July 2018 - Arrow Hill Cottage

THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE A-FRAME HOME STYLE

Welcome to another installment in the ELEMENTS OF HOME series. Each month, I showcase a different residential style here on the blog. It is my hope that this information will not only teach you a little something about the various styles; but also equip you if are designing or searching for a new house – by allowing you to determine which style(s) suit your lifestyle and preferences the most.

Today I will be over-viewing the A-frame home – including the history of the style and what makes it unique.

HISTORY OF THE A-FRAME STYLE

The ‘hut like’ dwelling shape of what we now know as the A-frame style has been in existence for many years, and in many countries – Europe, China, and the South Pacific Islands – primarily as accessory buildings. In 1934, Austrian-born architect Rudolph Schindler built a simple A-frame vacation house in a California resort community, overlooking Lake Arrowhead – bringing the design style to the United States. It had an open floor plan with exposed rafters and glass-walled gables.

Americans took note, and with the rise in disposable income after WWII, families were able to afford vacation homes. Because the A-frame style was relatively simple and inexpensive to build, they became a popular choice. Eventually, as the style’s popularity increased, companies started offering kit houses. In fact, the popularity of the style rose, not from the architecturally designed examples that were built, but instead by the grass roots movement formed by DIY homeowners.

The peak of A-frame building was between the years 1950 and 1965, coinciding with the Mid-Century Modern movement; Both design styles have been making a resurgence in recent years. There are even modern day kit houses available in this style!

MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE A-FRAME STYLE

LOCATION

A-frames are in their element when positioned in the midst of nature – the forest, the mountains, and lakeside. Very rarely is this style found in neighborhoods, or lining city streets.

The A-frame’s tent like form blends perfectly in nature. Image Source: A-FrameHaus

SIZE

The majority of A-frame homes are used as vacation properties and, as such, do not require all of the common day to day comforts/extras of a standard home. They are generally pared down to the most basic form, which means that they are quite a bit smaller than the average American home.

The tiny house movement has brought the A-frame to a whole new level of simplicity, offering a model as small as 300 sf!

EXTERIOR TRADEMARKS

STEEP ROOF THAT FORMS THE WALLS: The roof of an A-frame extends to the ground on both sides, leaving two gabled ends.
TRIANGULAR SHAPE: These homes shaped like an equilateral triangle. Its distinctive peak is formed by rafters or trusses that are joined at the top and bolted to plates or floor joists down below. The cross-piece of the ‘A’ is created by horizontal collar beams. These beams are used to stabilize the structure and many times are used as the floor support for a sleeping loft.

image source

MANY WINDOWS: The gabled ends of these homes are typically filled with windows, in various sizes and shapes – flooding the interior with natural light and spectacular views to the outdoors.
DEEP SET EAVES: Many of these homes have deep eaves – which allow protection of the gabled ends, and provide shading to the windows.

image source

INTERIOR SPACES

Many interiors feature exposed ceiling beams and structure. Coupled with the natural light that is filtered in from the gabled ends, a ‘cabin’ like atmosphere is created. The floor space is typically left open, with a combined living/dining/ kitchen space, and only the more private bedrooms and bathrooms positioned behind walls.

Due to the shape of the structure, dead space is created on the outside corners of the floor plan – making it a somewhat difficult layout to furnish and decorate.

image source

COLOR SCHEME

Following along with their ‘one with nature’ feeling – the exterior coloring of A-frames are typically composed of materials that will blend well with their surroundings – natural wood shakes, green wood siding, dark roofing materials, etc.

NOTABLE A-FRAME HOUSES

image source

Reese House | Andrew Geller | 1957

Photo credit: Russ Carmack, courtesy Metro Parks Tacoma

Hellyer House | David Hellyer |1957

INSPIRING A-FRAME HOMES FROM AROUND THE WEB

These classic homes showcase the A-Frame style well. Take a closer look!

1 | 2 | 3

I hope you have enjoyed learning a bit more about the A-frame style. Curious which residential style will be featured next month? Stay tuned!

And be sure to check out the previously showcased styles here.

WORKING WITH CLIQ STUDIOS: PART 1

We have been working through the design of our custom home build for about a year now; And even as someone who is well versed in home design and construction, I am finding the amount of little decisions that need to be made a bit overwhelming – and up to now all of our decisions have been made on paper! I imagine that as soon as ground is broken, the decision making process will increase – probably both in frequency and in the speed at which the decisions need to be made.

I’m trying to stay on top of the game as best I can, and so have been looking ahead at some of the bigger choices that will fall on our shoulders. Specifically, I am focusing on the decisions that will affect the bottom line – the total amount this house will cost to build. With our chosen contractor’s bids in hand, we have been looking through them with a fine toothed comb in an effort to make the best financial choices we can.

Last week my focus was on cabinet design and price, specifically for the kitchen. It is well known that a kitchen is one of the most expensive rooms in a house, perhaps THE most expensive. A large portion of the cost is determined by the cabinets that are selected. The average bid that we received for custom kitchen cabinets was around $25,000. That’s not including the counter-tops, appliances, flooring, or wall treatments! Ouch!

After the sticker shock set in, I went into research mode to see if the same/similar kitchen design could be made for less. That’s when I found Cliq Studios.

I have seen ads for Cliq Studios both on Houzz and This Old House, which are both websites that I respect and trust. I figured that if these websites were standing behind Cliq Studios, they were worth looking into further. The company is based out of Nebraska, with a warehouse in Minneapolis – only about a two hour drive from where we live. Their cabinet line is constructed of solid plywood, includes ‘soft close’ drawers and doors, and has options for several specialty accessories – such as pull out garbage cans, drawer dividers and pull out trays.

Their website boasts a whole lot of FREE – Free samples! Free design help! Free estimates! Free Shipping! I decided to put them to the test.

First, I looked through their catalog of available cabinet door styles. Unlike custom cabinet services which give you seemingly endless options on color, glaze, size, and detailing – Cliq Studios offers a limited variety of semi- custom, stock size cabinets and styles. Lucky for me, their ‘Rockford’ style is perfect for what I had been envisioning for our kitchen. I ordered this style sample, in two different colors. They arrived a couple of days later, in perfect condition.

standard white on the left, cloud white on the right

It’s hard to tell from this picture, but he Standard White has a bit of a cream tint to it, which I wasn’t a huge fan of. The Cloud White, though, was just perfect!

door construction detail

Feeling pretty confident with the quality of the sample and a style and finish that I loved, I went ahead and entered some more information on the website so that I could get a bit of design help. I’ll admit that this step made me a little nervous. I spent so much time working on fine tuning the kitchen design and was worried it would be scrapped and re-designed by their personnel.

What happened was the exact opposite! Within 24 hours of submitting the design application, I was assigned a designer. She contacted me via email a couple of days later, and we scheduled a time to talk on the phone. She asked about my vision for the space, and which aspects were most important to me.

My designer stayed on the phone with me for well over an hour, working through each and every cabinet decision – her with her cabinet design program open, and me with my AutoCad drawing and Sketchup file. Together we tweaked a few items and made the kitchen the absolute best it could be, from stock cabinetry!

She worked on the estimate for a few more days, and came back with a price quote that was less than half of what we had been told by the custom cabinet manufacturers!

I am titling this post ‘Part 1’ – because my gut at the moment tells me that we aren’t yet finished with Cliq Studios. I want to do a bit more research, but am feeling pretty comfortable that we may be getting our kitchen cabinets through them! Stay tuned!

*This post is NOT Sponsored by or affiliated with Cliq Studios – these words are my own review and critique of the services that were provided to us, free of charge.

SATURDAY SKETCHBOOK: GIRL’S SHARED BEDROOM

The upstairs of the cottage is very simply laid out. It will contain two bedrooms (one for the boys, and one for the girls), plus a bathroom accessed from a small hallway.

I previously introduced the boy’s shared bedroom, and the hall bathroom. Today I would like to share the details of the final upstairs space – the girl’s room.

The room is 140 square feet total, with basic overall dimensions of 10′-4″ deep x 14′-4″ wide. A small portion of the rectangular area is used by the bathroom shower – giving the girl’s bedroom a bit of an irregular shape.

Though it is not a large room, the feature that will make it seem more spacious is the tall vaulted ceilings. At the very top, the ceiling is 11′-5″ high. It will be finished in the same way that we will finish the boy’s room ceiling – with pine tongue and groove boards, painted white. I am looking forward to this simple yet elegant look.

I mentioned the amazing cast iron metal beds that I got for FREE in this post. They still need some TLC, but they will be showstoppers once they are finished! As of right now I am planning on painting them black, to balance out the amount of white used on the walls and ceiling. The bedding will be simple, with aqua and pink accents – similar to what they have in their current shared bedroom.

In fact, besides the beds, the rest of the furniture and finishing accents that I plan to add to the space will come from their current set up. The pieces work perfectly and have sentimental value.

Their dresser will sit on the short wall behind the door. It was a gift to me as a little girl, from my grandparents. It will provide two drawers for each girl and house their shirts and pants.

On the wall behind the dresser will be a small accent mirror. I imagine the girls might at some point fight over bathroom space getting ready – so this will make for a convenient ‘overflow’ spot.

In the smaller ‘nook’ space of the room will sit a glider rocker, which used to belong to Craig’s grandpa. We had it reupholstered before our oldest child was born, and used it in the nursery for each of them. It’s a very special piece.

Couple the chair with a few floating shelves filled with books, and the girls will have a perfect little spot to cozy up and read.

The birdcages above are also from the girl’s current space. Each of the paper cranes, which symbolize peace and longevity in Asian culture, were hand folded by me – during the months we waited to complete the girl’s adoptions from China.

Their closet will be accessed through two sliding barn doors, which were found in a small barn/shed on the property of the very first home that Craig and I purchased as a married couple. They are rough right now; But as part of my Summer Project Bucket List, they should be whipped into shape soon.

Inside the closet, the ceiling slopes quite dramatically, from 6′-6″ at the doors, all the way down to the floor. There is just enough head space though for each girl to have her own hanging rack (one on each side) , plus a shared cabinet with baskets to hold socks and undergarments. The extra space in the closet has a pretty low ceiling height, but will be useful for shallow bins holding rarely used items, such as Christmas decorations.

So that’s it! Now the entire second level of the cottage has been designed and drawn up in 3D! Designing with the third dimension has really been key for me throughout this entire process.

I love the way it all flows, and the simplicity of the layout. I went into the design process with the hope that it would create very little ‘wasted space’ – and I succeeded! I think all five of the kids will enjoy hanging out here.

SIMPLE + NEUTRAL ACCENT PILLOWS

Did you catch my recent post about Neutral Home Decor? The interiors I featured seem so relaxing and clean! If this is a decorating style that you are wishing to incorporate in your home, a great way to start is by adding accessories that are neutral; And one of the most versatile (and inexpensive) accessories is the basic throw pillow.

I have put together a collection of my favorite neutral accent pillows (and pillow covers) for inspiration. There are some great finds! * Numbers, with links, shown from left to right.

SIMPLE + NEUTRAL ACCENT PILLOWS

1. Crochet Pom Pom Pillow 2. Quatrefoil Trellis 3. Coastal Floral

4. Printed Burlap Lace 5. Gray Aztec Tribal 6. Natural Tan Burlap

7. Jute Pick 8. Natural Ticking Stripe 9. African Mud Cloth Print

10. Grey Dandelion Print 11. Embroidered Stripe 12. Metallic Diamond

Go grab one (ore more!) of these awesome finds! And be sure to pin the image below so that you can purchase the rest later. 😉

*This post contains affiliate links to products for your convenience. If you purchase via my links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information, click HERE. Thanks for supporting Arrow Hill Cottage!

THE SUMMER PROJECT BUCKET LIST

With the building of Arrow Hill Cottage on hold at the moment until at least the Fall, and quite possibly until Spring of 2019, I am finding myself thinking about what CAN be done in the meantime.

I started this bucket list of projects that I hope to tackle in the next couple of months, during Summer break – when the weather is decent for outside work. The list is a doozy! There is so much that can be done. I think it’s time to get to work!

PAINT DINING CHAIRS

I purchased an amazing set of 8 chairs this past winter at an antique store in town. They had been lovingly stripped of years of paint and stained a beautiful color, and all pieces glued so that they are nice and sturdy. The antique shop owner confirmed what I was suspecting.. that chairs of this age (1940’s) are rarely found in such large sets anymore. Groups of 2 or 4 are much more common.

A couple of months later, I found just that – a set of 2 – painted brown. They were offered at a great deal and I decided to purchase them as well – to bring our collection up to 10 matching chairs. I love the spindle details and the curved backs.

My vision for the kitchen/dining space in the cottage includes these chairs painted black. Although I love the wood grain/stained chairs, I have a feeling that the wood floor, wood chairs, and wood table might be a bit much. I am going to do some testing with the two painted chairs – to determine if I like the look before I paint them all.

DETERMINE DESIGN FOR A HARVEST TABLE

Speaking of the kitchen/dining space. If you remember from THIS POST we have made the decision to not use an island in the space, and instead center the dining room table. This will not only save square footage in the overall floor plan, but it will also allow the dining table to be used both for meals and for food prep.

Because the table will be a central feature in the space, we want to make sure it is very well designed and functional. We have said all along that we would like the the large trees that need to be moved from our property to be milled into wood boards. We envision some of these boards being made into a large harvest table.

This table base that I saw at an antique store is sort of what I am thinking about.

We purchased a set of table legs when on our surprise anniversary trip to Kansas. I love that the sweet memories of that amazing mini-trip will live on in our house. They came to me looking just like this – wrapped in blue. I haven’t even taken the time to unwrap them yet! I suppose that could be considered Step #1.

I will need to take some time to measure, sketch and determine the design for the table itself, and also find someone locally who is able to mill tree trunks into boards.

METAL BED REFINISHING

When thinking about our girl’s shared bedroom, I have always had the vision of identical metal beds. Over the past couple of years I have casually scrolled through websites trying to find the perfect metal bed frames. Those that I found and liked were always just too expensive to pull the trigger on.

Then, just a couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine posted about how her family was clearing out their storage shed and unearthed a whole slew of metal beds that she wanted to find new homes for, free of charge. I asked if she had any that were the same shape and size, and lo and behold she did!

Authentic cast iron, matching farmhouse beds! I about squealed with excitement! She and her husband were even nice enough to haul the two frames to our house so that I can begin work on them. After a good sanding and spray paint job, they should be good as new!

SINK REPAIR

I dedicated an entire post to the amazing cast iron apron sink that we inherited from Craig’s grandparents. At the moment it is sitting in a storage shed on Craig’s parents property. There are a couple of chips and scratches that will need to be fixed in order to get it ready for install. It’s too delicate of a job for us to take on personally; But I am adding it to my list to find someone locally who can!

FRIDGE CLEANUP

We also have an old fridge that we would like to have cleaned up a bit so that it can be used in the basement family room as the ‘snack fridge’. The fridge is unique in that it is a General MOTORS brand. Yes, before GM locked up a niche in the car industry, they had a focus on appliances. We scored this gem at a yard sale 10 years ago at a home in the historic neighborhood we used to live in. Because we had no truck, we carted it home on a two wheel dolly. Fun times, fun times.

We are excited to see it restored to it’s former glory. It’s possible that the same person who restores the sink could take on this project as well.

SAND + PREP BARNWOOD

As part of our master bedroom design, I included a tray ceiling that will feature some old barn wood that was removed from a shed on Craig’s parents property. It is really beautiful wood – that is currently stacked up in our garage, covered in years of dust and dried up mud.

Not only do I want to get it cleaned up – I want to make sure that there is even enough here to get the job done! I am kind of thinking it would be good to get some 5/8″ plywood and cut the sheets into the size of the tray – which is 7’4 x 9’6 – then clean the barn wood and attach it… so that when the time comes to actually install on site, it will be as simple as screwing up a few sheets of plywood. Could save our builder some time I think!

CHAIR REFRESH

Another master bedroom project involves this sweet chair that I bought second-hand, about 5 years ago. I absolutely love the shape of it, and think it will make a wonderful accent piece for the room.

Problem is, it’s run down. Though it is a solid piece, the fabric on the cushion is beginning to fray and the wood portions are stained an odd color. It needs a refresh, and I think the summer will be a perfect time to do that.

TUFTED HEADBOARD

Rounding out the future master bedroom is one of the projects I am most excited for – the tufted headboard!

The headboard we currently use for our bed is the very first piece of ‘furniture’ Craig and I ever bought together. We scored it from the bargain bin at the very back of the furniture store. I have an idea to use this dated headboard as the framework for the new version – and add a little height with 1×4’s. I’ve never tufted anything before, but I’m a big fan of the look and the tutorials I’ve seen online make me feel like it isn’t super complicated.

DOORS FOR GIRLS BEDROOM

Way back, a long long time ago, at the very first house we bought together – Craig and I had a backyard ‘mini barn/shed’ that was filled to the brim with corn cobs, electrical components, and a few treasures. Hidden within was a set of cute wooden doors.

Though I haven’t finished designing the girl’s shared bedroom yet, I have been working on it; And have found the perfect spot for the doors as access to their closet! One of the doors has a bit of wood patching that needs to be done, but for the most part this should be a semi-simple sand and re-paint job. Famous last words, I know.

DOUBLE CHAIRS RE-UPHOLSTERED

Another of my discount finds were these two overstuffed arm chairs with matching ottomans. I got all 4 pieces for $125 – which is an absolute steal! They are super comfy and sturdy, but ugly as can be. I’ve got to figure out if this is a reupholstering project that I am willing to tackle on my own, or if I need to hire the professionals. Either way, I don’t want these pieces to make their way into Arrow Hill Cottage in their current state.

PAINT THE PIANO

Our piano will reside in the entry space of the new house – and I want it to really make a statement. It’s kind of a dull/aged brownish color right now and I think that a fresh coat of paint will make a world of difference. I’ve never painted a piano before though, and I will admit it does make me slightly nervous. The good news is that it isn’t a super fancy baby grand or anything – and we got it for about $100 – so if it does happen to get ‘ruined’ we won’t be out much dough.

CABINET REPAIR

Last on the list, but not least – is this set of semi-matching little cabinets. The antique dealer who sold them to me said they came out of a historic home in which they were installed as built ins. They are each about 5 feet tall, 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep.

One of them has a glass front, and shelving. I think it would look cute as a small linen cabinet in the upstairs hallway

The other is in a bit more rough shape, but has some really neat features. I believe it will make a perfect mail sorting station in the mudroom, and also serve as a spot where we can charge all of our devices. I imagine it as the Family Command Center for the cottage.

Both cabinets will need some work done on the side faces, where they were previously built into the wall. I might also do a sand and re-stain, although I do adore the patina – especially on the glass front cabinet.

Whew! That is quite the list! And since it’s already mid-July, I had better get in gear if I want to accomplish all (or most) of these items before school starts! What do you think I should tackle first? Leave a comment below!

As I work on these projects, I plan to share them on Instagram Stories. If you aren’t following me over there – here’s the LINK! Have a wonderful weekend!

MY FAVORITE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS THAT FEATURE NEUTRAL DECOR

Decorating a home is a very personal task. The reasons why people choose to use certain colors over others has a lot to do with the inhabitants personalities and the mood that they want their home to embody. Basic COLOR THEORY tells us how the use of colors can aide in creating the desired effect. I have previously posted about how I believe there are three main ways that people use color in their homes.

ONE: Neutrals Prevail

TWO: Pops of Color

THREE: Color Explosion

I first explored interiors that feature the COLOR EXPLOSION school of thought. I listed my three favorite Instagram accounts that display this decorating style well. Today I want to swing the pendulum in the opposite direction and offer up my three favorite Instagram accounts that have the Neutral touch.

@farmhouseonboone

With a strict color palette of white, cream, grey, black and brown, Lisa has pulled together a lovely home that has a calming and peaceful feel. Her Instagram feed gives off the same vibes. Peace.

@bluebarnandcottage

Loren’s ability to pull neutral textures together makes her interiors stand out above the rest. The visual interest that the curated variety of surfaces and materials create, mean that the spaces she designs – though minimal in color – are not stark or boring.

@thecultivatedhome

I am drawn to the casual, carefree, neutral style that Tammy has created in her home. Looking through her feed makes me feel like I could just pull up a chair and relax. The colors that she does incorporate into her spaces are muted and calming, making them perfect accents to a neutral palette.

If a neutrally decorated home is the look you are after, I hope that you will take some time to visit these accounts to see even more inspiration! Besides Instagram, each is linked to a blog that is just as impressive!

VIDEO TOUR OF ARROW HILL

As we continue to wait for contractor bid numbers to come through – we’re getting close! – our excitement level is rising at the prospect of building our little dream house.

We purchased our piece of land nearly 10 years ago; But because it is located a 20 minute drive from our current rental home, we don’t make the trek out to visit very often. I wanted to do a bit of site verification this week, and just generally check on things there – so I loaded up the kids and off we went.

As you can see, the property hasn’t been mowed or tended to in quite a long time. I wonder if the neighbors have complained at all? Not only was the grass, trees, and weeds overgrown – the mosquitoes were absolutely awful! I guess that is what happens when there is a lot of humidity, heat and rainfall. We should expect that by now from Minnesota summers. First order of business when we do move into the new house is figure out pest control!

After a thorough spray in bug repellent, I decided to take a short video tour of the property to share with all of you. I apologize for my shaky camera skills and heavy breathing – I was literally swatting the mosquitoes away while filming. The video gives you a basic lay of the land anyway. I am considering this the ‘pre-construction’ walk through.

I also had a fun little Photoshop experiment This is the approximate location where the house will sit. Beautiful, isn’t it? I imagine the views out of the windows will help keep us connected to nature.

I’m pretty sure that this Fall will have us back here again, with mowers, chainsaws, and clippers in hand – ready to give the property a much needed manicure and dream some more. Anyone care to join us for a work party?

If you’d like to learn more about about our site – THIS POST goes into a lot more detail!

SEVEN DAILY HABITS FOR A TIDY HOUSE

It isn’t always easy to keep a tidy house. Unless you employ a daily housekeeper, chances are you will need to take matters into your own hands. Sadly, a house isn’t going to keep itself clean!

The truth is, with busy life schedules, work, kids, and other priorities, a house can get out of sorts quickly and seem overwhelming if you try to tackle it all at once.

By picking up these seven simple daily habits, you can keep your house tidy and clean – and guest ready – with minimal stress.

If this list seems overwhelming to take on all at once, consider choosing just one habit to include in your every day routine, then add the others through time. A little bit of effort can go a long way in keeping a house organized and running smoothly.

MAKE THE BEDS

If one of the first things you do in the morning is make your bed, your day will be set up for productivity. The small win of checking off one item from the daily to-do list can make a huge difference in your perception of being able to take on the remaining items.

The great news is that making your bed is quick and easy. It should not take more than a few minutes to accomplish. A bed is typically one of the largest visible surface areas in a bedroom. Because of this, it can have a big impact. A made bed will give the illusion that the rest of the room is pretty tidy as well.

Take some time to teach your children to make their beds. Even if not done perfectly, the routine task will give them pride of ownership and a feeling of accomplishment.

KEEP COUNTER SURFACES CLEAR

Visual clutter can immediately add stress to your day. Just as the bed is a large surface area in the bedroom, tables and counter space represent a large area in other rooms. The kitchen, for example. If they become dumping grounds for papers, clothing, and knick knacks, they lose the functionality they were designed for.

Of course, most counters will never be 100 percent clear all of the time. That is unrealistic. The goal is to work to keep the surface as clear as possible. If you use the counter to prepare dinner, for example, clear it up afterwards. After the meal has been eaten, remove the dishes from the table.

SORT THE MAIL

One of the biggest counter-clutter culprits is the daily mail. Consider installing a file sorter, or placing a small basket near the entry door. Then, as soon as you enter your home, sort through the mail you bring in. Important papers can be placed in the sorter to be tackled later, and junk mail moved directly to the recycle bin.

Further this technique for other papers as well – receipts, work papers, even school art projects. Sort them straight away and you won’t find yourself with a massive pile to dig through later.

LEAVE SHOES AT THE DOOR

Consider all of the surfaces your shoes touch in a given day. Grass, pavement, gravel… even public restroom floors. It goes without saying that the potential for germs and debris on their soles is high. The last thing you want to do is spread that throughout your home. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens if you leave your shoes on.

Make it a habit to remove your shoes at the door, and encourage the same of your guests. In doing so, you won’t need to clean your floors and carpets as often, and you will always know where they are. No searching for a missing shoe when you are running late!

IF YOU TAKE OUT, PUT IT BACK

Each item in your home should have a place to rest – whether that is in a basket, bin, closet or cabinet. Once that ‘home base’ is established, be mindful that if it is taken out to be used it will be put back after.

Books will be read and placed back on the shelf, blankets in the basket near the fireplace.

Clothing should follow the same rule. When you change into your pjs in the evening, determine if the outfit you were wearing during the day is clean enough to be stored in the closet again. If not, it should make it’s way into the laundry bin No clothes should end up on the floor or the back of the chair.

This technique not only helps to keep the home tidy, but makes it easier to find items when they are needed. It helps if your children see you practicing this behavior. With enough modeling, they will learn to pick up and put away their toys after each use – meaning less work for you in the long run.

CLEAN THE KITCHEN EVERY NIGHT

You don’t need a two hour deep clean session each day. Something as simple as making sure the dishes are washed and put away (or stored in the dishwasher) can have a big impact. The kitchen is likely to be one of the first rooms you encounter upon waking in the morning. Seeing it tidy acts like a breath of fresh air and can give you peace at the start of each day.

A clean kitchen has the added benefit of making you want to use it. Many people admit that they feel the urge to cook more often when their kitchen is organized with everything in it’s place.

BE GENEROUS

Chances are if you were to take inventory of all the items you own and store in your home, you would realize that you use only a portion of them on a regular basis. Keep a donation bin handy, and toss those rarely used clothes, books, toys, and other miscellaneous items in it. Donate regularly to a local thrift store, or hold a garage sale.

The truth is: The less you have, the less you need to maintain. Less maintaining means less cleaning and more time for other things.

Your house is your haven, and when kept clean it offers a sense of peace to all inhabitants and visitors. Adopting these seven habits will start you on your journey to a tidy house. To further your knowledge of how to simplify your home, consider reading these books:

Enough: Finding More By Living With Less

The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

This post contains affiliate links to products for your convenience. If you purchase via my links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Arrow Hill Cottage!