• Cure Clock: This is it!• Assignment: Read Week 8: Throwing a Party
• Members: 1735
Tomorrow I'm headed off to a party at my friend Rachel's house. That's a phrase I use fairly often. My friend Rachel loves to entertain. A call in the morning, "have you had breakfast yet?" turns into a brunch; a bottle of wine and some cheese becomes cocktails; throw a few hot dogs on the grill and that's a barbeque. Yes her house is comfortable and well laid out, yes her fridge and pantry are always full of food, yes she's got a big stash of wineglasses, but her real secret is that her home is well-cared for.
Wig3000 has simple decorations outside, a great reminder that even an apartment balcony can be festive.
Because of this, she's always ready to open her home to guests. This doesn't mean that her home is stiff or formal or always pin neat. What it is is comfortable. She cares for her home on a daily basis: she makes her bed in the morning, the dishes aren't piled up in the sink, she has a place to put her things when she comes home. She tweaks it regularly: a new vase, a new pillow, groceries come in regularly, food gets cooked, she has her house cleaned every few weeks. Sometimes the only thing she's done "new" is clean out a shelf, toss old magazines, buy a bunch of flowers or rearrange some pictures. But, because she pays attention to it, the energy of her house is constantly being revitalized. It never gets stagnant and, as a result, she doesn't have the pressure to clean up or change her home for her guests. Her home is always "company ready".
This week you'll have a party and open your own home to guests. Your first instinct will be to stress or to apologize that your home is not finished or you've been so slammed at work you haven't had time to clean it. Don't. Instead, relax and see your home in action. Whether it's a few friends over for dinner or a "kegger", your home will be bursting with life. The best compliments will come not from what people will say to you but how they make themselves at home in your space. Don't be surprised if your guests linger or you find them in the kitchen, fetching a glass from the cupboard. It's a testament to how far you've come that your home works for you and is inviting to your guests. That you haven't completed everything you'd hoped to accomplish is okay. Like you yourself, your home is a work in progress. The projects will get done, your living room will come together, those sheets you ordered will arrive. You've spent 8 weeks intensely focusing on your home. Though the Cure is finished, we hope you've developed a new relationship with your home.
Whether you're like Rachel and love to have people over or your guests consist of your cat and the occasional visit from the FedEx man, your party is a celebration of your home, your hard work, you. Think back to where you started and see how far you've come. Your home is a different place. Now it supports your life, whether that's having a place to write, a place to dream or a space to welcome a new baby. You're home is relaxing, it's clean, it's well-used and well-loved. Coming home feels good, hanging out at home is fun, being surrounded by the stuff you love -- your home now "looks" like you. Truly home sweet home. You've been Cured.
This week's question/comment:
What did you learn about your home from having people over?
POST INDEX
• Week
8 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week
7 - Show & Tell with Laure
• Week
7 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week
7 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week
6 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week
6 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week
6 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week
5 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week
5 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week
5 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week
4 - Show & Tell with Laure
• Week
4 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week
4 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week
3 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week
3 - Tips & Tricks with Sarah Rae
• Week
3 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week
2 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week
2 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week
2 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week
1 - Show & Tell with Laure
• Week
1 - Tips & Tricks with Sarah Rae
• Week
1 - Intro with Maxwell
DISCUSSIONS
• Green Cure
• USA• North
• Canada
• South
• East
• West
• Australia
• UK, Europe & Beyond
CURE INFO
• Main Cure Page - Spring 2009
• Sign-Up Here
BUY A BOOK
• From Amazon
• From Powell's
• From Barnes & Noble
Jessica's Crafted Space
Ana Creates a Community at Home
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Ercol Bar Stool
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
Well, I haven't thrown a party so I guess I'm not officially supposed to be commenting. I like the sentiment here about people who feel really comfortable entertaining at any time because they keep their homes presentable and welcoming. However, I do think the last 3 or 4 posts could be rolled into one... We've been talking about this party idea for a bit too long now.
BUT, I just wanted to say that this Cure has been great. There were a couple weeks in there where the posts were all really helpful and it kept me really on track. I haven't done everything yet that I'd like to. I still have some fixes in the bathroom and some organizing in the closets and kitchen to do. But I think my home has really improved a lot. I made a couple pretty dramatic changes (a totally new living room layout) and a couple more subtle ones (a fresh coat of paint in the living room and coat hooks in the entry closet). I got rid of some stuff (my TV) and I also bought a few select things which I love (a poster, a vintage fan, a beautiful antique chair for my bedroom).
I really studied House Tours and realized some of the general elements that I admired in them, which has helped me figure out my personal style and where I want my home to go. The layout and overall feel of my apartment now is so much better! It is a really drastic improvement to me even though the changes weren't very expensive and occurred with a minimum of new stuff. I didn't realize before that I could make my home so much nicer with just a little experimentation, some paint, and some decluttering. I would definitely feel a lot better now about inviting people over, and I hope I will get a chance to throw a get together at my apartment and celebrate how much more beautiful and functional my home now is.
Your rabbit room looks so nice, Chloe! What a great job.
What about the "graduation" pics? I want to see what the others have done to their rooms!
Now there's a Graduation at Green Cure, but it still feels like something is missing. Maybe a nice round-up in writing too?