The biggest room--not in terms of size but in terms of contents--that I needed to clean out and stage for selling the house was the fourth bedroom, or as I've called it since 2010 in my Iowa house and in this one, the "project room." This room is a wonderful catch-all space for things like ongoing projects (mostly scrapbooks and mementos for me and the boys), projects I'd like to do (but have been sitting undone for years), books, binders, articles and magazines, pictures, and my owl collection. Also in this room is one of my most special pieces of furniture--the glider chair and ottoman that I've used since becoming a mother over 18 years ago--and a dresser I've had since the age of 13. So it's a special place where I'm surrounded by things I love, and I wasn't looking forward to dismantling it and depersonalizing it--so much depersonalization--but it had to be done, so I took a few hours one day and did it. I made sure to take pictures first so that I'll always have visual memories of this special room.
This is the aforementioned glider, where I like to read on Sunday evenings with my Jane Eyre candle going and my recently acquired wicker owl lit up. I read and then I usually doze off.
This view from my chair made me so happy, especially because of the owl wall. The dresser in the corner is the one I've had since I was 13.
The painting above the chair is of me and my future husband. 😊
My basket of owls, and other assorted owl things. #crazyowllady 😆
The pictures on this shelf are a beautiful gold-leaf picture of Christ that I made when I was younger, the pets I've loved and lost, a cute picture of me and John when he was a baby, and The Wayside Inn, one of my favorite places.
I can't help it, I've always liked stuffed animals and I still like them as an adult. I don't go overboard with them and I only get ones that really speak to me, so my collection is pretty small (though bigger than what's in this picture 😆). I'm a little worried that when I'm an old lady I'll have them lined up in the back of my car window. I don't want to do that, but I have to admit that I may be at risk for doing so. 😂
My owls and my old dresser. We've been together for nearly 30 years!
I took pictures of a few of the things I decided to part ways with but that still gave me happy memories.
I bought this at a gift shop at Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells shortly after I'd turned 30 because I was finding it to be (unfortunately) accurate!
Pretty jars
I don't have the boring and generic "after" pictures of the room but maybe I'll include some in a future post. Rooms are so much better when they have personality and beloved things in them. I'm going to miss having a project room in my next house!
