth is, a little celebrating cures those post-holiday-January-blahs...and everything is on sale...and they don't even mind if I wrap their gifts in Christmas paper (although I try not to)!
  2. This is a benchmark birthday for my hubby. The big four-oh! And you know what that means? It means I have a 40-year-old boyfriend! Yikes. (He is probably less-than-thrilled with his 37-year-old sagging, wrinkled girlfriend...but there you go.) Actually, Brad makes 40 look good. Really good. I will try and get him something special this year...
  3. I have to brag about my mom! She was asked to speak at BYU Women's Conference this May! About? Staying connected to long-distance family using email and BLOGS! She is perfect for this assignment. Can you believe just a few years ago she bucked at the idea of using a computer? And now she is a cyber-star! I just booked my airline ticket to Utah so I can cheer her on...If any of you feel like meeting there, it would be a dream-come-true! I am so proud of you, Mom.

Happy Housekeeping!

20 comments:

Hillary said...

We just put our home back to norml, too. It just feels cleaner and neater - even with the kitchen torn aprt :)

Rochelleht said...

How cool about your mom!! WOW! Blog-celeb!

I think your house is so lovely. I got home from vacation and just almost puked when I saw the Christmas stuff. I put it all down the next day. It felt so nice. I did lots of cleaning today, too. I suddenly feel like everything needs a face-lift. I am about to get new floors and it can't happen soon enough. It's as though my old floor knows what's coming and everyday it gets nastier. Seriously, it's now buckling. Pretty soon, I'll lose an entire board. I CAN'T wait to get the new one installed. I am totally in 'spring cleaning' mode.

Bridget said...

Oh, I love to putter. I did puttering and some deep cleaning today. Gutted, cleaned and organized kitchen cabinets and the pantry. Although I got too tired when I was 90% done so I have some clutter to deal with tomorrow.

That is awesome about your mom!! You need her to convince my dad to just read my blog. That would be a step for him.

Paige said...

Your house is fantastical! Celia and I are totally coming to Utah. Can Stie come too? Anyone else???

Travelin'Oma said...

The post Christmas clean up is the one I both dread and anticipate. It's my version of spring cleaning. I wish I had a few teenagers around to pull out the furniture and haul the boxes of decorations away. But I have a miniature house now, so I can probably handle it myself.

Your GabSpot is so clean and organized! Love the new laptop!

Did you truly get a ticket for May?? I'm thrilled! The other half of my presentation is about how to plan family reunions. This can be one!!!

marta said...

you inspire me! way to go on the gabtop.. that is going to be so handy dandy. i am jealous. happy new year! am so happy to see i made it up on the photo board.

Lauren in GA said...

Gab...your home is so warm and lovely! I love the little window decoration above your laptop...I mean, your GabTop, in your GabSpot. Seriously...so lovely!

That is so neat your Mom is speaking at BYU Women's conference.

Christie said...

I love the Gabtop center. Very good spot for it. That way, when the Twinkies are dumping out whole gallons of milk, you can blog about it before you go clean it up.

I want to come for Oma's speech, too. I'll have to check some flights. If you're coming...that makes it all the more reason to go!

Lisa-Marie said...

YEAH for your Mom. That is so exciting. Celia and I were just discussing making a trip to Utah for Women's Conference! I'll be there too. I'll start saving my pennies TODAY!!!

Laurie said...

I've been puttering on the computer for a little too long now. Thanks for the inspiration -- off I go to get some puttering done around the house!

Anonymous said...

your house is beautiful... umm, are you available for puttering at other people's homes? ;)

Megan said...

That is so awesome about your mom. I'm glad the church is recoginzing the importance of blogging and email! I love your house (especially your couch). I took all my Christmas down on Saturday and it felt great!

crystal said...

Women's Conference!!!! FUN! When I missed it last year, for what seemed like the 80th year in a row, I VOWED I'd be going in '08...so, see ya there! Come sit by me.

Jessica said...

OOOH...I've been debating doing women's conference this year. Maybe now I REALLY should. Wouldn't that be fun?

mama jo said...

your house looks wonderful...it is a great part of the new year...to get the house clean again!...i have to do it tomorrow....ugh...but, then i'll be happy...i'm thrilled about your mom and julie also...i'll be there..

Wendi said...

Keep me posted about the mom class. I'm in Utah county and would love to come. I've never been to Women's conference, but have always wanted to. Can you give me more specifics? When do you register, etc. It would be so fun to meet in real life!

And I love your decorate with what you have idea. Fabulous. Keep sharing.

martha corinna said...

So cool!
I love women's conference and I would love to hear your mom speak about blogging (even though I have cooled it a little on the blogging). You will have to keep me updated.

Mique (as in Mickey) said...

I'm putting off the Christmas takedown 'til next week when my big kids are back in school- though I am VERY ready to have red and pink everywhere instead of red and green. I just can't do it with everyone home.
And now I FOR SURE want to go to Women's Conference. Count me in. I think there are gonna be some Marty groupies there. We should all carry signs or something... what do ya say?

Celia Fae said...

HOW did I miss this? Seriously, all we needed was an excuse to do women's conference. Is Marty going to be frightened when we all descend upon her?

Hollyween said...

I totally want to go to women's conference now. And your house is gorgeous... and it would be so fun to get together and meet everyone. And I'm in Utah so I don't have a good excuse NOT to except that I've never been and it scares me a little.... and I have a nursing baby. But I want to go. How on earth do I book it? I don't know the first thing about Women's conference. How lame am I?

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