Lately, I have been very focused on my home: how do I make it more comfortable, more organized, more efficient? I decided that I needed to have it less cluttered and find a use for everything that I keep. I have been like a drill sergeant around the house, demanding that every thing be analyzed and put to good use.
This got me thinking, "What is a home?" A home is where you are comfortable. A home is where you are at peace. A home is filled with family and friends. A home is your escape from the world to recharge.
Once I started focusing on my home, it seemed like I was hyper aware of anything having to do with a home. And it was everywhere: home remodeling shows, home efficiencies, the best things to cook, how to organize things.
I always thought such preoccupation was very indulgent. After all, a home is a home, isn’t it? I want my home to be nice, but it's not my main focus. But then I thought, if it's not that important why am I spending all this money on it? I have a mortgage, insurance, furniture, heat, electric, upkeep, decorating, and everything else that is inside these walls.
It got me thinking. Maybe we don't need a house, but we do need a home. A home is much different than the structure. A home is where you are comfortable. A home is your escape to recharge. A home is welcoming to family and friends. Maybe we don't need a million dollar house, but we all need a home. A place that is safe and nurturing.
Recently, I had Coryanne Ettiene as a guest on my radio show, Personal Best. Coryanne has the website www.Housewifebliss.com. I was nervous about this show because I am definitely not the Martha Stewart type. The time it would take to make me a homemade pillow, I could write an entire novel. I'm not kidding.
Still, I was excited about her ideas and thought it would be fun to see if she had some answers for folks like me. I prepared for the interview and wrote out a bunch of questions, but something didn't feel right. I realized I was asking questions that related to a house and not a home. I wanted to know how to make things physically perfect, instead of how to make things pleasing for me.
We went on the air and I found myself surprised by all of her answers. She wasn't interested in telling me how to set a scene with a room, prepare a mouthwatering casserole out of organic vegetables, or even how to embroider pillowcases from my wedding dress remnants. Instead, she told me how to make a comfortable home. The results would be perfect..for me.
Instead of making the perfect house, we talked about the importance of making a home. The kitchen where my family enjoys a good cup of coffee and laughs at holidays, our favorite artwork collected on all of our trips, or my Grandma's favorite tables that are now my favorite tables in my living room.
These are the pieces of my imperfect house that make it a perfect home for me.
Kristin Tews’ radio show “Personal Best” airs weekdays at 12 noon on WKRS 1220am and streams live on www.wkrs.com.
