Houseroom

Happy 2024, everyone!

It’s my yearly blog post, where I choose one word that I’ll use to set intention, or manifest good things throughout the next 12 months. In the past, the words have included “balance”, “transition”, “fulfillment”, “growth”, and “better”. I used to do this in conjuntion with the One Word 365 Project, but that doesn’t exist anymore

This year, my word is considered to be “old-fashioned” by the OED and to be honest, I’d never heard of it before yesterday. But I was listening to Grammar Girl, one of my favorite podcasts, and she was talking about this word – houseroom. Its basic meaning is to give space or accommodation for something – or not. :)

It’s a rather arcane word, but I want to bring it back! It has such a nice ring to it. I’ll give you an example of the way I’m going to use it: this year, I want to give houseroom for more “lazy days” – days spent doing nothing but gardening, or traveling to a nearby bookstore, or reading. I’ve had so very few of these days in the past five or six years, and I’d like to recharge. :)

Other ways I’d like to give more houseroom: time with friends, trying new recipes, attending more free events at the library or other fun spaces in our area, going all in on No-Spend January, and of course, more time to experiment with my art practice. I’ve got a residency at the Grand Marais Art Colony planned already for April/May (YAY! My third!), and I’d love to return in the fall as well.

Of course, there’s always the opposite, so here are the ways I’d like to “clean house” this year:

• Taking a break on huge projects (I’ve done five enormous ones of over 50 pieces in the past five years)
• Getting rid of ideas that no longer work for me
• LITERALLY making houseroom by having an art sale in the spring!

How about you? What’s your “one word” for the year? :) Let me know in the comments! :)