Since storing away Christmas decorations, (yeah finally got that done last week!) I've been feeling a craving, a need, a desire for change in our decor. I look around the house and I sigh. I want something new-a new look, a new style. I love toile, I love transferware, I love ethnic, I love modern and sleek lines, I love shabby chic, leather and comfortable. So how do I combine all those styles into one?

When I was pulling out Christmas (in November) decorations I decided to store most of my everyday paraphenalia. I got tired of the dusting. I was thinking practical - if I rid the room of knick-knacks then I'll have less to dust, less to move around and get under. Besides, (was I really only justifying my basic laziness?) I do love a minimalist look!

But now, I want the frou-frou. I want the feminine touch. I want to see my things around me, not stored in Tupperware bins in the basement!

So we (yes, I'm getting the kids involved, as part of their, um, homeschooling, yeah that's it - it's design 101 for middle schoolers!) began with rearranging the living-room furniture. Now the problem with our living room is that it's long and narrow and one side has a massive fireplace (with NO mantle, makes me mad!). Today we finally found a new way to place the TV, couch and chairs. Yeah!

I've gone down to the depths of our abode to dig through what has been stored for the past four years and uncovered items I'd long-forgotten. It's great therapy to store something away, forget about it and rediscover it. It's like shopping without the expense but with all the joy.

Now onto the odds-and-ends (knick-knacks, not the kids!). So I already confessed, I packed decorations away because of laziness. Now my re-adjusted attitude is looking at dusting as an opportunity rather than as drudgery-an opportunity to reflect, have time to pray and exercise. So with gleeful abandon I have pulled out my transferware china (which I so painstakingly purchased over a seven-year period on ebay), and am displaying proudly (and waiting to be dusted) on my corner hutch in the kitchen and buffet-hutch in the dining room.

I have also taken up perusing blogs which focus on design and decor. It's fascinating and a little envy-inspiring, so I must be careful to keep my heart in check.