Like many people, I took a break from social media over the holidays. As I’ve been slowly re-introducing it into my life in small doses, I’m being thoughtful about which elements I want to bring back – and which I don’t. Since the advent of social media our most private spaces have become public, from our bathrooms, to our closets, and even our bathtubs.
There are elements of this sharing that I love wholeheartedly, but I’ve also noticed some of the ways it makes me feel. Like my home is a stage that has to be set before I take a photo or have a friend over. That my unsorted mail or unwashed dishes can be a source of shame, even in the privacy of my own home with no one to judge them but me. I think back to a time when the only people who could see my home or knew what my bed looked like were the few people in my inner circle. Now that figure’s been amplified to hundreds or thousands.
So in 2019, my intention is to be less judgmental, and kinder and more understanding of myself and my space. A little less tidying and curating, a little more living and forgiving.
As someone who has been writing this column for many years, I will always love a beautiful, inspirational room. But I want to challenge myself to care a little less about making my home look picture perfect for the judgement of others, and care a little more about how it’s functioning for me and making me feel – starting with my workspace. Right now I may have a clear, Instagram-worthy surface to work on with no ugly printers or cords in sight, but closing my drawer is becoming harder and harder to do with each additional dongle my devices require and daily-use items are out of reach. I’ll be tackling that first and if it means having a less attractive work surface, so be it. It’s a small first step, but it’s an approach I’m planning to take with more home decisions moving forward.
Do any of you feel this pressure to be picture perfect in the privacy of your own home?
Sources: inspiration photo by Max Burkhalter for Architectural Digest, white desk chair Urban Outfitters, paper lamp Noguchi, acrylic wall calendar Etsy, Jagger London 1986 print Sonic Editions, orange print by tomtyve, wood chair Urban Outfitters, retro radio Sangean
