Friday, July 20, 2012

Frontline Friday: An Open Invitation to Our House

One of the things that really struck me about our visit to California, was the experience of staying in other’s people’s homes.  Everywhere we went, we were welcomed into the homes of friends and family with open arms.  But it wasn’t just their excitement, or even their welcoming actions that made us feel at home away from home- it was also the things they had done to their actual spaces that made them feel inviting.  A cushy couch, a breezy open window, an extra fluffy comforter.

For the past year, our home hasn’t quite felt like home to me.  After what felt like months of organizing and decorating, I began to feel overwhelmed at the prospect of continual homemaking.  The effort and expense just didn’t feel worth it to me anymore.

But after returning home from our trip I have a renewed excitement for making our space our own.  I want where we live to be a place of comfort: warm and inviting to my family first and foremost- and then a place of welcome for those who pass through as well.

I’ve started the process of decorating some of spaces that I had been neglecting.  Our bedroom, our bathroom, and the girls’ rooms were the worst of all.  I’ll do my best to master a task I’ve found difficult until now: the BEFORE picture.  I’ll share updates here.

So, what do you think?  What things could you do to your personal space to make it more inviting?  For instance, I’ve made it a goal to have a few extra items of equipment laying around for the neighborhood kids: helmets, bikes, scooters, and bouncy balls.  That way, when kids come over to play, our space is somewhere they can lounge and linger.

I’d love to hear your ideas as well.   Leave your thoughts in the comments about something you  could do that’s easy and simple, but will make your space (inside or out) more inviting to those around you.

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