My friend Mrs. White talks about the Parlor quite a bit on her blog.  Sprucing it up for company and family alike. A little decoration here and there. 

We have an entry way – sometimes guests coming to pick up or drop off an item or a child or a quick how do you do  – sometimes they never make it past the parlor stage of the house.

We were working on a project this week, taking photos in the living room, and I noticed in the photos that the sitting area of the parlor looked cluttered.

Not out of control. Not overly messy or dirty. Just. Not.  . . . Like I was expecting to relax in that area any time soon.

The sitting area had baseballs, apples, tins, items to return to our market – the blanket was askew, the pillows weren’t fluffed. Not out of control – just not Ready to Rest.

The little table had been gathering items for quite some time. Fly Lady calls these hot spots.  I have found that once an item is there for over a week – you sort of stop seeing it.

I had not noticed that there were two holiday decorations, a pin from a tournament from 3 months ago – receipts that were not needing saved, nor that wilted balloon. Why is it down there?

Dog hair and dirt are abundant in our home. We can wipe 3 times a day – every day. It’s great physical exercise around here.

Oh how I love you little snowman. But it is spring on the Oregon Coast. You must go to your spot til next November.

Sometimes I walk into homes and wonder “What’s the difference? Why does it feel so much cleaner here?”

Oh. Wipe up the coffee after I pick up my cup.  There’s an idea.

A little Old English will spruce this right up. These scratches were here when we moved in, but when the table gets dry the scratches get more obvious.

I like this little bird, but he is a dust collector. A little brush and water spruce him right up. (I’m hoping Hubby doesn’t read this post. . . .)

Ok Ladies – We are ready for a drop by visitor!

We rent our home furnished – and we love the beachy lake theme of the furnishings.  The quilt on the chair is my Grandmother’s. Her Mom’s bible study group created the squares and presented it to my Great Grandmother. My Great Grandmother’s square is on the quilt too. I love it.

One cute thing they did was to put shells and stones on the lines for the mini blinds to give them weight and decoration all at the same time.  Genius.

The above photos are the view from the sitting chair. So pretty.

The view below is the view from the other side of the room out the west window.

I hope these simple little sprucing up tips has helped and inspired you to ready your parlor all the more – for your own enjoyment – and for the nourishment of your guests. A favorite quote of a friend of mine –
“Make your House Come – in – able and Yourself Go Out-Able at the start of each day.”