There I was, another night at home in 2020, scrolling mindlessly through Instagram. I had just followed along in the stories of two of my favorite influencers as they gave updates to the brand new homes they were building and then saw a gorgeous kitchen on another’s page. I’ve always been one to admire design and beautiful homes, so this truly made me happy to look at, but in one more click I saw a viral image that looked more like my own kitchen with the message that said “normalize normal homes”.
I looked at that image for a bit. When was the last time I stopped to admire a “normal” home? When was the last time I felt content and thankful for my own normal home?
As much as we’d like to blame social media for all of our problems, in the case of home design and decor we have always been surrounded by magazines or tv shows also showcasing the latest styles and trends. And while I think it’s completely OK to appreciate visually stimulating homes, I don’t want this to get in the way of loving my own home.
When we moved into this house nearly five years ago, my husband and I were motivated by Chip and Joanna to immediately start renovating. While I love the updates we did, I can’t lie and say it wasn’t stressful. Aside from the finances we dedicated to our new designs, my husband also spent a ton of time apart from the kids and me getting projects done while also balancing his career. We finally got to a point where we said “no more” for awhile, which means our house still isn’t “perfect.” But I’ve realized it does mean is that we are living in our house together as a home and just enjoying it.
As I reflect on appreciating my “normal home” I want to make sure that any projects we do in the future are because we want to do them- not because we feel the need to keep up with trends we see on Instagram. I will always appreciate home design and there is a time and a place for updates for sure; I just want to make sure I’m updating in the best interest of my family and me and not because I feel obligated to check a box.
I’ll probably never have the house with no toys in the living room, and one couch cushion will always be extra lumpy because it’s our dog’s favorite place to nap in the sun. Fingerprints will continue to appear on the windows and crumbs on the counter, but I’m choosing to look at my house as a wonderful, loving, absolutely normal home. All the things that aren’t photo worthy are part of how my family lives and plays, and I know these blessings are worth far more than any new home design.
I cannot thank you enough for this post. There is always comfort in knowing that others have the same experiences.
This reminds me of a wonderful old saying: “My house is clean enough to be sanitary and dirty enough to look lived in.” 🙂