Let me start with wishing everyone a  Happy Valentine’s Day!  In honor of Valentine’s Day I wanted to write something about the topic of love. We all get used to our surroundings and our house and sometimes get too comfortable with the clutter. But do we truly surround ourselves with things we love?

The very popular new book “The Art of the Magic of Tidying up” by Marie Kondo, does have one really good message. Does everything in your home spark joy?? Are you keeping things you do not love out of guilt, or because it was expensive or you just have a hard time letting things go? The designer Nate Berkus also wrote a book called “The Things that Matter”. The theme of the book is the same. You should surround yourself with things that make you happy and have meaning. Maybe items in your house are sentimental or do  they just have happy colors or make you feel good?  Choose your favorite photos to display, or a piece of art that makes you feel calm,  a decorative object from a favorite vacation or loved one….  Whatever the reason is if you start to look at your house from a different perspective you will have an easier time creating the space you have always wanted.

Sometimes we become so used to our surroundings that we do not look at things objectively. We all have a tendency to gather decorative objects and home decor without always thinking about it. Maybe a friend or family member gave you a gift that wasn’t really your taste or you inherited hand me downs from family. It is a common theme for people to keep things out of guilt. Take an honest look at your house and when decluttering choose to keep items that truly make you happy.