HHello, friends! It’s been a bit chaotic around here lately, but come on in anyway. I haven’t had much time to slow down and really enjoy my home. The past few months were busy and fun, but I miss puttering around the house and doing simple things like spring cleaning. Maybe you can relate—sometimes an afternoon dedicated solely to tidying feels like a luxury.
After a long day in my office recently I stepped out and realized our home had been neglected for a while. My husband helps a lot with dishes and laundry during deadline season, but the pile-up of “stuff” is usually mine and I need to take care of it. Every surface had items that didn’t belong there, whether they were mine or not. I’ll show you what I mean. Sometimes I pretend not to see the mess, but eventually I have to take action or I’ll lose my sanity.
Not long ago I thought I’d finished putting away the last of the Christmas decorations—until I found a few stragglers on the dining room table. Those crunchy miniature trees had clearly overstayed their welcome. Winter is done (it’s been sunny here in the Pacific Northwest), and I’m ready for spring.
There’s something restorative about saying goodbye to winter and focusing on decluttering. Freshening up the house does wonders for my well-being. When things get out of control, it’s time to reset the home and bring things back into order.
Case in point: why is a bookmark made from my daughter’s third-grade school photo sitting in a bowl on the counter? She’s graduated college now, and that bookmark should be in a memory album or tucked into a book—not next to the kitchen knives. It’s one of those mysteries of house life.
The kitchen looked like we’d unloaded a Costco run and moved on without putting anything away. And then there are the inevitable jumbo pinecones scattered about.
The clutter continues: a paintbrush used to touch up the railing, Doc Martens shoelaces (my husband’s—no idea why they’re there), a little mystery drawer piece, and plastic wrappers. I even have Clorox disinfectant spray sitting by the front door because I ordered some and wanted to have it handy during cold and flu season.
My office has stray items on the floor even though there are hooks for bags. To cope, I diffuse essential oils while I work—partly how I survived writing three books in a year. People often ask how I manage writing, keeping the house, volunteering, and maintaining sanity. The oils help, and so does a plan for restoring order when things get messy.
I can let parts of the house go during busy seasons, but I have to restore order within a reasonable time or I’ll lose my mind. I write about these housekeeping lessons in my book, but the short version is this: putting my home back in order is essential to my sense of balance and well-being.
Busy seasons will always come. Sometimes I have to do things like take a thousand photos around the house for a book—dust bunnies multiply when you’re shooting, trust me—but when I get a breather I take the time to get things back to normal. It’s much easier to maintain a clean room consistently than to wrestle with the aftermath of too much stuff sitting out.
My spring decluttering ritual is simple: go through each room, clear the surfaces, wipe them down, and only put back what is meaningful, beautiful, or necessary. So much ends up on countertops and chairs simply because we get busy or lose the habit of returning items to their homes. But we have closets, drawers, and storage systems for a reason. When I take the time to put things away, I’m a happier person.
Regular opportunities to reset your home mean you’re never far from a tidy, manageable space. That makes life easier and keeps stress at bay. This week my goal is to clear surfaces and restore a sense of calm to our rooms.
What’s your spring mission?
PS. I’m excited about my book Love the Home You Have and grateful for the support—it’s been a thrill to see it do well. My hope is that it encourages and helps even a little. Thanks for reading and for any encouragement you’ve sent along the way.