Do houses have a personality from the outside or do you have to go inside to feel the vibes? There is a particular couple of homes I pass everyday on my way into town. Both of them fit my definition of a sad house.
The place is worn and weary from paint to porch. The drapes hang dingily in the window that is dark and foreboding. The landscaping is brushing and overgrown. The place reeks of disrepair. And I saw the school bus pull up to drop off a couple of young kids. I would find it hard to walk into that place as the outside makes me think it is sadder inside.
It's none of my business and I know that. But in my profession, I am trained to notice. And I do notice. What makes it really sad to me? I have a basic belief that a person doesn't have to have alot of money to keep a place up. They just have to know how to work hard and be resourceful enough to find what or who they need to help.
I have told you that I am a salvager at heart. I also learned from my grandmother that keeping a place clean has nothing to do with your pocket book. It has everything to do with your work ethic.
To make that house happy I would go down to the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store and buy some exterior paint. I would slap a coat on and I would get out the bucket with some vinegar and hot water in it and start washing the windows. I would take down the dingy curtains and give them a washing and rehang them neatly. I would find a rake and some clippers and trim up the yard. And finally, I would make or buy an inexpensive wreath and hang it on my door.
I would want my kids to be proud of the home they come back to. I would like to show the world that my home may not be fancy, but it is comfortable and taken care of. Isn't that what we all want?