I read blogs for inspiration and ideas; there are a lot of creative people out there! I've learned a lot and found some great inspiration. But sometimes, after looking at all the perfect pictures and beautiful perfectly put together rooms it can be kind of defeating. Is this how everyone lives? My house is not anywhere near as perfect as some of the homes I see online, nor do I have every room in my house beautifully decorated. Am I missing something here?
So today at the risk of possibly losing some readers or irritating people by being extra wordy I wanted to join in on this Blog Honesty thing going around~
1. As I mentioned above my house is not kept in a continuous state of perfection. Truth: I hate cleaning. (My mom on the other hand loves cleaning- why I didn't inherit that trait I'll never know.) There are a million other things I'd rather be doing. So I don't clean everyday. And seriously- what's the point when I have a 2.5 year old messing up right behind me?
2. On that point, my house does not look like one out of a magazine shoot. It's not perfectly curated, all the rooms do not flow together in cohesive harmony. Nor do I think it ever will. Our house seems to be in a constant state of change. Those pictures I take of projects or rooms of my home- that corner looks great. But if I took a picture of the opposite corner you'd probably see a bunch of toy cars or some laundry I haven't gotten to. I mean- my dining room doesn't even have a dining table in it!
3. I love to DIY but I'm no expert- sometimes I wish I were. Sure I'm a trained Interior Designer- but they don't teach you any of the stuff I've done on this blog in school. Most of what I do is trial and error. And I hope that comes through in my posts- I try to be honest when I make a mistake or things go wrong. So if you try a project on your own you know what to expect. Though sometimes I know I gloss over the tough stuff and make is seem like a breeze. Sometimes things go smoothly and sometimes they don't. In the future I'll try to be completely upfront about how things go.
4. Here's a big one: I've had a hard time making the transition from working mom to stay at home mom. Of course I love staying home with the Con-Man. This time we have together is a gift I know many working women dream of. But there are days when I miss the hustle and bustle of an office, working with clients and architects to see a project through,sharing and coming up with ideas, going to the job site and getting dirty. I loved what I did and I miss it sometimes; ok more than sometimes a lot of the time. But I am grateful for this unique opportunity I have been given. Not only do I get to spend time with my son I've been able to accomplish a lot of big projects I may not have been able to do while working. This blog has helped keep me sane, it's my little escape from my everyday life so I am grateful for it as well.
5. Sometimes I worry that I spend to much time with my blog and on the computer in general. Am I spending enough time with the Con-Man? If I didn't have a blog would I clean more (See #1 above). It always seems that I am trying to find balance between things I want to do and the things I need to do. It's hard and I'm working on it.
Well there you have it. Some down and dirty stuff that has been on my mind for a while. Hopefully this little insight into my insecurities lets you know more of who I am and most of you have not run for the hills.
I don't think anyone will run for the hills Rachelle!!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to read a little more about you and see some of the same insecurities I have...number 4 and 5 I tend to struggle with most days! But you know what? We need to cut ourselves some slack. We are all doing the best we can. And that's all we can do!!
I think every mother is trying to find that 'perfect balance' in their lives and maybe we can all breathe a sigh of relief and give up that particular chase by knowing that we are doing our best and that it is already good enough!
Great post Rachelle!!! Xxx
Great post Rachelle! And I do know exactly what you mean!! My house is always in a perpetual state of chaos (except for when my mom comes to town...) as we have 3 teenage boys and I am terrible when it comes to cleaning & clutter. Don't get me wrong... my house is clean but it definitely does NOT meet up to my Mom's standard. She LOVES to clean!! And clutter freaks her out.... seriously, she gets nervous in a cluttered home. And I am continually comparing myself to others....
ReplyDeleteSo yep I do agree with Courtney that we all need to cut ourselves a bit of slack. to find balance. I have to ask myself these questions on a regular basis "Is my family happy?" "Is my husband happy with our relationship?" Is he happy with our home? Does it make him feel comfortable? I figure if my husband and family are happy then all is good!!
Rachelle,
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you! I do want to encourage you tho. I quit a very fulfilling full time job when my first son turned one. I had maternity leave and when it was time to go back to work, it was a struggle. My mother in law was my babysitter, so that wasn't an issue for me. I just was not where I wanted to be and my work reflected that attitude. I made the difficult decision to stay home with my son . It was a hard transition for me at first, but I adapted. For the past 16 years I've worked from my home and that too is a bit of a juggling act, I have 3 sons ages 16,20, and 22. Enjoy your time with your son,
Doreen
Beautiful post! I had a hard time adjusting to being a SAHM as well. But, after 4 years, I don't think I could go work for anyone else. I've discovered I like being the boss. lol. Also, thank you for the visit and the sweet comment @TheDedicatedHouse. It means the world. Wishing you a grand day! Toodles, Kathryn
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness -- I SO with you on this! LOL about taking the picture and then knowing that the opposite end of the room is a nightmare! Our house is a 1970's ranch that is boring and bland so it's been a real challenge to make it nice on a very tight budget! I too get discouraged at some of the blogs (especially the ones where the laundry room looks better than MY living room!) But, I try to glean ideas from everyone and apply them in my OWN way to what I have to work with. And as far as being home, I did that all the years my kids were growing up and am now back working almost 40 hours (not by choice) and I so miss that time at home. When they're little like yours, life IS challenging but you won't ever regret being at home with them later in life!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post and I do not believe you will loose readers. I like the honestly specially when we see all over the blogs beautiful homes, all organized and clean. We think what am I doing wrong. I blog about the projects I work in my house and just like you when I snap that picture of the are I just worked on I do not show what is behind me which an area full of toys, paper and other things laying around. Thank you for being honest
ReplyDelete