Mr and I are currently redoing my study. We have moved out the 7 bookshelves that lined the walls and we are in the process of painting over the mustard colour walls we inherited from the previous owners.
We have ripped up the carpet and a new one is on its way. And, while I am excited about the creation of my new writing space, right now my house is a mess. We have stored all the bookshelves in our bedroom, and all the books and my other paraphernalia from the study are taking over my lounge room.
Being the calm, reasonable person that I am, I had a mini meltdown on Friday about living in a mess. Logically I know this is short term, I know it is a step towards making things better, but on Friday I wasn’t logical or reasonable at all.
(quote from Pinterest and Lovethispic.com)
I was wondering why it couldn’t all happen in one day (or one hour) like it seems to on the many home improvement shows. It makes me think about how often we start things with the clear and determined intention to make them better, and then have a meltdown when there is a mess. Because mess is inevitable no matter what you are trying to sort out, whether it be finally uncluttering that cupboard, or working through the unresolved issues in a relationship, sorting out the mess in your finances, or like us painting a room.
The first step is usually to pull everything out. And this makes mess, be that a mess of emotions, or a mess of cupboards and books. I know before I place things back in that room I will examine them all before deciding what gets to stay and what needs to go. It will be a painstaking process. It will be slow and it will seem like nothing is happening for a while. But I know that this mess is worth it, I know the final goal will be well worth all this mess right now.
So I am trying to accept the mess, and work slowly through the process, to achieve the dream study I am waiting for.
Where do you need to accept mess to get to the end goal of an improvement?
Do you need to sit down with a friend and talk through the hard stuff to improve your relationship?
Do you need to finally deal with the stuff in that cupboard that is threatening to take over the house?
Whatever you need to do, pull out the mess and look at it first. Only by acknowledging the mess, can we then start working through it and move on. Here’s to accepting the mess, understanding that the sorting out is a process, and working towards making things better!
Jodie