The Surprising Spiritual Benefit Of Finding New Uses For Old Furniture In Your Home
Release your preconceived notions about the way things should be organized.
cameron prins / shutterstock.com I sold my house in May 2021 and rented a furnished apartment month to month until my townhouse was finished. In late January, I moved into my new forever home and I'm loving it.
The unpacking, arranging furniture, and putting away belongings is overwhelming for everyone, even for professional organizers.
However, I learned that when I released some of my preconceived notions of where things should live or how things should be used, I had magical results. Everything just fell into place.
I've found, time and again, that reinvention — a commitment to releasing attachments and repurposing possessions — forges greater self-confidence and provides new sources of emotional energy. It works so well, it's almost like magic.
What are some preconceived notions of your items' uses?
Everyone has preconceived notions. It’s only natural.
We think to ourselves, "This bookshelf or chest of drawers is used for clothes and belongs in a bedroom."
When we release our preconceived notions of the way something is supposed to be used, we open up a whole realm of possibilities.
I moved a large chest of drawers into the bonus room at my new house, instead of using it for clothes.
The bottom two drawers in this chest are extra-long. Perfect for holding wrapping paper!
I decided to use this piece of furniture as my new wrapping station. Birthday wrapping paper went in one of the extra-long drawers and Christmas/holiday wrapping paper in the other. Tissue paper went in one of the smaller drawers as did ribbons.
Repurpose
Using this chest of drawers as storage for wrapping paper and supplies let me put away these things which had been stored in a closet on shelves in my other house.
Releasing this preconceived notion and opening my mind to other possible uses for this piece of furniture gave me a magical result.
I'm so happy to have good storage for my wrapping supplies and to use this lovely, old chest of drawers in a way that makes sense in this new home.
Embrace change
We often get so stuck in our ways of doing things that we don’t look outside the box and imagine the possibilities. My good friend, Linda Samuels, talks often about imagining the possibilities when you embrace change.
Changing the way you do or use something so that it makes sense to you by releasing an old notion can open the door to even more magical results.
I am thinking about the name of the business I co-created with Jonda Beattie in a whole new way.
How do you release, repurpose and reorganize?
Release
Earlier, we talked about releasing your attachment to things. You'll want to release things you no longer need, use or love so that you can spend less time taking care of these things and have more time for the things you want to do.
Now, I’m thinking also about releasing ideas and preconceived notions. If you can learn to let go of stagnant thoughts and release them to the past, that can open up a new way of thinking.
Then, you have your own "light bulb" moments that you to magical results.
Repurpose
I already mentioned one way I have repurposed furniture in this new home. A huge chair and ottoman in a sitting room at my old house are now in my bedroom.
They're near a window, which is the perfect place to relax and read once I get my house more organized.
What can you repurpose in your home?
Do you have a chair you can move to a different place? Maybe you can repurpose a chest of drawers to be a craft center?
Just because in the past a piece of furniture was always in a particular place does not mean it has to stay there in perpetuity.
Think differently about your possessions and give yourself unimagined magical results.
Reorganize
When I was placing the furniture in my office, I tried several different schemes before I settled on the one I absolutely love.
Several factors were important to me as I organized my office. I didn't want to have my back to the door. I like to see whatever is coming my way. It's also important to me to have adequate writing space on top of my desk.
I moved a table and placed it at a right angle to my desk so that some things I want to access frequently are there, not on top of my desk.
This gives me the magical result that I want. I am so happy in my new office. Coming into work at my desk is such a pleasure because it is set up in a way that makes my work easy.
Create that feeling for yourself as you reorganize any space in your home. Think about what is important for you to have in that space so you can be happy.
If you're looking to create magical results for yourself when organizing or reorganizing your home, think about releasing old thoughts.
Embrace change and repurpose old things with new uses. Then, let the magic happen!
Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® , a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.