Show of hands please: How many of you are homemakers? If you're living in a studio apartment or an RV, in a tiny house or a three bed, two bath house, or if you've camped out, you're a homemaker. It is the instinct of most, man and woman alike, to create a home wherever you live.
It begins in early childhood when children first play 'house'. It continues on through all our lives.
Many years ago, I spent six weeks in a physical rehab center after a car accident. I noticed that my section of the room took on a distinct personality of its own. A bulletin board meant for nurse's notes, also contained quotes that moved me deeply, cards from friends, photos of my children. The bedside counter had flowers and an array of makeup and facial products. Across the foot of the bed was a cozy blanket in pretty colors. I'd created in what was meant to be a temporary space, a home of my own. I missed only having books. At that time in my life that 'home' was vitally important to me.
Two days prior to my accident, I'd left my husband and had no home of my own to shelter my children and myself. We were staying with Granny, a place meant to be very temporary.
My next home didn't come along for three months after leaving rehab. I went to live with Mama and Daddy. I had no place to call 'mine'. My children and I shared a room. I was reminded daily that it wasn't my home, I was temporary and wasn't living there. I think that inability to create anything resembling a spot of my own greatly increased my sense that the world as I knew it had fallen apart.
A friend and co-worker knew of an empty house on her street, talked to the owner and introduced me to my new rental place three months later, a house where we lived for the next six years. Even though it wasn't mine, I made it mine. I cleaned the overgrown yards and planted flowers. I piled junk culled from the house and outer reaches of the yards along the curb for pick up. I painted walls and bought furniture. It was as much to create a sense of home as knowing I could belong in that place.
I was working at the nursing home during this time in social services. I noticed that nearly every new resident gradually made themselves at home. It was evident that the instinct to create a space to live, to make a place a home, was something that seemed to be a natural thing for every person. They brought in a favorite chair, hung pictures, arranged and organized their belongings to suit themselves, and had lovely blankets or quilts on their beds. Some had plants that they lined up on the windowsills.
It wasn't just decorating the rooms but the duties of homemaking that kept them involved. Almost all of them had their little housekeeping routines even though there was a housekeeping staff who came in daily. Dusting, watering plants, putting away clean laundry, bundling up dirty laundry, making beds, were all done by most of the residents.
I've noted that many who have office spaces, are just as keen to put their personal stamp on their workspace and have some sort of cleaning routines to keep those spaces looking spruce. We teased Katie about 'nesting' into her new office, but that's pretty much what she did.
We are all homemakers at heart.
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