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For parents everywhere, the idea of a perfectly spotless home can feel impossible and unattainable. Instagram-perfect homes with white couches, spotless kitchens that look like they have never been used and magazine worthy bedrooms are not practical for parents who want their children to experience life, live in their home and play with their toys.
Lately, there has been a change of perspective with people starting to embrace normal looking homes, according to Parents. These are homes with toys on the floor, a pile of laundry on the couch. and cute but messy kids artwork on the fridge. The goal? A home that is loved and lived-in.
Say goodbye to an instagram-perfect home
Posts on Instagram and other social media platforms can make you believe that everyone lives in a perfect and aesthetic house, even those with children. But this is not a reality.Long gone are the days where every corner of your house has to look like it was styled by a designer. Parents on social media are leaving these lies and shame behind and normalizing their lived-in, messy, and still beautiful homes.
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Homes like this one on TikTok with spices in their original packaging, their children’s artwork on display, clutter on the dining room table and a laundry room that does exactly what it is meant to do, that’s what a normal home can look like. It can feel liberating to see someone else’s home, with its normal size and perfectly imperfect vibe; a home that people enjoy living in.
Hosting in your normal home
So what does someone with a normal home do before hosting? Part of the trend is not feeling like you have to clean five days in advance before hosting people. It’s OK if the playroom was used that day and if your kids act like kids around the guests. “Scruffy hospitality”, as it is sometimes referred to, is all about being yourself and not feeling like you need to create the Pinterest-perfect home before someone else comes into it, according to TODAY. Not going overboard and preparing your house or food in ways that aren’t really “you” is what it’s all about.
Your home doesn’t have to be perfect to enjoy having company in it, that’s what this movement is about. Letting go of unrealistic expectations is freeing, and talking about it and being honest about it is validating to other parents too.
When you let go of those standards, you can focus on what really matters. You can spend more time playing board games on the floor with your kids and getting everyone involved in the kitchen, as messy as that might be. You get to create happy memories in your home and live authentically. What is better than that?
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