Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Purge Is On!

Years ago, prior to major life upheaval, I used to rearrange my
home and belongings with great frequency. Many times this was
accomplished between midnight and 5 am, so family members
awoke to new environments and some confusion as to where
to locate needed items. I loved the fresh new looks and it also
provided a wonderful opportunity for me to really
clean house, the way we all should, but rarely do because of
time constraints. I took considerable ribbing from friends
and family because of my nocturnal decorating but each
episode seemed to get me closer to the look I was seeking.
Eventually too much of life interfered, and I made
changes only during the fall and winter holidays.


After looking at these photos in the recent post I realized
a lot of items had just ended up plunked down here and there,
and in my new spirit of less is very much more, I began the purge.

Everything comes off the shelves and a do-over begins.
Everything is washed and evaluated for need and then...


...a fresher look with more accessibility.
More adjustments will be made as the day goes along I'm sure.

Cluttered

Clean

Amazing how we get used to the way something looks,
and just leave it due to busy schedules.


I'm content with less and hope to purge more, but
I have other tasks to do today. I got sidetracked.


If you are awake around 3 am you may find me out here puttering on the
porch some more. I have an inkling my late night furniture
re-arranging is returning. After all I only moved the small items today...
The couch just might look better over....
there.


Please visit all the other White Wednesdays
over there at Faded Charm hosted by Kathleen.
----------------->


Create Change - The World Will Thank You
Project Genesis August 1st

43 comments:

erin's art and gardens said...

oh...now i know what to do when i'm awake in the middle of the night!! hubby snores so loudly, he probably would not even wake up if i statred moving the furniture! everything you do turns to gold. i just love your porch :0)

clustres said...

I used to do the same thing in the middle of the night! Your stuff looks great!

Unknown said...

Boy do I get this post! We love old things so we have a tendency to maybe buy more than we need too. I've already noticed there are quite a few of us who make a conscious decision to purge when we feel we need too. I'm guessing that's healthy and probably what separates us from the hoarders!:) Your place is beautiful, I'm sure you will make it shine even more!

the old white house said...

Too funny, I do the same thing!!! It looks so nice, I think blogging has given me the itch to do some purging of my own. I see the blogs where less is more and really love it. (my family will thank them for it later) I love your new look, you have THE BEST STUFF!!! Can't wait to see more! Theresa

Razmataz said...

Everything you own looks incredible the way you display it. You could open a shop! You have a lot of stuff, but it is grouped which makes it perfect.

Love seeing the inside of your home.

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

You're making me want to start cleaning up around here and minimizing. Oh, it's so hard to do.

It is easier to rearrange and clean while everyone sleeps. But,
I am usually the one sleeping the soundest! LOL

I love your home and all your beautiful things. Not sure I would change a thing.

hugs
Sissie

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness,
I am in love with your house!!
Your ironstone is spectacular!
I thought I was the only crazy person up in the middle of the night re-arranging things. My family thinks I'm nuts but they've gotten use to it {I think}!
Beautiful post!!
Have a lovely day.
Sincerely,
Melinda

Nice and Easy Antiques said...

I'm into the less is more mood also!! Great stuff to play with!!!

You won't believe this but I'm already thinking about your Genesis project...no ideas yet...I hope I can come up with something!!!

Sandi said...

Oh my...I have the "purge" itch too! My house is not near big enough for everything anymore. I am in a minimalist mode too so maybe that will get me moving.

Thanks for sharing!! HAPPY WW!
Blessings~

Robyn said...

OH how sweet your transformations are! GREAT before and afters! I get a lot done during those times too! Thanks for sharing on white wednesday! New follower!

Vintage Porcelain Art By Amy Enright said...

LOL! I've been known to do stuff like that in the middle of the night! Its nice to know I'm not the only crazy one!
I loved seeing all that white, especially the porcelain!!
Amy

The Decorating Diaries said...

I hope you don't purge too much. I love everything. It's just beautiful.

Janet

Olive said...

I could not bring myself to purge any of your items that were on the table. Thet were too pretty. Happy WW. ♦olive

★Carol★ said...

I'm definitely guilty of just plunking something down, anywhere, planning to find the perfect spot for it, but there it stays! I have a terrible time sleeping some nights, so maybe I will do some nocturnal decorating too! I love all of your stuff, especially that thing with all of the little drawers!
Happy WW!
Carol

Faded Charm said...

You have so much great stuff to work with it would be like christmas all over again. Everything looks great and I, too am trying to get a cleaner look(at least for me....I have some friends that would laugh).

I'd want to spend every night on this lovely porch.

Take care my friend and good luck with the purge.

Kathleen

Debbie said...

I couldn't wait to open your blog and see what you've done! LOVE IT!!! Everything looks wonderful!
Debbie@houseatthelake

Carole said...

I would have a really hard time purging anything you're showing here girly. You have real willpower! I guess you really want to get to NYC.
I was redoing my plant table at home and I had to be dragged away...it was 2 am. I just couldn't stand it anymore.
I think we have a problem:))
Great post!
I'm jealous of that porch...have I told you that yet?
xxx

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I live in a very small space and have been feeling crowded by the encroaching clutter for some weeks now. My (one and only) closet is jam-packed, and behind my kitchen cupboard doors lurks disaster. You inspire me. I feel a Major Purge coming on!!!!!!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

In the long-ago, when I was married, I changed rooms around constantly.......my husband worked shift work and one morning he went to sleep, and when he woke up, the piano was gone. Another time he came in in the middle of the night and threw himself down to where the bed USED to be! hee hee.

joanne said...

I dubbed this year the year of the 'purge' and on New Years Day I got started with gusto. Now we're in July and gust, not so much anymore. Thanks for reminding me I have miles to go...let the purge begin again!

Debbie~ said...

Really, that's your porch? How wonderful, I looove it when I purge...not often mind you, but I do looove the results! Thanks for sharing! Debbie @ Cottage Hann~ME~Downs

Garden Antqs Vintage said...

Hello found you on the WW Post and just had to comment that I wish I had the energy to totally rearrange my house. You have some great things too. I hope you'll stop by, Therea

June said...

Cluttered or simplified, your house is just gorgeous Z. I love everything you have around yourself, and hope you don't purge too much. I love your style and could just curl up on your sofa and take it all in. It seems like the kind of environment that would invoke calm and serenity even with so much to look at. I just love your late night 'habits'.
hugs

Beatnheart said...

wow, tons of energy...how do you do it. Perhaps because being in Nevada, you need to work at night. Love you jewelry..where do you sell it?

Beatnheart said...

wow, tons of energy...how do you do it. Perhaps because being in Nevada, you need to work at night. Love you jewelry..where do you sell it?

Anonymous said...

I think the wee hours are a great time to move things around. It's quiet, and no one is underfoot! :)

I decluttered when moving from a McMansion into our tiny house. I love it. I'm surrounded by what I love most, and everything is handy. :)

Your home is beautiful, Z!

Pristine Cristine said...

I want to know what you are going to do with all of the wonderful things that you are purging-You can certainly send them my way ;-) Your home is lovely and your vignettes are wonderfully creative. Thank you for sharing them.

LaLa said...

Before I had the shop I would be up into the wee hours moving things around. I would totally lose track of time. Now my shop has become full and my home has become pared down. I don't bring anything new home anymore unless I take something out to sell.

But you make me want to go home and clean out my kitchen cupboards..

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Hey Suzan
Well after 7 days of moving furniture and STUFF to my new home I came to the conclusion PURGE needs to get back into my vocab.... In fact my old place looked wonderful empty.. as does the new place.. almost don't want to unpack! I'm a bit of a rearrange-er too already moved the bed in new place twice,, going for 3... So... if my stuff looked as nice as yours I would find purging even harder,...

I think my brother might have liked me to purge before the move..poor guy... been working him overtime..

Hope you are well...xxx Julie

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Did I mention how much I love your porch... both the before and after... xx

One Shabby Old House said...

How funny, My husband was just telling on me to some friends of ours about how I come to life right as he is calling it quits. He drew the line with the turning on of the vacumn.
Your purge looks wonderful I loved both the before and the afters.

Sue said...

I just returned from sorting through my mother's things, she died in May. Mom had beautiful things...but too many of them! I've come home with the urge to purge as well.

oldgreymare said...

I think we need to start a club for nocturnal decorators. So many emails and comments from you guys and all of us doing the same thing....

It couldn't have anything to do with hormonal changes, now could it? :-0

z

Romeo said...

Yes ma'am, I sure do know about the early morning rearranging, decorating and cleaning....we call it "fluffing".

I thought everything you have shown us was purrfection already....but I see that you can up that purrfection! Who would have thought it possible?!?! Simply love it just as much as before....but when you move the sofa tonight, would you move it slowly so as not to wake me???? You know how I love sleeping over your house on the sofa.....much more peaceful....and I don't have to worry about having stuff piled on top of me during one of those night time fluffing events....you use the table! Don't forget to show us more if you decide to move more stuff, okay? Purrlease....

Purrs!

Romeo

Anonymous said...

So many lovely things...I can see why it would be hard to part with any of it!
~ Jo :)

Missy @ Chateau Chic Boutique said...

Hi Suzan! Thank you so much for visiting my blog.

I really love your post. It seems like it's during the wee hours is when I get the most done also. Now you've inspired me to do some rearranging of my own. I'm long overdue.

Thanks again for your post and the compliment on my yard. I've actually been wanting to re-do some stuff out there as well! Thanks for the inspirational post!

Blessings,
Missy

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

Now I know what to do on all my sleepless nights! The porch looks wonderful!

Sandy~Romantique Inspirations~ said...

Regardless of cleaning or not cleaning.... your home is very lovely! Your right though in order to purge things out its time consuming and you use a lot of brain work to figure out what you want and to eliminate other pieces and making everything look nice. Be careful you don't discard something you will regret later!

Have a Great Day*

Tanya said...

Purging, in this town, is what happens after a late night out on the town. You've given it a whole new meaning! Such wonderful "stuff"! I LOVE that picture from your earlier post - the one your dad gave to you!!! I should drag myself out of bed some early morning and come watch you! :-)

oldgreymare said...

Tanya,

Bring Coffee!
: 0

z

Becky said...

Well I have to say Suzan, you plunked down very well. I love that Kitchen pic, I want to sit and have lunch there.

Smiles,
Becky

Anonymous said...

I never would have guessed that your collections were "cluttered"! I love what you have and would have personally been happy with the old. Now I know why I can't design on my own. My house is not as polished without the Suzan touch!!!

Paula

Recycled Rita said...

Hi! Your blog is beautiful!
I would love to hear more about your gatherings. I have a good friend who lives in Henderson and maybe one day I could come out and visit her and come to one of your art days. I am in southern california which isnt too far!
karen....