What Our House REALLY Looks Like

Do you ever wonder what it looks like to actually live in the homes of the people you follow on the internet? I mean, you know these houses don’t look perfectly pristine and magazine worthy all the time. What does it look like on a random Tuesday afternoon? A day when the kids have been causing chaos all day, dinner is on the stove, and everyone is a little cranky?

Well, my friend, today’s your lucky day! I thought it might be fun to take you on a little waltz through my house on a regular ol’ day. A day where the house hasn’t been picked up for photos and we’re just using it as we normally would.

Because, who doesn’t want a little peek into how people actually live in their homes?

Let’s start in the entry. When you walk in our home, you’ll likely be greeted by a shirtless (and usually pants-less) toddler, and an excited dog or two.

You’ll also almost always find anywhere from three to seventeen pairs of tiny little shoes scattered on the floor. Usually paired with some random socks. And occasionally, a single glove – because Grant is going through a bit of a Michael Jackson phase.

We’ve got some great organization in the entry closet, but the kids aren’t terribly interested in using it.

Some days it annoys me. Other days, I’m able to appreciate the beauty of it all. Watching their sweaty selves come in from playing at the park or a family dinner. Kicking off their shoes to settle in. The complete comfort of being home.

I still feel a compulsive need to pick the shoes up about 12 times a day. But, I’m working on it. Because I know someday I’ll miss that pile of tiny toddler shoes.

Next up, we’ve got the main living area. It’s the heart of our home, where we spend the most time. There’s always someone in this area lounging on the couch, working at the dining table, or having a snack at the island.

I love this big open space, but I do have to say it’s also my biggest frustration with an open-concept house. If the kids leave a mess on the dining table, it feels like the entire house is a wreck. If they’ve been pulling pillows off of the couch, it feels like a tornado blew through. II generally have to keep the whole space clean in order for the house to feel tidy.

But, let’s be honest – I’m a bit of a neat freak and I’d be doing that anyways. So, I can’t complain too much.

If you come over to our house on any given day, you’ll likely find the throw pillows all over the floor, and the same shirtless toddler lounging. You’ll find noisy dogs who love to snuggle, and a big kid probably creating something at the dining table.

Our bedroom is generally the room of the house that stays cleanest on a day-to-day basis. Thank goodness. I’m a stickler for making the bed every day, but it’s not always photo-worthy. Some days it’s just pulling the covers up to the top and calling it a day.

I often spend a lot of my work day in the bedroom, especially during summer. The house gets chaotic fast with the kids home. This is the space where I can get a little calm, quiet, and a clean space I can focus in. My favorite spot to work is my chair in the corner. I curl up with my laptop and planner, and I can work like that for hours.

Or, you know, until the kids start fighting and I have to go break it up.

Let’s head upstairs – this is the part of our house that is a total mess almost 100% of the time. And it bothers me 0%. Because a mess means the kids are using and loving their space.

I’m just grateful I don’t have to look at it all day every day.

There are toys, blankets, and pillows in the hallway from various fort-building endeavors. There are abandoned toys all over the game room floor. There’s endless evidence of two little boys with big imaginations and little desire to clean up.

It’s a mess, but it’s a beautiful one and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

The general rule in our house is that once a week, the kids have to fully clean upstairs. All the toys need to be put away, the couch cushions need to be returned to the house, and the floor needs to be clean enough for me to vacuum.

The kids’ rooms are their own beasts. Jackson, at 8, is finally getting really good about keeping his room more or less picked up. He spends 5-10 minutes each morning putting things in order in here. He’s (sloooowly) learning the value of cleaning up as he goes instead of dealing with it when it’s a massive mess.

He is starting to reach an age where he loves spending more alone time in his room. He’s often up here reading a book, playing with LEGOs, or drawing. I love seeing little glimpses of his personality sprinkled throughout the space.

Grant (who is almost 4) makes no effort to have a clean and orderly room. He thrives in the chaos. Thankfully, he hasn’t gathered as many random possessions as his big brother yet. So, it’s pretty easy to clean it up.

Every time I go into his room, I find some new mess. Sometimes it’s books scattered over the floor from his nap time reading session. Sometimes it’s a pile of stuffed animals who have just finished some sort of major battle. Other times, he’s pulled a game from the game closet down the hall and thrown the pieces all over his room.

It’s always an adventure in there, I tell you.

And that’s a little inside peek at what our house looks like on a day-to-day basis.

It’s often a mess. It’s rarely styled. And it’s always full of signs of life.

And that’s just the way I like it.