For such a little word, it’s got a ton of meaning…

If you’ve never had to deal with the tragic quirks of a poorly planned house, you are one lucky woman. I’m guessing, though, that you’ve had at least one home with issues that make you wonder on a regular basis about the sanity of the person who came up with the house plans. And oh, lady, you’d better believe that I’ve seen some weird stuff over the years.

When you’re a busy woman, just the thought of adding one more project to your life can make you feel overwhelmed. Building a new home is no different. Sure, there may be parts of it that you’ll enjoy, but you also get a giant ball of dread in the pit of your stomach when you think about all of the planning, research, and decisions that need to be made. Your time is already carefully divided, so it makes you wonder—can you really fit one more thing on your plate? It’s not that you’re not capable. It’s that something, somewhere has got to give. But what? And where?

Remember when you were a kid and the Sears and JC Penney Christmas catalog would come in the mail? You couldn’t wait for that magical moment when you could grab a marker and circle all the toys you so desperately wanted for Christmas.

Think about it—if you were to lose everything in your home in a fire today, what would you need to start over? Everyone got out safe with a couple changes of clothes and a few pictures, but you have nothing else. Obviously, you’ll need new furniture, but think of all the little things you’ll need, too. Sheets, towels, a shower curtain, a mop and broom, trashcans, dishes, pots and pans, pantry staples—salt, pepper, flour, sugar, etc. Now, think about all of the little touches it takes to make a house a home.

What makes an otherwise perfectly sane woman—who has NEVER done any rappelling/rock climbing/etc.—suddenly decide she’s willing to rappel down the side of a 12-story building? For me, it was the chance to help a non-profit that is near and dear to my heart raise money to expand its reach.

Last (but not least!) in this series of Designing with Your Five Senses is taste. And since lickable wallpaper isn’t really a thing (darn you, Willy Wonka!!) I’m turning our exploration of taste to your taste in styles…and ice cream. (It relates, I promise!)

You went to Hobby Lobby or HomeGoods and bought a picture because you kind of liked it and thought it would fill up some space on the wall. Then you got it home, hung it up, and thought, “Meh.” Ladies (and gentlemen), THAT? Is not the sound of a happy camper. I don’t want you to have meh artwork on your walls. I want you to have artwork that lifts a bad mood. Artwork that takes away the stress of a long day. Artwork that makes you smile because of the memories it brings back. How the heck do you find artwork like that? I’m glad you asked!

I was sitting in my nice, quiet office working on my bookkeeping when all of a sudden, “Skrook, skreek. Skrook, skreek. Skrook, skreeeek!” It was a noise I’d never heard before (although, it was *quite* reminiscent of that upstairs-neighbors-are-having-sexy-time soundtrack that we’ve all heard a million times on TV), and it was driving me BONKERS. “Skrook, skreek. Skrook, skreek. Skrook, skreeeek!” Argh!!!! That is NOT what my concentration needs.