Nester put her link up early this year, so I’m putting my October 1st post up early, too.
Welcome to the 2nd annual 31 Days of William Morris, inspired by Nester’s 31 Days series! I’ll give a little background for those who might be visiting from Nesting Place.
In 1991 I met my friend Helena while attending college at one of the Claremont Colleges. We had mutual friends who thought we might get along because we were from the same city in the Inland Empire. We met and quickly became friends. As it turns out, our fathers had been friends and colleagues since the 70s, and we lived down the street from each other since the mid-80s. Small world!
Over the decades, we supported each other through graduate degrees, marriages, babies, divorces, and layoffs–the usual up and downs of life. We enjoyed life, enjoyed each other, and commiserated over our similarly odd parents. Then, in May of 2011, Helena called to tell me her dad had pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is a death sentence. In rare cases patients can live another 6 years, but you are usually looking at 18-20 with tumor resection (surgical removal). Helena’s father had an aggressive type of pancreatic cancer, so surgery was not an option. We prayed for six months.
When Helena’s mother heard this, she became despondent and took to her bed. She refused to eat, refused to drink, refused to move. She died 10 days later of many things, but chiefly a broken heart.
At the end of the memorial service, Helena’s father turned to her and said he would stay until he signed the last piece of paper. After that, he was going home to be with her mother. True to his word, he died 24 hours after signing the last document–18 days after her mother and twenty eight days after his initial diagnosis. We were crazy to pray for six months.
I don’t share all this to glean pity. Rather, it’s to emphasize the point that Helena (and the friends and family who later helped her) had no time to prepare for what was to come. Her parents had no time. One minute they were living ordinary lives, and the next they were in hospice. After 40+ years of marriage, most of it in the same home, they left behind an enormity of possessions. Going through those things–the broken waffle iron that never made it to the trash, clothing still with tags, linen closets full of sheets and blankets–was overwhelming and depressing. It completely changed my life, absolutely and forever.
I wrote about that feeling of despair here, not yet realizing everything had changed for me.
In October Nester invited everyone to participate in a 31 days series. I think it was September 28 or 29 that I decided to do 31 Days of William Morris, and somehow I finished the month with 31 projects under my belt! Since then, I have continued to live by that famous William Morris quote almost weekly. A bunch of us link up on Thursdays to share what we’ve done, and we’ll continue to do that during the next 31 days. You’re welcome to link to your projects. The more, the merrier.
During the next 31 days, I will continue to do what I have done this past year. Since I have been decluttering with some regularity for almost 12 months, my projects are becoming less about purging and organizing. My William Morris goals are bigger and require more time and money to complete. As much as it pains me, I’m going to have to tackle the wallpaper in the laundry room. Good grief, that’s going to take days to remove. I think they used super glue for wallpaper paste! My point is, while last year I had a different project every single day, this year I may spend three days on the laundry room and four days moving the boys into a shared bedroom.
Then again, I really don’t want to remove that wallpaper. I might have to invent some projects around here! (Kidding.)
No matter what I do, I will look at each project under the same lens: is it useful? do I believe it is beautiful? If so, full steam ahead.
I’ve written my list several times now, but I thought it would be easier to post it again here, in this introductory post. If you do this project with me, you’ll notice that the completion of one project becomes the inspiration of a second project. This list will change over the next 31 days, and it’s changed since I wrote it months ago. I fully expect to tackle an item that isn’t even on the list.
Ready? Here we go! I typically work on each project the day before it posts. If your impatient, like me, you can see sneak peeks at what I am doing by following me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (I’m @pancakesfries).
Kitchen: A point of entry into our home for family and friends and a place to create nourishing meals. It is welcoming, clean, and feels like as comforting as cookies and milk.
Repaint kitchen, at least the ceiling.
New floor in kitchen. (A temporary fix is okay if it can be reused somewhere else.)
Caulk and paint window trim in kitchen.
Create family organizer system in kitchen.
Frame and hang prints, photographs.
Organize medicine cabinet.
Plant flowers or pots in planters flanking kitchen entrance.
Repaint kitchen threshold.
Replace cheap shades and inadequate window treatments.
Organize and purge corner cabinet.
Organize and purge dish cabinet.
Organize and purge drawer under ovens.
Organize and purge food processor cabinet.
Organize and purge junk drawer.
Organize recipes.
Organize and purge freezer.
Scrape and re-caulk kitchen counters.
Switch to all glass containers.
Laundry Room: A bright, orderly, and invigorating room that functions efficiently.
Scrape off wallpaper in laundry room.
Paint and patch walls.
Repaint pantry doors in laundry room. Replace door handles.
Organize broom closet.
Organize and purge shelves in laundry room.
New rug.
New shelves.
New washer and dryer.
Put back original window that previous owner removed.
Remodel and convert into mudroom/laundry room.
Yellow Guest Bathroom: An interesting, quirky and cheery room. You know, for a bathroom.
Decorate yellow bathroom: paint, shelves, medicine cabinet, rug, and general zhushing.
Install baseboards.
New toilet and sink.
Dining Room: A gathering place for family and friends where one can linger in comfortable chairs to discuss the day, play games, and share meals.
Purchase new, made to last dining room table and chairs.
Purchase dining room rug.
Purchase china cabinet to match/coordinate with dining room table and chairs.
Sell current sideboard.
Sell IKEA display case.
Sell midcentury china cabinet.
Replace sliding doors with something safer.
New window treatments for sliding doors/something safer.
Family Room: A cozy, embracing room where bodies sink into stuffed sofas and chairs to read books and watch movies. The lighting is plentiful, flattering, and comfort reigns over form.
Repaint family room a calm, comfortable color.
Create a sense of warmth and family with pictures.
Scrape acoustic tiles off family room. Drywall.
Organize DVDs.
Organize fish cabinet.
Buy new desk lamp.
Find a media cabinet, preferably with shelves for display or books.
Replace with good quality, family friendly materials the sofa, coffee table, chair(s), window treatments, and lighting.
Create a reading nook.
Install floor to ceiling bookshelves along one wall.
Replace carpet, preferably with hardwood and rug.
Living Room: An nattily dressed room that exhibits an appreciation for nature, music, and art in an approachable manner.
Purchase jute or flat weave rug.
Purchase cowhide rug.
Purchase an upright piano; purchase stand for Mikey’s guitar.
Style the piano.
Shutters for picture windows in living room.
Buy large plant for picture windows, preferably fiddle leaf fig.
Remove fireplace mantel, possibly replace.
Organize campaign dresser drawers. (Part 1: Respecting Money)
Master Bedroom: A respite where we go to rest, relax, and rejuvenate. A soft place to land.
Clean out jewelry drawer.
Clean out and organize drawers: unmentionables, . Donate clothing.
Paint master bedroom a calm, relaxing color.
Set up a vanity table.
Organize perfume tray–after I buy a perfume tray.
Replace door handles and drawer pulls on built in closet.
New window treatments.
New blinds.
Create rosary/meditation station area.
Master Bathroom: Clean, bright, and from the 21st century.
Completely gut and remodel.
Clean out and purge cabinet under sink.
Clean out and purge medicine cabinet.
Clean out and purge cabinet above toilet.
Mikey’s Room: A charming room for a charming little boy.
Organize and purge dresser drawers.
Organize and purge nightstand.
Organize and purge expedit shelf, secondary bookshelf, and toy storage.
Organize closet.
Convert into shared bedroom for Mikey and Nico.
Nicholas’s Room: A charming room for a charming little boy.
Organize and purge dresser drawers.
Organize and purge nightstand.
Organize closet.
Organize and purge bookshelf and toy storage.
Remove train table, donate or sell.
Convert to guest bedroom.
Boys Bathroom: The bathroom in a men’s club if the men in such a club would get over themselves and have a sense of humor.
New outlet so I can play music while I get ready.
Install shower rod/head combo, possibly call plumber for this since it’s not standard.
Install shower curtain.
Repaint ceiling.
Purge and organize medicine cabinet.
Replace overhead lights.
Completely gut and remodel.
Office/Outside Studio: An invigorating, comfortable room that promotes creativity.
Complete purging and organizing project started in October.
General zhushing, make comfortable and inviting for the Mister—and maybe me?—to work in at night.
Garage: A place where people park their cars, not store junk.
Purge and declutter, sell contents of discarded items form 31 day series.
Hall Linen Closet: A place where linens and things hang out.
Organize photo drawer. Create memory system. // part 2
Replace pulls and door handles, possibly repaint.
Create wrapping paper storage, do something with all the gift bags.
Entryway: A welcome point for new friends and a place to store the incidentals of school and sport.
Rug for entryway
New window treatment or film for front door window.
Station for school backpacks, purses, coats, etc.
Hang photographs or prints in entryway
Back Porch: A place to lounge and hide from the sun while enjoying its warmth.
Install ceiling fans and lighting.
Purchase outdoor rug.
Create inviting seating arrangement.
Front Porch: A place to sit and watch little boys ride bikes, play in leaves, and catch bugs.
Landscape flower bed.
Bench for lemonade.
Pot and arrange grouping of plants.
Purchase good quality, stylish door mat.
General zhushing.
Backyard: A casual expanse of green with spots of color coming from modest beds of flowers.
Plant flowers around Chinese Elm.
Plant flowers or plants along flower bed in the backyard.
Purchase fire pit, new patio furniture.
Purchase new grill.
Install twinkle lights.
Plant herb garden, vegetable garden, regular garden.
Front Yard: A happy, humble, tidy yard with a welcoming approach.
Plant flowers in front brick area.
Completely gut and landscape.
Miscellaneous: We all have those things that don’t really go anywhere but need to get done.
Paint all trim in the house.
Scrape and paint all exterior windows.
Blow up and hang two favorite pictures of boys.
Add images to family wall of pictures.
Reframe painting from Helena’s parents, find permanent place for it.
Paint all doors in the house.
Replace all doorknobs in the house.
Repaint top of board and batten.
Polish and maintain brass candlesticks.
Polish and maintain all silver.
Replace wire and plastic hangers with wood.
Return items that belong to others.
Return items to various stores.
Organize car to accommodate sport equipment.
Thoughts on tidying up the house.
Organize instruction manuals.
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