change is great!

Well, I finally did it!  After thirteen years, I decided to just "do it myself".  A few weeks ago, at the Corbridge Reunion, we heard a story of Doug's grandmother, who was pretty fiesty.  She had asked for a porch for quite some time.  One day, Doug's grandpa came home to find her outside, hammering away.  When asked what she was doing, she told him that she'd gone to town, gotten what she needed and was building herself a porch.  The porch was completed immediately at the hands of Grandpa.  When we heard that story, I said, "Gee, maybe I should take note!"

I'm a furniture mover.  I move furniture frequently.  Denise teases that my dining room table is always turned some new direction. In that tiny area, there's not much room, but I manage to make the most of it.  My living room gets moved frequently and if it were not for the piano, it would be even more.  Unfortunately, I'm dependent on two good strong backs when I need it moved.  So, it means recruiting help everytime!  Thankfully, we have great hometeachers, who've made the switch of the piano many a time as they were about to walk out the door. 

I was raised by a furniture mover.  My dad used to tease my mom that he'd come home drunk at night and hit the floor because the bed was never in the same place.   In the past thirteen years, I've moved our bed only once.  Not by choice!  The main reason it's never gotten moved is because I need Doug's back to do it.  Last winter, I had a wild hair to move it and he asked me to wait until spring.  I waited.  And then summer came.  And now fall is here.  He likes things to stay the same.  "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  That's his motto.

Well, yesterday, I was totally in "one of those moods".  I needed change, so I called over some awesome young men and they moved the piano.  Quayd helped me rearrange the rest of the living room.  I did this with the intent of "getting ready for the Christmas tree".  (After all, that's only 12 weeks away.  And if you don't count this week because it's almost over and you don't count that week.... you get the picture.)  Anywhoooooooo, the living room was rearranged completely before I went to bed.  I was thrilled to have my tablescape in the front bay window again, where it belongs.  Doug came in and asked me if he could do anything to help, but the work was done.  He picked up my "moving men" and asked if he could put them away for me.  I said, hinting,  "Just put them on the chest in the bedroom.  I think I'll move our furniture tomorrow."  Hint not taken.  Of course, this was just before he was heading to bed, so I didn't expect it to be.  I think that he thought I'd just wake up and forget the whole idea.  Not.

I woke up this morning, got the babes off to school, walked two miles and as I was stepping into the shower, I thought about it and decided that if I showered and got all cleaned up, I wouldn't want to  move my furniture.  When Denise called at 9:30 to invite me to lunch, I was moving full speed ahead...furniture, that is.  And I redid the entire bedroom.  I cleaned and dusted and dejunked drawers, cupboards, even the jewelry boxes.   And.  Thanks to my trusty moving men, I moved it all by my lonesome!  I love it!  Love.  Love.  Love it! 

Several people have already seen it and everyone agrees that it looks a ton better than it did!  I've waited all these years because I thought I needed Doug's back to do it when all I really needed was my little moving guys.  If you don't have them in your home, you need them!  Our friend, Jim gave them to us years ago and I've never found anything so handy in all my years! 

So, here's the pics... The before.... and the after.  Before ~ a wall of furniture.  My swing, which came down today.  After ~ a country blue wingback chair covered with an afghan, awaiting a new slipcover from Overstock.com.  Mirror rehung between the two obnoxious wall lamps that were Doug's reason for never rearranging the furniture.  They are perfect over the bed, why would we move it?  Because I'm a furniture rearranger, that's why!   I love it!  And, admittedly, so does Doug! ;)

 
What you can't see here is that next to the bed was a dresser, an entertainment hutch and a chest, all in a row, taking up the whole wall, side by side.  I've hated that since day one!  Now, here's the furniture moved around a bit!  Have I mentioned that I love it? 
 
PS.  The one place in our home that is off limits to me is Doug's dresser top.  I do not touch it and he finds whatever he needs there whenever he needs it.  Not my favorite place in the house, but it works for us.  It's his space, so I respect that.  I have a gallery.  He has a dressertop.  I can't complain at all, right!?

 
I guess my sentiment today comes in my closing quote!

No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.

Comments

[Nicole]

Great job! You could rearrange my furniture too!

[Trisha]

OOOH! I love it :) Although Kip has a point about watching the falling snow ;) but truly I love it! I desperately want to rearrange our bedroom, and can do it on my own I know, but I haven't figured out a way to fit everything (bed and 2 dressers and a changing table that has been repurposed to hold linens- it's a small room!) in any other arrangement.

[susan]

it's lovely...come move my rooms. pretty please?

[Kip]

now, if it were me, I'd keep the bed where it was in the winter so you can look out the window and see snow falling!