I've heard it called a few different things, quieting, editing, but basically it is just clearing the room or entire house of all accessories. Removing the noise.
Its very calming to the soul to let the room breath. Its like the moment at the end of a long day when you wash off all the make up and put on your comfy clothes. You are at your most relaxed state.
This is what I needed in the house. No more "noise" around me. I needed to let the room to breath for a few days and tell me what it wants in it. No more filling the space with items because I have them on hand.
I had already styled the room once and then started acquiring more things as time went by and instead of editing as I went, I just keep adding to the space. Resulting in a room that was far too crowded and claustrophobic for me!
It had to all go.
I removed all the pictures and cleared all the shelves and tabletops.
I removed the pillow covers and stripped the room down to its skivvies. I even removed the sisal rug.
I collected it all in one spot. Wow, that was a lot of stuff crowding the room!
I let the room sit this way for a few days and slowly started to add a few things back in.
This was so hard! I had such a difficult time adding items back in to the space because I was really enjoying it the way it was. Bare bones and very "quiet".
I started on the bookshelves first. This was a good lesson for me in editing. Every time I felt like I needed to put out something more, I would take something away instead.
As Coco Chanel infamously recommended, “Before leaving the house, a lady should stop, look in the mirror, and remove one piece of jewelry.”
I suppose this rule can apply to your home also!
After adding a few things back in to the room, this is what I am left with. Most of it will go in to storage, which allows me the opportunity to get some organizing done around here.
I highly suggest taking the time here and there to "quiet" your home. Especially, if you are struggling with what you want to do with a room.
A fresh canvas, void of distractions is the best way to start a room design. Get rid of those pillows and take down those pictures you aren't loving. Learning to live with out stuff filling up the entire space will help clear your thoughts for what you really want in there.
Take away the clutter and your mind is free. Trust me you will love it and you might find, like I did, that you don't need any more stuff, you need less.
