Your house is your home

I first heard this phrase ‘Your house is your home’ in an Australia comedy – The Castle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4EmJSjS-sY. If you have not seen this movie, I would recommend that you do. It is funny, yet very down to earth and meaningful. The movie really defines that meaning of what a HOME is.

Your house is your home

So what should your home be like?

Your home should be your sacred place, a place where family members can turn to, a place where they can come home to, and a place where memories are shared. Yet a home can be much more. A home should be a place where you can be happy, at peace and relax, a place where everyone feels safe to grow, to love and be loved, and to be intimate, as well as a space to connect with loved ones, a space to grow spiritually and a space to be who you are that defines your identity.

For children, a home is a place where children learn about who they are, where they learn values and family traditions, and a safe space where to understand how to extend friendships and learn how to get along with each other.

Your home is also a mirror of yourself

You create a home by how you feel about yourself, your beliefs, your thoughts, your memories, and in things that matter to you. These elements will somehow be reflected through how your home is being presented. You mirror yourself through your choice of furnishing, the things that you have collected and displayed over the years, such as the displayed photos that you took when your children were born, started walking, or first school days, or from your holiday trips.

What we use each day creates memories and a home. The utensils that you use, the cups, plates, book cases that you have in your home are collected throughout the years based on your resources you have at that time. They all tell a story. The dining table that you have dinner with your family everyday…they are elements for your memories as well as your family’s.

The display in your house reflects you and your style. How you display the items in your home, based on your choices, reflects who you are and what you believe in. So do not worry about what other people think about you, or what relatives or friends think you should have. Do not worry about whether you parents would approve of the design of the door, the colour of the wall, or whether your neighbours would approve of your choice of the flowers or plants that you like and believe to be appropriate to compliment your home.

Our memories are important and for how they make us feel. I display pieces in my home that remind me of my loved ones, my childhood, things that were important to me when I was growing up, handcrafted souvenirs from my family members and things that reminded me about who I am.

The important thing is when I walk through each room, it tells me a story of my past, my present and my future. My home may not be tidy, but my life is there for my family to see and share. I still have boxes of items in one section of the house as well as my study, which I really need to take a look at and decide what to with them. However, that clearing out can wait, as I know that my priority is to consciously make time to connect with my love ones. And let the family enjoy our home with its display of what is important to us.

Remember, your house is not just a concrete block, it is your home – stamp your happiness on it!

Have a connected day with your family.