Cultivating Home: What is home and why does it matter?
Hi friend!
Today on the blog we are going to dive into the topic of ‘home’. What is home and why does it matter? As someone who moved over a dozen times growing up, home wasn’t necessarily just the walls around me at night. What is home to you and why does home matter?
Cultivating Home: What is home and why does it matter?
What is Home?
A basic search on the Merriam-Webster dictionary will tell you this…
HOME n.
- the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives
- a family living together in one building, house, etc.
- a place where something normally or naturally lives or is located
I think we all know the textbook definition of home, but do we truly understand how important home actually is?
Home
Home is not just a place where we lay down our heads at night. Home is where we can come together with family and friends and enjoy each other’s company. We can celebrate life’s victories and comfort each other in times of loss and grief. Home is where you can retreat at the end of the day and leave your worries and burdens at the door.
Did you know that in 2019, we spent an average of 50% of our waking time at home? In 2020 that number jumped to 62% per Flowing Data. The fact that we spend over half of our time awake at home is reason in it of itself to consider the importance of home.
I asked my Instagram followers to share with me what they thought of when they think of home and these were the results:
- safe place
- family
- doesn’t have to be a certain place, it’s where you make it
- warmth
- share home
- comfortable to be yourself
- not just physical safety but emotional safety
- happiness
- where I’m grateful for
- feel welcomed
- stability and peace
- most special place
Home is Where You Make It
Growing up in the military we moved at least 10 times, I think. Somehow my Mom would make each and every house we lived in into home.
She will always tell the story of when we arrived to our World War 2 era home on base in Hawaii that she immediately wanted to cry after walking into the house because it was so BAD. Base housing is usually pretty crappy, so add in gecko poop everywhere I’m sure you can imagine just how gross it was.
She says that her and my Dad immediately went to Lowe’s to get some peel and stick tile and paint to fix the house up and make it tolerable. I don’t even remember what it looked like before she worked her magic.
She took what she was given and made it home. No matter where in the world we were, as long as Mom put her special touch on the house and our family was together – we were home.
My parents would always let my brother and I pick the paint color we wanted and that always made our new rooms feel so special.
From a young age I learned that sometimes home is not ideal or where your first pick would be, but you would be amazed what you can create with some grit and a good scrub.
No matter where you are in the world, home is where you make it.
Home is Personal
Home doesn’t have to be some suburban home with a 2 car garage and an open concept living room. Home can be the shoebox apartment in NYC or a early 1900s home on 10 acres. Home is whatever you want it to be.
Sometimes we can’t always be in our dream home right away because of jobs, money, or just straight up reality. That doesn’t mean that we can’t make our current house into home. And heck, some of us have different dreams. Home is going to be different for each and every one of us.
Make home YOURS. It doesn’t have to be Pinterest worthy or even trendy. As long as it is something you love and enjoy that’s all that matters. But maybe decorating your home brings you joy like it does to me- then do that! Some seasons we may find ourselves scaling back on the decor and then the next season we add more. Life is not a straight up or down line, we are constantly going up and down and things are usually always moving and changing. Let your home reflect that.
Here are some wise words from my personal friends… I love what they had to say.
“Having made many houses “homes” over the years definitely influences my definition of home. Home is a place that contains the people who mean the most to you as well as the things that mean the most. It isn’t necessarily fancy, perfectly coordinated or decorated (although that certainly does influence my feelings of it) but it is clean and comforting and the place your family can escape from the world and feel safe in”. – Joni
“Home the strong hold family foundation built on- faith, love, peace, comfort, memories, relaxation, lessons, blessings, hurdles, strength, guidance, growth, tradition, laughter, tears, messiness, immaculateness, safety, security, energizing – wouldn’t change it for the world.” – Karli
Home is Renewing
Have you ever noticed how when you get home after being gone all day that you just kind of melt? Something about being home you can just let the burdens you carried throughout the day fall off. Home is where your people are. The ones who love and cherish you.
You’re able to take a shower or a bath and literally wash the day away.
You put on your favorite lotion and clothes and suddenly your problems don’t feel as overwhelming.
You’re able to rest.
Create a place for your family to relax and renew. That is probably one of my most important tips. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy.
One major way to create a renewing home is by home editing. AKA: decluttering. That’s something we will be focusing on in January so be sure to stick around for that!
“Home is our safe space. Our space to say, feel, and express without fear of judgement or retribution. The space where we can relax completely and are able to let our guards down completely and it always welcomes rest” – Sarah
Home is Essential
We all know just how essential home is especially given the current circumstances of the world.
Ladies, this is where we come in. We are called to create homes for our families.
I think we far too often discredit the ability of a woman to truly fulfill her role as a homemaker. Women make the home. From decorating it to cooking meals each and everyday. Women have such a special role in this world and we are often too distracted to realize our full potential.
“To me, home is an extremely important part of the family. The home is what the woman creates. She makes it a comfort for her family and all who come in. It’s where her children will grow up and her husband will find peace. It’s home. And every home is unique and different. And that’s what makes it home” – Ivy
This doesn’t mean that we have to create this magnificent place. But rather, realizing that every little task we do in our home is because we love those whom we share home with
Home
Home is something so very special and intimate in ways we don’t even know how to explain.
I hope my blog is a sliver of hope and inspiration for you. I hope that you believe you can create your own haven through recipes, DIYs, decorating and more.
Thank you for being here today, friends! I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.
