A-Z// h is for....

h is for....Home
My home to be more specific.

This post was really difficult to write (which would explain the long delay between these A-Z posts). 
My home isn't exactly my dream place, nor is it in the condition I wish it were. It may have to do with the fact that I've lived here since my sophomore year of college, so it still feels more like a dorm than a grown up home.

It's crazy to think that I've lived in this place for 7 years now. It was my first place away from home (that wasn't a dorm) and it was my first homeownership.  This place has seen me turn from a shy college girl, to a professional with her shit together (for the most part anyway). And it also tells a lot about me.... for instance,  if I had to sum up my place in a few words, I would say "cluttered, dark, small, and messy." But I don't mean it in a completely negative sense. Thinking along these lines helps me to see more of who I am and helps me figure out how I want to change my place into what Steven and I both really want.
So before you start thinking that I'm this gross, homebody that needs to star in her own episode of Hoarders: Buried Alive, let me explain.....

It's cluttered because 1- I've lived here for so many years and accumulated a lot of crap, 2-because I inherited things from my mom, dad, grandma, uncle, and step-dad. Odd and ends have helped fill the place, but they don't necessarily go together. It was great during my college days when I just wanted something to fill the empty void, but now it feels, well....cluttered.  And 3- I hate tossing things. Steven has helped me in this area though, so I'm not as bad as I once was. But it's just so hard to get rid of things that have a memory behind it, or I think I might need (or use in the classroom). I had to face the truth though, if a giant piece of cardboard has been sitting in my closet for years, its very unlikely I'll ever use it and I need to toss it. Poor Steven has had a rough time with helping me figure this out, but at least I'm on the road to recovery!!!

It's dark, because unknown to me at the time of purchase, it's location doesn't get a lot of sunlight. Ever. So it seems more like a cave than anything, which is good for movies and sleeping in, but not for trying to be active or fighting being sad or depressed.

 It's small, because it's only a 2 bedroom condo. Actually, in size it may be considered smaller for a home, but for us, it really is the perfect size. For now.

And it's messy for the simple reason of I hate cleaning. I put it off for as long as possible and that's awful (trust me I know). Plus having  puppy who sheds and is getting potty trained doesn't exactly help either. But I'm working on it and I plan on giving it a deep clean in a week or so when school lets out.

In realizing the faults and cons of my place and knowing what I wish I had, I've also come up with some to-dos for our place that I hope will help turn it into more of a grown up home. Of course, a lot of them will take a toll on my budget and time, so they are more of long term goals.
- get hardwood floors for the living area
-get a new sofa
-new cabinets
-new lighting in the kitchen
-declutter the dining room
 -replace the bathroom hardware


PS. If you're interested, I've posted pictures every one and again here and here, if you were curious.

xo
kel