Making your home sing...or at least hum...

I love Momstheword. She's just so full of common sense and thoughtful attention to life that she helps keep me grounded and focused when I think my head might explode. Since I don't know her in real life, I can't take her out for soda and share some girl talk. The only way I can support her is by supporting her efforts to get us all focused on making our houses sing. Since I am a classic underachiever, I'm shooting for a nice harmonic hum and I'm hoping she'll forgive me.

Starting today, every Monday a bunch of us will be posting the things we are doing to make our houses homes that are filled with joy rather than just buildings that a bunch of people happen to share. Let me be clear here, though. We're not talking about the things money can buy, we're talking about imbuing your home with love. If you've ever walked into a house without love, you know exactly what I mean. A few years ago, Charming and I walked into a house that was absolute chaos...screaming children, food strewn everywhere, broken furniture, beds that were nothing more than mattresses on the floor and individuals focused on televisions, video games, computers...anything but each other. When we left, I told him, "There is no love in that house. Since the parents have decided to divorce in two years, no one cares...from the parents who've decided it doesn't matter, to the six kids, there is no love being shown in that house." My son was stunned...he had taken our home for granted. That house was so sad and I've never forgotten it. Whether you live all by yourself, are just a parent of fur babies, or are trying to compete with the Duggars, your home is a reflection of you. If you don't care for it, you are not caring for yourself. So, join those of us who are putting thought into how we might make our homes sing...

Making Your Home Sing Monday

At the risk of sounding repetitive, the last few weeks have clearly illustrated for me that it takes more than intent to make your house a home. It takes attention. As I've shared, the attention I was paying to the details of home-caring had jumped on a slippery slope since the holidays and chaos was king, even if it didn't appear that way from the outside. The people in the house weren't happy--there was whining, there was complaining, there was unkindness, it wasn't good. Two weeks ago, I looked in the mirror and accepted responsibility for the unhappiness I saw around me and I determined to change my response. I wish I could say I was surprised at the turnaround, but I knew what needed to be done and I just hadn't been doing it.

The truth is, our houses can't sing (or hum) without deliberate action on our parts. Whether you have children or you don't, if you are in charge of your home, that means you set the tone. Chores are either drudgery or the way you show the members of your family that you care. It all depends on the message you choose to believe and pass along. If I am letting things fall to wayside, I am saying they really don't matter. If I say they don't matter, how can I expect anyone else to care about those things? It is a vicious cycle. So, to get the home we want, deliberate action is called for.

For me, deliberate action mean I must plan on Sunday night. Every Monday is a tiny New Year's Day. Each week is like a little renewal, an opportunity to begin as I mean to go on. I must have the menu done, the schooling printed, the errands scheduled, and the house tidy all before I go to bed Sunday evening. If I go to bed with things in order for Monday morning, I don't feel like I've blown my resolutions before I've even begun and my positive feelings set the tone for the week and we, well, hum along!

For more ideas on how to make your home sing, head on over to Momstheword and see what other people are doing to make their homes a place everyone wants to be.