A change is as good as a holiday

For a while I've been feeling unsettled at home. I think partly it's because I'm living in the old family home, without any of my family. Just me, my cats and my best friend - which is cool in it's self, but it's not the family I used to live with in that home. Am I making any sense?!

JP and I don't use the lounge to much - in fact we only use it when we have guests over. Normally if we watch telly we watch it online on our computers, or we're watching DVD's (usually in JP's room as he has the bigger TV and a warm heater to keep toasty by).

So I decided to make my home more 'homely' or more like it was my home with my stuff. JP moved in in Jan and it's now August, so that's plenty of time for him to move some of his stuff around the house rather than in his room. I figured if he hasn't done it by now then it's not going to happen.

I filled the two large book shelves in the lounge with all my travel books, childrens' books, teaching & psychology books, wedding books/magazines and random books I've collected over the years. I had a great time going through my boxes in the attic trying to find books to use.

I went through the boxes and my room to find all the ornaments that I've collected over the years and put them out on the mantle place. I also took all the old paintings that were family artworks and replaced them with random pictures from magazines and old calenders that I'd kept because I liked them, but had no where to place them.

There are still several boxes upstairs to go through and I haven't even opened the box of ornaments that came from Grandads house six months ago. I'm sure they will give me more things to use around the house.

Yesterday I went over to Gran's house to see what she had on offer (she's clearing out her house now that she's moving into a retirement home). I managed to collect several books - mainly recipe books and puzzle books - and small, glass ornaments that she's had for years. I took them because they are sentimental more than anything and I like that they are now at my house. And, I discovered that I'm getting her beautiful, original, persian rug, sooner than expected (it was being left to me in her will). I'm stoked!

JP can still move his stuff out and around if he wants. I can make room. But in the meantime I like having my stuff out and finally making the home more 'mine' than the family home. A change really is as good as a holiday!