Many days, I clear all of the junk out of the frame and take a photo of our home that comes out looking quite nice (if you ask me).
I hope you already know this: It’s all a mirage.
Because most days, I’m in the middle of a scene that looks a little more like this.
Can you feel me?
If you are trying to create a beautiful home, you aren’t alone. And there’s something inspiring about seeing spaces without all signs of life.
But I’m so grateful that our home is full of life – there are signs everywhere.
Like the pillow forts that constantly grace the sofa. Because those pillows are begging to be piled. Or the half-empty cups that are LITERALLY EVERYWHERE. (Where do they all come from? Only three people live here.)
We live here.
Henry and I came up with a fun list of summer things to do – and I spent a few minutes sprawling them on the chalkboard like Pinterest taught me to do. It’s a pretty fun way to see all the things we’ve managed to fit into this small window of time.
And then, Henry grabbed chalk and wrote all our names below there. (Henry, Kim and dad.) And yes. That stays. I don’t care what Pinterest says.
It’s the perfect sign of life. What fun is the perfect chalkboard if your child can’t actually USE the chalkboard?
We live here.
Henry and I were sitting on the couch and something caught my eye on the mantel.
I decorated the mantel with lots of red, white and blue for the sumer. Henry upped the ante with Chris and a wolf from Wild Kratts.
We both agree it’s the perfect addition. Because why have a great living space to hang out as a family without having any signs of kid-life?
We live here.
I love our mudroom. Really, I haven’t met a pretty mudroom I don’t love.
But, in truth – it’s really more of a “bag room.” We can’t be the only family who seems to have 15 bags on hooks at any given moment.
Not to mention dog leashes, bug catchers and cleaning supplies. And a stray shoe or two (or ten).
Because why have a mudroom if you don’t actually use it to catch the mud, bags, and other stuff that gets hurdled through there every day?
We live here.
If you are modeling your home after a Pinterest-perfect image, then you already know that it’s simply unattainable.
So take heart if you feel like you just can’t meet the expectations you see around you. Because when you look around and see imperfection – I see signs of life.
A home should be beautiful and meaningful – it should be a place where people live.
And we live here.
Where do you see signs of imperfection life in your home?
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Lisa Hamel says
You do you so well! Plenty of bloggers do the occasional “behind the scenes” post, but those always seem to focus on the state of their house and how frustrating things can be when the home isn’t perfect. I love your post because it’s like a persuasive essay on having a positive, welcoming attitude towards the “lived-in” aspects of our home. I loved it–especially the repetition of the statement “We live here.” That’s something I can take with me!
Rhonda ` says
I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if when the ‘extra bags’, ‘toys’, ‘cups’, are placed out of photo frame they end up living in the spaces we never know exist in the home of pinterest worthy homes. I appreciate your post. After all haven’t we read previous entries of drinking/eating healthy, decorating, and writing lists through the years? Your son is just doing what he’s been told to do with what he has. Hats off to your son. But only if I hang it up on that ‘perfect’ hook I recently found that the best hubby in the world hung up for me after working his very demanding day job. Trust me…one day you will miss his decorating touch on your home.
Cassie Bustamante says
YES! i am so feeling this these days… honestly i am not sure what will become of my blog because i am really enjoying NOT blogging. but i know the kids will be back in school in a couple months so i will need to do something…. i just want to keep it even more real than i already do.
Kelly says
This is absolutely PERFECT. Your wonderfully written words are exactly what I am feeling. While we don’t have children in our home, we have two black labs who have firmly secured their signs of life in all our living spaces and I couldn’t be happier.
All my best,
Kelly
Colleen says
You are such a breath of fresh air! Maybe that’s why I love your blog. And you are right – where do all those cups and glasses come from?! We are empty nesters and there are always at least half a dozen hanging around…
daisy says
As we’re still unpacking, the list is extensive. Being an organizer, I am doing my best to cope, but slowly, we are making progress. It’s quite satisfying to see it come together. So, I’m not sure what our “lived in” will look like, but you can be sure, it’ll FEEL right. That’s all that matters.
Love your patriotic theme!
Berda says
I too have tried to attain the beautiful , “perfect” home….but alas, I have four boys and a two year old grand baby. My reality is the colorful decor accessories of Legos, K-Nex, and shoes, shoes and more shoes…and that’s just the boys! The grandchild gets her jollies confiscating every throw pillow, throw and loose blanket she can get her hands on to make a giant “bed” in the middle of the floor to pretend napping on or “reading” the pile of books she’s taken off the shelves. But hey, she’s looking at a book. Can’t get the boys to do that in the summer! But like you said, “We live here.”
Jenny says
You should be proud of your cleaning routine if this is what your house looks like “lived in.” If pillows and cups are all that you can’t keep on top of then you have seriously got your house under control.
I mean this all genuinely, but I think it might sound snarky. I know cleaning is important to you, and it shows!
brit says
I thought the same thing Jenny! Im jealous of her messy 🙂
Sarah says
Love this! Thanks for sharing!
Right now, (actually for about 1 week, since we came back from vacation), I have had folded laundry sitting on our kitchen peninsula. I put some of it away and then get distracted, then more gets folded and added to whats there and it just can’t seem to get done enough to get cleared off.
And it was nice to see that your boy messes up the pillows just like my family does. I used to have a lot of pillows. Now I’m down to 3 because I got tired of constantly picking them up off the floor.
Susan says
FINALLY – a blogger who shows off REAL LIFE photos of her home. Please note I didn’t say ‘house’, because what we all want to live in is a HOME. Bravo – love it
Kristin says
I love this so much.