Why do you do what you do?

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

Looking for really honest answers here, and none are wrong, in my opinion, but why do you decorate in the style(or level) you do, maintain, improve, update and clean your home? Is it mostly for you (what you like, want, enjoy), is it because you feel you must (what is expected of you, based on family or society's ideas of what should be done), is it because of social status (keeping up with the Joneses, equaling those in your social circle, neighborhood, profession etc.)?

I do it for me, as I enjoy it, but I will admit, I think there is a 'standard' that was set when I was a child, and to fall behind that would somehow make me feel like I was doing less than is acceptable. In other words, I do feel that I have a certain standard to live up to, but at the same time, I don't feel any resentment in doing so, and think I have just internalized a level of standards that were taught/demonstrated, but now are a part of me.

Weigh in on why you do what you do.

traveler · ‎03-09-2010

We never have visitors. We live too far away for relatives to ever visit. So I clean and decorate for my family and myself. My husband works in electronics and I often find cables, connectors and other detritus scattered where he sat. Son is a photographer and ditto for me. Since I can be accused of losing something, I put items in their tray or basket near them.

Decorating is pretty much my choice as long as it's not in their way.

Marsha2003 · ‎03-12-2010

I decorate my home because I enjoy the process and the result. I don't care much about personal adornment...clothes, make-up, accessories...but I take pleasure in feathering my nest and then snuggling into it.

debic · ‎09-02-2010

I'm the self proclaimed clutter queen. It's homey to me. Now inside my cupboards are immaculately clean and organized.

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*Off The Deep End~A very short trip for some!*

Ladybug837 · ‎09-11-2011

I decorate for me and pick things I like even if others don't like it. I'm the one that lives in the house and sees my decor everyday! I think this will make you a lot happier than doing things just to impress or keep up with others.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

I clean and decorate and buy clothes and accessories that to me say a lot about who I am. We live the way we want to live, and project an image with what we surround ourselves and cloth ourselves in. It is all part of who we think we are/want to be.

My image of myself is someone who has a house that is clean and not a mess. I clean because I think that that is who I am. I have to work to be who I am. It's just what it is. . .

I think most of us try to make our lives who we want to be. . . don't we?

I have to work to be who I want to be. . . I wouldn't have it any other way. I was raised to work hard. . . Respect! That's the word for it: to be respectible. I have to be that for me first.

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

I decorate with what I like & less is more for me. I just updated a few years ago. I have to have change after a while. I have boxed up or got rid of all the clutter. Makes my life so much easier when it comes to cleaning. I'm a clean freak. I don't care what the style is, what status I am or what I should do. I have a couple of family members that think they need to keep up with the Joneses. Sad.

jlkz · ‎12-02-2013

Raised I a very strict household with chores all the time. Grew to enjoy neat and orderly surroundings. Didn't do everything " three times to be sure it is clean " as mom insisted on.

Don't care about anyone else's style of decorating: mine has to make DH and me feel relaxed and comfortable. The neatness part enables me to save time looking for things or even losing them.

The complete picture of a room has to be inviting and relaxing with things in their place. The symmetry and blending form a peaceful surrounding shell for me.

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
Sir Winston Churchill

OnlyShopsOnline · ‎03-09-2010

I was brought up watching obsessive levels of housekeeping. And, when I went out on my own, thought I had to live up to those expectations. I didn't enjoy that level of housekeeping. It caused me a lot of stress thinking I would be judged...and, believe me, my mother would have judged.

I also think back to all of the time I'll never get back that I spent repeatedly cleaning my clean house. Time that could have been spent with my family.

Then, I developed a chronic health disease and I could no longer live up to those expectations. AND, after years of beating myself up over it, I realized that all that I had been doing wasn't necessary to maintain a neat and orderly home.

I do what I can, on the days when I can. My husband helps out with the floors, and other more strenuous duties. We spend a fraction of the time cleaning compared to what I used to do. The house looks fine...maybe just a little more dust, but I can tolerate that until I can get to it. But, in the course of a year, all curtains, windows, and other deeper cleaning gets done. The bed skirt, etc, get done a couple of times a year.

And, when we have something enjoyable that we want to do, housework takes second place. We just go out and do it. Life's too short to spend it cleaning, lol.

"I've been here since October 2006. Wow!"

cerb · ‎03-09-2010

I like this question mominohio. The way I've decorated is a blend between what I like and what is practical. My husband for example, gets his clothes dirty at work, and insists on sitting on our couch while wearing them. It's not worth having a daily fight with him, therefore I selected a couch with a dark print because it's practical.

Our house is not visible from the road and we have few visitors, even so, I enjoy a few seasonal decorations that only we can see. I have a garden flag, door wreath, and welcome plaque that I change throughout the year. I also have a couple of seasonal vignettes inside the house that I change out. It just makes me happy to look at them. I don't decorate the whole house, just a couple of places.

As for cleanliness, alas, I think I have a higher tolerance for "stuff" than some others might, but I don't want to have a messy or dirty home. So, even though we have few visitors I often ask myself "How would I feel about my home if somebody were to show up unannounced?", and then I clean accordingly. That keeps me from letting things get too messy.