A fresh coat of paint and a fresh start

My family has lived in our old farm house for 13 years, since I was 10. Since then, I've had the same pink walls with a butterfly border and the same hot pink furniture. My bulletin board was filled with old pictures, and I still had all of the books I needed in college. A few days ago, I realized that I was finally feeling mentally strong enough to take on the project of transforming my bedroom.

A big motivator for me was seeing my close friends moving into houses and apartments. I have accepted that I'm not ready to live on my own yet, but I was inspired to make a change. My bedroom can serve different purposes: a place for sleeping, an area I could relax and unwind, and somewhere I could use as an "office" for writing and corresponding. I could create a space where I would feel more independent, but I would also be able to have the support from my family.

Once I began organizing and going through my old things, I realized how far I've come. When I was struggling the most, even carrying downstairs the cup I used for water was too overwhelming for me. I couldn't make my bed or clean up my clothes. I would have never imagined I'd be able to completely overhaul my room in just a couple of days.

Right now, the new paint is drying and my closet is organized for the first time. I've parted with clothes that I kept saying I'd wear someday, packed away my cheerleading bows from high school, and laughed over the papers I still had from college. Although I'm physically exhausted, I've never felt so mentally strong. If I could take on 13 years of memories, I can accomplish anything.

-Allie


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