February = Layer Your Home with Love and Comfort
I’m not sure what it is about winter, maybe because we live in a colder climate, because we’re indoors more, maybe it’s the remaining effects of Christmas goodwill, or it’s just because our family is in between sports seasons, but we always seem to spend a lot more time together as a family. With teens that can be difficult, but in winter we seem to hunker in, hang around home more, play more games together, and eat dinner together every night. I know this isn’t the case for my friends with kids in basketball, and I’m certain my friends with little ones are feeling too cooped up by the middle of winter. But I like the rhythm our family settles into in winter. I like that we spend more evenings together after dinner and aren’t running off into different directions. As it’s colder outside, my family seems to settle into the nest a bit more and I tend to make the nest a little more cozy.
Have you found yourself making changes to your home in the new year? We love where we live and different times of the year I find myself “layering” my nest a little more. I have several friends that started purging out closets this month - one took on her entire house! I have other friends that are thinking of remodeling and I’m already dreaming of new paint colors for the dining room and debating if I should do the living room too while I’m at it.
We have this instinct to make our homes comfortable for our families. Even those of us who don’t feel we have an eye for design, we still want our family and friends to feel comfortable and welcome.
Robert Frost said, "We love the things we love for what they are.” We love our families and our homes for what they are - a source of fun and laughter, a safe place we can truly be ourselves, a place of acceptance no matter what. I think we can take on even little things this month to make our homes more of these things for our families and friends. I think that is a gift we can give them, even one that is often overlooked.
I’m trying to clear my kitchen counters (and keep them that way) so my family isn’t greeted by chaos when they walk in everyday. I’m leaving a card or note for each of my kids in their rooms periodically throughout the month, just to encourage them and remind them of how I love them. I’m working on actually shutting my laptop down when it’s evening time and family is around and not just trying to fit in “one more thing”. Small changes that I am hoping will add up over time. What are some things you could do this month to show your love to your family and friends in your home?
