I’ve asked everyone enrolled in the Virtual Closet Makeover Program to share their “before” photos in our private community.
Posting pictures of your home, especially ones that you’re less than proud of, for a group of perfect strangers to view, takes real courage. I’ve been blown away by the dozens of women who accepted my invitation and posted, even though they may have felt some degree of anxiety or shame.
It got me thinking about what I could share with these brave women, and with all of you.
I wanted to take a leap and share something that made me feel a little nervous. And here’s what I realized. I put a lot of pressure on myself to be “perfect.” My home is objectively quite organized and tidy, but with young kids, and busy schedules, their room is not always quite as picture perfect as the images I share here.
This is how you typically see their room. This photo was styled by yours truly, and taken by the talented Vivian Johnson.
Since our girls are tasked with making their beds each morning and putting their own laundry away, their room seldom looks like this photo. Sometimes, it looks more like this one:
Sharing this image may not seem like a big deal to you. I’m sure many of you are thinking that this looks like a typical kids’ room and I have nothing to be ashamed of. But, let me be honest – sharing this photo feels quite vulnerable to me.
I never judge my clients or their spaces, but I can judge myself pretty harshly. As someone with high standards and perfectionistic tendencies, I find myself focusing on the little things – the beds that aren’t perfectly made, the stuffed animals and polyester cupcake pillow that certainly don’t align with my style standards, and the clutter on the surfaces… But here’s what I do like about this image – It’s REAL. My daughters love their room, and I love that they feel comfortable, safe, and happy in their space.
My intention is that by sharing more than just the perfectly polished images that you usually see here, you will feel the same relief that I feel when I see other bloggers open up and share their less-than-perfect selves, lives, and homes.
I’m working on being kinder to myself and choosing authenticity and connection over rigid perfectionism. Who’s with me?
Why are you worried? You can still see the carpet:-)
To be honest, I find it refreshing to show real life. No one lives in a vacuum NOT interacting with the things around them, even if you are very clean and organized. (Being new to Instagram, I’m actually quite perplexed as to why people post a million angles of the same space or section of space) I think it’s wonderful showing your humanity (vulnerability), especially as an organizer. It models a virtual world that is more authentic. Life is not static. These sorts of pictures celebrate tolerance as a philosophy for living (action word) in all their ebbs and flow. Kudos to you, Shira, for sharing!
I think the before version is much warmer and reflective of the lives of your lovely daughters! I depended on the stuff all over my kids’ rooms to help me learn more about them — I was always being surprised.
I love the real-life image of their bedroom! What a happy and lived-in space 🙂
Thanks for sharing so candidly! Reading one paragraph of your piece on entryways has transferred my head and home! The power of baskets…