Metamorphosis Monday- How I change an ordinary cheap Motel room into Home each week.

If you aren't aware by now, I am a traveling PTA. I go where the company I work for needs me, sometimes requiring me to be away from home. My recent place to be is in Colby, Kansas, in the middle of the flat, dry part of Kansas. It has it's own appeal, but is 2 hours from home. I leave every Monday morning at 8-8:30 and drive 2 hours to get to Colby. I work a 6 hour day, and then check-in at the local Super 8. There are other motels in the area, but this is the one the company has struck a "deal" with. After work, I unload all of my things and do my best to make this stark, plain, cheap motel room into my home for the week. They do give me a room on the ground floor, since I tend to bring a lot of things to do. It takes me 3 or 4 trips to the car to get it all. I think I need to drag out my old luggage carriers that we used BEFORE the suitcases had wheels on them. I think I have 2-3 of them at home. Here's what I do to make my home away from home, a little better. I hope you never need to do this, but these are my suggestions. First, though the "closet" is a rod hanging by the window.
I'm lucky to have a recliner, and a lamp/table. They are always pushed up against the wall. I think to make it look bigger!

The desk, tv, table, microwave, refrigerator all on one wall.

Just your standard, boring, bedside table with alarm clock.

This is my dining table, work table, desk, etc. I have brought along photo albums this week, one that needs to have the wedding order removed and ordered - the other to have the proofs put in so they can pick them up next week. I also have bills to pay - (yuck) and so I have to bring them along too.

The bedside table here is shown with a bowl of apples and lemons. I take an apple to work for lunch every day, and the lemons will be explained below. I don't use the alarm clock, it will be unplugged later, and I will use my cell phone to awaken me.

I pull the chair out from the wall so that I can put my feet up while blogging(!) and put out my throw from home. Not only is it a comfort from home type thing, but it helps when the air gets a little chilly. As with all Motel rooms, it is either hot or cold. Seldom any inbetween! The small table holds my bible for my morning studies, and there is room for my cup of coffee or water too. The bedside table holds my aromatherapy lotion, and English Lavendar Linen Spray that I use every night before I go to bed. I love the smell of both, and really feel like they help me rest better in a strange place. The room itself doesn't smell BAD, it just doesn't smell great. I would love to use a candle, but didn't think the smoke alarms would like it, so I use the spray.

I unpack my garment bag, hang up the clothes that need it, and put out my dirty clothes bag. Of course it's PINK! The first week I was here, I packed the dirty clothes back into the bag, and then decided that I needed a sack to hold the dirty ones away from the clean ones. Duh.... The big striped bag is what I carry my magazines, books, bible, things that I want to carry with me every week.

After unloading the car, turning on the tv, unpack the groceries, it starts to feel more like it's MY place.

I picked up a plastic cup at Dollar General, and always get a bucket of ice. The lemons come in handy for adding it sliced to the water so it tastes better, has a fresh smell for the room, as well as being brightly colored.

I went to the Dollar General here in town and got one dinner plate, one salad plate, and one bowl, plus forks/spoons/knives that came 4/1.00. They can transform any meal I chose to have into something a little more "HOMEY", whether it's a burger and fries, or a frozen dinner from the microwave.

I add a little color to every corner of the 2 rooms that I have.

I set out my makeup, so it's all ready to go. If you have never tried this makeup, you HAVE to. It's call Arbonne, and I think it is worth every penny. I love the way my skin feels now, and I think I'm looking younger every day! Ha!

Last, but certainly not least, I bring my dollar store coffee cup - decorated with roses, of course, to place in the coffe pot furnished by the Motel. It's a good 1/2 cup more than the paper ones provided, I hate using paper cups with hot drinks.

I love my job, just don't always love being away from home so much. But, the money makes it a lot less difficult, DH is great about it, and I guess they are right when they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Every Friday morning I load back up, check out, and head home around 2:00 p.m. The good thing is, I've always wanted to know more about my home state, and this has given me a chance to learn more. I made the comment about 5 years ago that if I could just find a way to combine my 3 favorites in the world, therapy-travel-photography, that it would be the perfect job. Well, I guess dreams do come true, because this is the best of all the worlds, except with DH being left at home. I guess once again- you better be careful what you ask for, God just may give it to you. I pray that I can leave a positive influence for my profession wherever I go, hoping that people who know me want to know Christ also. Have a wonderful Met Monday, joining Susan and all the other wonderful people at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ !