Musical Chairs

My adorable lil' sitting room,
formerly known as the dining room.

I did it again. I moved the furniture. Really.

My motto is, when you can't afford to redecorate ... rearrange! I have been doing this since I settled into my 1950's split level home 17 years ago. I have done everything in my power to make it feel like the quaint, country cottage of my dreams. My oasis, my haven in the cruel, unforgiving world of suburbia. And I have moved, adjusted, flip flopped and rearranged my household, to suit my lifestyle at the current moment. On a whim, I have even hoisted a chair or two onto my back to make the journey up or down the stairs. The only constant in my home seems to be the changing landscape.

When I had a house full of toddlers, I flip flopped the den & the living room, so I could have my kids close to me in the kitchen. But, once they got a little older, I didn't want them quite so close. I needed my space. I needed a buffer. So the den (and the kids) got moved back downstairs.

Most recently I flip flopped my living room & dining room, giving me a much larger eating area, (great for entertaining) and getting rid of a not-needed formal living room. It was a move I had been itching to make for years -- but a move my ex-husband was leery about. I was more the visionary, I suppose. Once my ex had moved out, it was the first thing I did to put my personal stamp on this home ... to make it feel more "mine." Now, off my kitchen where my dining room used to be, I have an intimate little sitting room. It's a quiet place to drink my coffee, stare out the window and regroup. I love it!

Just like in every other aspect of my life, I try to be resourceful and think outside the box. But I am driving my kids crazy! "Russell, will you help me move the bookcase?" "Oh no, not again," says my 17 year old son. "Can't you PLEASE just leave everything alone?" The answer, most definitely, is no! I get bored. I grow impatient. And since my budget is limited, I reinvent my space. It's free. It's fun. It's exciting. And, besides, I like how that chair, (which was hiding under-appreciated in my bedroom,) is now basking in its glory in my sitting room. While it may seem trivial, when I move my furniture, it literally changes my view of the world. I  highly suggest it! Quite simply, it gives me a new lease on life. Really.