History

On June 2, 2007, history was made in our home. We bought a bed. I know you think that purchasing furniture couldn't really be that big of a deal, but, we rarely buy furniture where you go to a store, pick out what you like, write a check and have it delivered. I usually collect furniture. I might see someone I know getting rid of something I have always liked and so I ask if they would consider selling it to me. Or possibly at a garage sale I will see something that strikes my fancy and I simply must have it. I admit I have a chair "thing" and cannot turn myself away from a classic. Our home is full of furniture like that. So, when husband strongly suggested that he would really, really like to have a new bed, and not just any bed, a king size, fabulously gorgeous bed, I was almost offended. After all, I bought the bed we had been sleeping in (not the mattress and box springs, only the furniture part of the bed) for $10 the week before we were married from a co-worker's sister-in-law's neighbor. It is a beautiful, french antique, of which I am extremely fond. Thus begins the saga...

"OK, OK", I said, "let's go." We found a reasonably priced (high priority for me), splendid, king size bed that we both loved. Husband picked out the new mattress and box springs and all were to be delivered in 10 days.

We looked around the house and husband declared, "We cannot possibly put that beautiful bed on that ratty carpet!"

It was true, the carpet has been there longer than I know and was beyond repair in many areas, so, we marched down to the carpet store and ordered carpet. We purchased carpet not just for our bedroom, but for 16's bedroom and the office, niether of which had had new flooring since we have been in this home. It will be installed in 10 days and we must pack away all breakables and electronics. Thus begins the purging...

We cleaned out the closet in the office and the two desks which contained more paper than the redwood forest could have produced. I bought file boxes and filed away paper we should keep close and documents that could be kept in the attic. I organized and sterilized until I was paralyzed. Who knew a small home office could hold so much? We bought a shredder and labored over it until it was smoking. Old checks, warranties for items we no longer have, and even hospital bills for illnesses we forgot we had endured are all in the tiniest of pieces filling three large bags.

"When the men move out the big desk in the office, don't put it back, I don't want it any more!" husband asserted.

"Where will you sit and work? What will we do with our stuff that the desk holds?" I asked.

"We will figure something out, maybe just a table." Thus begins the shifting...

Since 16's room will be empty for the installation of the carpet we decided we should paint. 16's room had been 18's room a few years back. 18 had painted it "Home Depot" orange. We had all grown weary of it and this was a good chance to change the walls without worrying about spills. If we change the paint we must change the decor, nothing she has goes with her new color (she chose a nice color of green). So, we emptied her room and thus began the transformation...

16 needed new bedding and now new storage since husband will take her small desk to use in the office. I found a sturdy, handsome antique armoire that will complement her antique sleigh bed. We will use it for an entertainment center and extra storage. We will move her small chest into her closet. Those are good plans for her room.

The carpet was installed, the bed was delivered and now I can finally begin putting my house back in order. As I have hinted in previous paragraphs in this post, EVERY SINGLE ROOM IN MY HOUSE IS A MESS! Our old bed was moved to 18's room, 18's bed was moved to 16's room, 16's small desk was moved to the office.

For the master bedroom I had to buy new bedding, new linens, even new pillows so we now have KING size everything. I couldn't put our old nightstands by our new, splendid bed so the old nightstands were moved to the dining room (for a sale in the near future). They sat next to the huge desk. Thus begins the shopping...

I shopped for nightstands, and found some, hence I needed new lamps for them. Found those. My bedroom now looks pretty good, except for the art work. I have plenty, I will just move things around. I took every picture down in every room in my house and brought them to the master suite. Finally had a friend help me with that and now the art work looks pretty great! Uh Oh, the master bath doesn't match any more!! I shopped for curtains, towels, rugs, and soap. Now it matches fairly well.

Who knew that buying one piece of furniture could cause such chaos? It has taken literally three weeks for me to get my house back in order. And if I really wanted to be honest with myself there are a few more things I would really like to get to finish out "the look". They will have to wait. I need to buy groceries this week! (I just hate it when I have to spend my grocery money on groceries!)