Making our homes comfortable

How we each decorate our homes is a very personal thing. 

Some women love the look of the Victorian era, others like a very streamline uncluttered environment, others prefer a more cottage feel, lots of lace, no lace at all. Modern . . . old fashion . . . its completely up to you and your budget. 

Whatever style you choose isn't important. What is important is that the home you build is a place of welcome to all that visit, a refuge from the world, a cave where your family and yourself can hid away from all the negativeness in our current world. A place to come home too.

Creating a home that is cheerful, warm, positive and full of love and laughter doesn't cost anything and will bring much more pleasure than anything you can buy. This is very important when shopping for items for your house. How many homes have you visited that look beautiful but feel cold and uninviting. That is not the sort of home you want to create.

"What a blessing if every member of your family and mine knows home is the one place on earth where everything will be all right"

~ Elizabeth George ~

Thrift and second-hand stores are great places to find unusual pieces of furniture and knick-knacks. If you are crafty, you can make your own curtains, pillows and throws which will add colour and cheerfulness to your home.  A pile of books, some shells and a candle can turn an ordinary corner into something inviting. Add a row of pot plants on the window seal, a bunch of flowers to add colour.  Even painting a room can turn it from dull and glum to a place you want to be in. 

Even artworks for the walls can be made out of pretty cards that you have received, old family recipes, shells, children's drawings, vintage plates, even paper dolls that you had a child or vintage dress pattern covers - let your mind be creative. 

What we don't want is a home that is dirty, messy, sad and miserable . . . a place that no one wants to live in.

According to Elizabeth George, we are "on assignment" from God to build up our homes which means our role as keepers of our home is VERY IMPORTANT . . . we do have an essential role to play no matter what the world has to say.

So keep your homes clean and tidy, stay on top of the mess and clutter and keep an eye out for things that will add colour and joy to each of your rooms. Make it a place your husband really wants to come home to. 

And if you struggle with order in the home, do up a schedule to help, encourage the children to lend a hand, check out Pinterest for ideas and most important, ask for help if you are floundering. Find a Titus 2 woman to provide guidances and encouragement. 

PS And remember, you aren't trying to recreate a home from Vogue magazine! Your role is to set the mood and maintain the atmosphere inside the home so its perfect for all who abode within its four walls. 


She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

1. A very cheap series of artworks using scrap paper. This is such a great idea as it can changed whenever you want to freshen the room
2. Jazzing up bottles for flowers (real or artificial)
3. Using a second pallet to make a sit table is such a great idea. 
4. Isn't this a great way to display old photos and can be changed whenever.
5. A pile of books can brighten up any corner. 


*****

Comments

  1. I've come to realise I will probably never have the kind of home that looks picture perfect, and I'm okay with that because the kind of home I'll probably always have will always look like HOME - lived in and cosy. I hope!! :) Sometimes, while going through these childhood years with my children, I wonder if the house will ever be as tidy as I'd like it... and yet I'm just so thankful to have children that I don't mind at all! :)

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    1. If you had a picture perfect home would meant no one lived there and no house is every picture perfect. Home needs to look lived in!!! mine has cat hair on the floor (thanks Ruby), piles of books, an unfinished jigsaw etc...

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  2. Such an encouraging post today. I'm looking around at a bit of disarray, but I've decided to let myself rest a bit today anyway.
    Blessings,
    Laura

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    1. The thing about disarray as it doesn't take long to bring back order!! :)) Hope you week is going well.

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  3. Lovely post and so true, our home should be our families haven from all that is around us. Thanks for sharing this at Good Morning Mondays. Blessings

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    1. Our homes are our caves :))) And who wants to live in a uncomfortable cave!

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  4. I love this!!! I am currently doing a series on my blog on the 6 homes we have lived in in the past 6 years… and more importantly what we have learned from our homes. This is at the top of the list… doesn't matter the shape, size or condition, make it comforting and welcoming!

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    1. I must pop over and read your series on your homes. Sometimes it is better to stay away from those glossy magazines that expect you to spend huge $$$ as they just cause envy. Better to follow your own sense of style and check out other frugal styled homes for ideas - I often think they are far more comfortable anyway.

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  5. What a beautiful post and encouragement to focus on our home and the people in it. The tiny kitchen is appealing with the hints of red to be cheery without being overpowering. Thank you for your thoughts. :)

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    1. I love reds in kitchens and have a number of items that give that splash of colour!!

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  6. Love this Jo!!! :) This is my hearts desire toward home too and I like the frugal but creative ideas you shared!

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    1. Frugal and creative makes the exercise much more fun than just going out and buying things from expensive stores. Only yesterday my son and I went hunting in thrift stores and found some bits and pieces for the kitchen. It is so much fun as you don't know what you will find!!

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  7. I love all the frugal ideas you shared with ways to brighten up your home!

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    1. And with something like Pinterest, there is no shortage ideas and many of the ideas are cheap and very cheery.

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  8. Thank you for the reminder. We are in transition now with our house being up for sale. Things are disappearing into storage or for good. I can still make the children feel at home, though, as you said. Over from a blog hop.

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    1. Its these sorts of moves that can be very stressful for the whole family but can be looked at as a new chapter with a new canvas to play with :)))

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  9. What a lovely post and so well said.. Home is our haven from this old world.. So happy I found you on the linky party.. Now I am your newest follower.. God bless..

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    1. Thankyou so much:))) We need places to hide otherwise I think we would all go mad. Thankyou so much for following.

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  10. Hello Jo, I have done Elizabeth Georges Bible studies and have read her books. I do love her words.
    I have spent over 30 something years doing just as your post suggested! I have always felt that our home just was so peaceful and filled with pretty and cozy things. As I type they are working on a puzzle. I have been reading a lot myself! How are you these days? Is it fall yet there? I always so enjoy your post!
    Always, Roxy

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    1. I am quite a fan of Elizabeth George and have many of her books - I find them very helpful as her advice to so down to earth. I have also spent many years creating a home out of very little and found it isn't hard to make it pretty and cozy without breaking the bank!! And when you don’t spend very much you can re-arrange and add to without feeling concerned about wasting money.

      No, Fall is another month away, however summer this years has been so mild it is like the next season has arrived early - I am even wearing clothes I would usually wear in Autumn, It is all rather up side down!!

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  11. I love that quote by Elizabeth George. Striving for a beautiful, peaceful home today!

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    1. I am a big fan of Elizabeth George and very wise woman. Thankyou for visiting :))

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  12. Beautiful post. I'd love to see it on the link up this week!
    God bless.
    Chris
    So Much At Home

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  13. Great ideas for the home. Thanks for sharing.

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  14. You're so right. We're not trying to strive for a showroom. We want a place where our families want to come home to and want to relax and enjoy being there!

    It has to be clean for ME to enjoy being there, though, lol! ;) Great ideas and love that red and white kitchen!

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    1. Clean and mess free otherwise I can't settle either !!! My kitchen is blue, cream with splashes of red :))

      Have a wonderful week ahead.

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  15. Good morning Jo, just wanted to let you know that I featured this post on the Art of Home-Making Mondays this week :)

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    1. Thankyou so much :))) have a wonderful week ahead .

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  16. I'm not familiar with Elizabeth George, but I just became very interested in researching her philosophy. Thank you for a lovely post.
    Pat

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    1. I love Elizabeth George, a great Christian woman who has written a number of books. I find her books are easy to digest, honest and to the point. I started with "God's wisdom for a Women's life" and have read almost all her books.

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  17. This was a lovely post! Thank you so much for sharing it at my Artful Homemaking link-up! ♥

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