We had two sets of friends come to town last weekend, one staying with us and the other at an Airbnb close by. The temperature dropped drastically Friday night and by Saturday it was cold and raining. Our house became the hangout spot for the weekend.

At one point, every single surface had stuff on it. Cups galore, dirty dishes, countless socks missing their owner, shoes on the floor, and dress up clothes in every room.

And I just keep thinking: look at my home! Look at it doing what it was made to do! It was meant to hold people and their mismatched socks and their cups. It was made to be dirtied and tidied and dirtied again. It was made to be USED! In all its imperfections, here it is, doing what it does best: bringing people together, keeping them warm, feeding them, and sheltering them (quite literally) from the wind and rain.

When you allow your home to be a living, active part of your life, you are freed to use it in a way that best serves you and your family; you feel less obligated to have it look like the spotless masterpieces you see online. You start to use it like you would your favorite chefs knife. Work the hell out of it. Clean it and care for it. Repeat.

As we head into a week where many will be hosting more people than usual, I hope you feel permission to allow your home to be a tool and not a masterpiece. I hope mismatched chairs and china remind you you’ve got so many people and so much love you’re bursting! You literally had to bring in extra chairs and trays and plastic cutlery to make it all work. That’s a good thing. That’s a happy home; a home being loved and used well 🏠❤️

Other posts you may like:

Coming Out Of The Fog Desk Made With Love Shower In The Dark Full Circle