Hybrid Cure Week 4: The Living Room Plan

Tobi Fairley via Pepper Design Blog

Are we having fun, yet?

I am. I find myself smiling at my house and all its little (and not so little) messes. For some unknown reason the process of the Cure (and Spring Cleaning) always makes me happier with my home--even though most of the year I find it frustrating and difficult.

via Pepper design blog

This week is the Living Room. As usual, I have a fairly ambitious list, and I doubt I will get to it all. First though, the tasks from the Cure proper:

In Apartment Therapy, The Eight Step Cure, by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, Week Four deals with the living room and all the stuff that's in it. The following is from p. 131.

Bones:
Clean up living room and any related closets.
Repairs are being taken care of this week.

Breath:
Declutter all books and media.
Cancel 75% of all catalogues you receive.
Empty Outbox.

Heart:
Confirm what you need to increase or decrease colour in each room.
Identify what you need to increase or decrease softness in each room.

designer: Scott Yetman Source unknown. I absolutely love the warmth in this room.

Head:
Cook three meals at home this week.
Send out your invitation.

Now, for the cleaning part. Here's a slightly less ambitious cleaning list than mine, from The Unclutterer by Erin Doland:

source unknown

Spring Cleaning List:

Move furniture and vacuum or sweep where furniture had been.
Dust books and bookshelves
Wash slipcovers and steam clean upholstered furniture
Polish furniture and tables

source: Kelly Rae Roberts

My List:
(Leena asked me how I have the time to do all that I do. I don't work outside the home. I am a sahm. In part, I'm doing so much precisely because I feel the time on my hands. I'm beginning to go a little stir crazy, to be honest.)

Take down brown drapes and store carefully
Wash windows and frames, inside and out.
Vacuum window screens
Steam clean couch
Sew new covers for chairs
Sew inserts for curtains
Put up curtains
Put out new cushions and blankets
Steam clean carpet
Wash floor
Dust books and bookshelves
Dust and polish furniture

source: unknown

Declutter Spots:

Winter throws and pillows
Bookshelves
DVD’s and CD’s
Games and puzzles

I have been itching to get to this room.

Sarah Richardson via HGTV