Not all improvement is an improvement.

It seems like improvement is all the hype right now.

Self care improvement, home improvement – anything as long as it’s new, better, shinier, skinnier. Improve your sleep, your relationships, your parenting. Re-do your kitchen, upgrade your bathroom …revamp your garage, get a mudroom, plant a veggie garden.

If you were to listen to the noise of popular culture, we’d forgive you for thinking you are a flawed, flabby and lazy loser with a messy garage and an uninspired home.

But guess what? We love you, just the way you are! (and so should you…)

This over fixation on fixing things up is exhausting. It exhausts our pockets, our minds and our energy.

This winter, why not just lean out?

Your house is good (enough).

Unless it is unsafe, not suited to your family’s size, or somehow unhealthy, we want you to try something new. Just. Leave. It.

Take a moment to focus on the privilege of having a roof over your head that shelters your family.  It gives you a space to unwind at the end of the day. For millions of people around the world this is a nearly unattainable dream. It doesn’t matter that your kitchen dates from the early 70’s and your bathroom has avocado green porcelain instead of marble and stone.

As long as your roof isn’t actively leaking, no one cares that the ceilings could do with a refresh and the tiles need a new coat of paint.

We promise you, your guests are just too happy to have a space to sleep and enjoy your hospitality. A cup of coffee in the morning will mean much more than having a perfectly decorated and colour matched guestroom. If your guests are fussed about the fact that the walls are showing cracks or the curtain railing is loose, you should be wasting your energy on hosting them. Lean out, save your money and energy and take a breath.

This is good advice when you move into a new home as well.

Again – as long as it isn’t unsafe, don’t immediately start changing everything. Live in the new space for at least six months.  Only then, once you have seen how the changing outdoors influences the indoors, you can start your great overhaul.

You are lovely

As much love and kindness as your home deserves, don’t neglect yourself. Social media and the internet will have you running around trying to achieve those perfect ads, clear skin and flowing hair goals…So exhausting! Why not aim for healthy instead of “pretty”? Because soon you’ll realize that the one is much more important and sustainable than the other!

Sometimes life just is cluttered

As much as we love a super organized and perfectly sorted out home, the expectations of influencer-levels of neatness can be overwhelming.

Luckily for us normal human beings who live in normal homes with normal messes, there is a new trend in home-appreciation. It is called “cluttercore” and it is all about normalising the clutter of everyday living. The vitamin bottles on the counter, the coffee cups in the sink, the art projects, homework and toys in the living room.

This trend towards normalising life is about un-shaming yourself and being thankful for what you have. Toys lying around, and messy cupboards mean you have healthy, busy kids, with enough clothes to keep their cupboards full – WHAT A PRIVELEGE!

A never-ending supply of dirty dishes means you have a never-ending supply of things to eat and drink.

The same can be said for piles of books and shoes. Allow your home to live, and be lived in, and allow yourself the grace to do that living.

As long as it isn’t unhealthy, unsafe, or a symptom of troubled mental health, a bit of clutter is simply what living looks like.

In short, we think it is time to slow down.

Put down the paintbrush and step away from the tile samples. Take a season to simply live, and we are sure you’ll get some clarity on what needs an upgrade and what just needed to be seen from a different angle.

Also read our article on Practical Selfcare Advice