Hey friend! I’m so glad you’re here. You’ve come to the right post. No, it’s not Christmas anymore—though you’ll see a few holiday photos here, the decorations are already put away at my house. Let me explain.
This time of year, many of us are not only setting goals but also wanting to simplify.
Beyond simplifying our belongings, I’ve noticed more people stepping away from social media because it has become overwhelming to keep up with so many people and the often unrealistically perfect lives they display. Content creators also feel pressure to maintain a certain image and pace.
Interestingly, some founders of these major platforms seem to be advocating for a slower, more meaningful life themselves.
I believe many of us long for a slower, simpler life—whatever that looks like individually or for a family. We want to feel uplifted rather than frantic. We want calm. Now.
I’ve seen people say they miss the old days of enjoying a few favorite blogs with a morning cup of coffee. Do you remember that? It’s funny how life can come full circle: what once felt new and improved doesn’t always meet our deeper needs.
Perhaps we all long to return home and savor simpler pleasures.
But how do we actually get there?
What must we let go of to find the simplicity we crave in our homes and lives?
Right now is a good time to slow the scroll. Quieting the noise and imagery helps us consider what we truly want around us.
Still, while we try to balance the chaos outside, we can set unrealistic expectations for our homes.
Our Christmas tree had only lights until Christmas Eve. It wasn’t meant as a design statement so much as a way to give our family more free time. Even with its simple, undecorated look, we cherish our traditions.
On Christmas Eve my son and daughter decided to pull out our classic forest and sea creature ornaments and decorate the tree. They had fun doing it, and seeing the tree fully decorated delighted everyone on Christmas morning. I’m glad they followed what felt right in that moment; it blessed us all to see those whimsical decorations.
Honestly, it might not have felt like Christmas if Jack hadn’t had the chance days later to sneak into the living room and take a few plush animals from the tree. We do place decorations up high, hoping he’ll ignore them, but somehow he always finds a way.
It’s become his annual tradition, so who are we to be annoyed by the harmless mischief he loves?
We find ourselves crawling on the floor searching for creature heads and bodies scattered around the room. Sometimes we spot bits of furry tails sticking out of Jack’s mouth while he claims innocence.
After the initial shock of seeing the disassembled ornaments, we laugh—really laugh.
I think we feel better when we focus on making happy memories instead of chasing perfectly styled, serene scenes we see online.
That sometimes means keeping items that spark memories and letting go of strict control so those memories can stay close to our hearts.
Sure, we’d have less to clean and less to manage if we got rid of everything—tempting! We’d also have fewer messes and less stress without pets. But paring down to create perfectly styled rooms can feel refreshing, yet excessive control may produce a generic home that doesn’t move us deeply.
Jack sometimes unmakes our bed after I’ve just made it. He throws the pretty pillows onto the floor. He barks in my face when I’m trying to have a quiet moment. He’s been known to get sick on my cozy rug and scratch our Dutch door. He destroys ornaments.
Does that mean we shouldn’t have nice things? No. I love our things, the memories they hold, and I love that dog.
Those imperfect moments create a vivid story of our life together.
Accepting the evolving state of our home—and the imperfect beings in it—is often more about letting go of control than letting go of possessions. That allows our lively, wild life to coexist with the simplicity and beauty we crave.
A beautiful, “perfect-for-us” home will sometimes look a little messy, a bit out of sync with trends, or mildly chaotic. That’s okay. It’s how it should be. A home comes alive when there is love inside. Living among candid, unedited moments is where the truest stories—and the best memories—are written.