My Happiness Project: July

My Happiness Project: July

Via my home inspiration Pinterest board

This month was one of those where I felt reminded, again, that I am not the Doer. So often the plan that I have in my heart and in my head is not the one that the Universe has for me. Isn't it humbling to submit to that knowledge? I picture it like a huge pool of water spread out before me, and all I must do, all I can do in fact, is dive in.

I am excited, actually, to purge this month. Some of what I had in mind for July (underreact in the moment, mediate, etc.) feels difficult, if not impossible, without doing what I want to do in July instead: create a calm, centered physical home space. I find myself feeling overwhelmed by the amount of physical stuff that I have around me at home, and I'm ready to PURGE!

To that end, I'm going to slide my August project into July, which means July's activities are:

• purge stuff, 
• create beauty,
• use what we have, and 
• do one of my husband's projects with him.

Purge Stuff

Happier at Home got me really excited to purge stuff because its author used a few questions to do the same in her home. Paraphrasing here, she asked herself a series of questions that really stuck with me:

Do we need this thing? Do we love this thing? Do we use this thing? Would I pay to replace this if it broke?

Well, huhn! That puts a fine point on it, doesn't it?

Other questions I'd like to ask myself as I go from room to room evaluating what can stay and what needs to find a new home outside of our home are: would I pay to frame this emotional thing? Would I like to look at a picture of this memory instead? And, for functional objects, is there a more efficient/smaller/more beautiful version of this that I could use instead?  For example, we recently purchased a new kitchen colander because we both hated (and can't it really rise to that level?) the plastic one we had. And I bought only the largest, most useful metal size instead of the pack of 4 varying sizes the store wanted me to buy. If I had a hook to put it on, this would be the perfect example.

I also love her 10 Tips to Beat Clutter, Why I've Grown Weary of Accepting Anything That's Free, 

Create Beauty

When we first moved into our home, we spent a lot of time making it feel like we wanted it to. Lately, I've focused more on other things (fertility, job, this business, etc), and the time for turning back to the house feels right. I have plans for our garden, hanging artwork in gallery walls, and for creating what Happier at Home refers to as "altars" as in an altar to family game night or to holidays.

Use What We Have

In creating beauty within and outside of our home, I'll use what we already have as far as materials, supplies, and tools before going out to purchase more things (see "stuff" above, right?). I have the things to sew and make many, many beautiful projects, and this month will be about setting aside the time to consider what to keep of those materials and then to actually use them to "create beauty."

Do One of My Husband's Projects with Him

One key thing from the Happiness Project books is to avoid creating work for other people. While my husband will benefit from my project because I'll be happier, the intent is not to make him go along with it. This activity, then, isn't about telling him he needs to do a project but rather to observe what he's working on (or wants to work on if he had help) and volunteer to be his assistant in it. I'm excited to see what I get to help with! Usually on what we call "project days" he does his stuff, and I do mine. This will be something we do together.

What about you ladies playing along at home? What will July bring to your life?