If a housewife is constant an vigilant, she can easily upgrade her surroundings without spending a dime. Generally, items put in our home (particularly decorative items) I placed on a first impulse. We may have pictured in our head how we would put something aforehand, but rarely even that can dream into the perfect spot. Thus, while wandering around our home we find several 'things' that work alright but haven't quite met their karma.
For example: We inherited a cooking wok over a year ago. We had already moved all our existing cooking supplies into the alloted spots. The only spot left for such a large item was on the top shelf of the cupboard above the fridge. That spot is a dark spot for any kitchen item. It is nearly impossible to reach without assistance and reasonably annoying to think about having to get a chair to access it. These top shelves are often the greatest foes in a well organized household.
Yet, the wok did not go forgotten. Unlike most top shelf misfits, my style of cooking often requires a wok. Thus the slight annoyance of having to drag a chair over each time I wanted to cook with it grew into a disturbing dislike. Rather than avoid the nutritious meals that wok cooking affords, I was forced to rethink my model kitchen and redo some of the existing shelving. In the end, the product was much more satisfying. Not only did I make the wok more accessible, the kitchen that I had worked in for over a year yeilded up the other minor inconviniences to a better module. I was able to reuse spaces in a much better way and still had more spaces available in the kitchen.
Several items in our home can be re-thought. Rather than rushing to the store to find that perfect item that will fit your new idea of a space, walk around your home looking at the existing members of your household. Chances are as you reuse something from one area to fit the actual need of a new one you home will feel not only more organized but more purposeful.
While re-thinking areas of your home, always start with a 'need' somewhere and fill that need. There is likely to be a snowball effect as you move one item to a needed spot and then need to fill its spot. Be wary of an avalanche and moving things just to fill a spot rather than to fill a need. Critically, do not shop for a new item until you have tried reusing an old item for the same purpose. Just as not quite perfect things get thrown into a spot and then worn into the spot whether they really belong there or not; items reused to fulfill a need may wear into the spot after time although you may not have thought the perfect and then your need is met without hurting your budget.
Constantly take stock of your surroundings. Although you may have grown comfortable with them, you may have just accepted your surroundings rather than having the courage to redo the space. Rethink, redo, reuse your way to a well balanced home.
While re-thinking areas of your home, always start with a 'need' somewhere and fill that need. There is likely to be a snowball effect as you move one item to a needed spot and then need to fill its spot. Be wary of an avalanche and moving things just to fill a spot rather than to fill a need. Critically, do not shop for a new item until you have tried reusing an old item for the same purpose. Just as not quite perfect things get thrown into a spot and then worn into the spot whether they really belong there or not; items reused to fulfill a need may wear into the spot after time although you may not have thought the perfect and then your need is met without hurting your budget.
Constantly take stock of your surroundings. Although you may have grown comfortable with them, you may have just accepted your surroundings rather than having the courage to redo the space. Rethink, redo, reuse your way to a well balanced home.
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