Dearest Homekeeper,
I’m addressing this series to the inner you: the homekeeper. I recognize your roles extend beyond the housekeeper or a domestic engineer, whether living solo or with a family. I trust you are mastering those skills along with the other responsibilities of meeting financial, educational, physical, and spiritual aspects for yourself and possibly others. It’s daunting if you think about all you do. The theme here goes beyond those things. It’s about creating a sense of home that reflects your unique lifestyle brand for you and yours.
“Homekeeper” is my dubbed word for the deeper meaning behind this concept. It goes further than maintaining a house. It is curating the atmosphere in the house that transcends daily routine, creating a sense of home, memories, and identity. Homekeeping is an attitude extending to ambiance, or vibe beyond the brick, beam, and mortar. It reflects your life and can leave a lasting impression.
I operate a boutique bed & breakfast from my home, going on now for over 10 years. About one in five guests express an interest in running a B&B, asking questions about the décor, capturing photos of the finer details in my decorating or breakfast entrées, followed by asks for recipes. This is both flattering and encouraging as I shape my space and create my brand.
I believe a home has an energy and that’s what probably is influencing most of their curiosity and interest more than anything I specifically do. I do believe in hospitality (and fortunately enjoy it), customer service, and paying attention to the needs of my guests. I learn a lot from them and their reactions or response to things. Awareness is the hardest part to maintain in my outlook, it has to be intentionally cultivated. I write a column on “homekeeping” for a weekly paper, and if you read a little between the lines, it can be observed how I cultivate and create my B&B niche without me blatantly promoting my business. If you see B&B mentioned here, it is only in this venue, not in the newspaper column. I aim to share what I have learned, to hopefully help others create the best place they can to live their unique life.
After a busy day (in and outside the home) I look forward to accomplishing my goals and coming home. BTW, according to the 2023 bureau of labor and Investopedia the salary and roles for a full time stay-at-home spouse and parent include as Housekeeper ($30,000–$45,000 annual wage), Childcare provider/nanny ($35–$50 K per year) Chef ($40 to $70K), Personal assistant: ($40 to 60K), school runs and errand diver ( $30 to 50K) and theapist (estimated at around 50K) which add (on the low side) to $150,000 if comenstated. Of course, the real intrinsic value of your contributions goes beyond monetary measures.
Home for many of us is our sanctuary. Narrow it down and it can be a favorite spot in a house decorated with tender loving care. I often cull out small spots and spaces for relaxation and pleasure for myself and others. It can include simple collections of tchotchkes, family pictures, creating vignette displays, our interests, and memorabilia, or providing an inviting favorite chair to relax in with a drink or book or just a place to sit and converse. It may come across as eclectic decorating. I promote an uncluttered lived-in look though. Incorporating your personality into your decor will probably be a conversation starter when others come over, with the understated reflection of values and specialness showcased. It could be preparing food to serve others while fostering fellowship. It’s also embracing the idea of self-hospitality, which includes hospitality to family or friends, which is a respite against the dailies. It will be surprising what a subtle difference adding a small detail will make to your home and the attitude of those who visit or inhabit it.
I am not a professionally trained interior decorator, chef, perfect person, or parent, much less an extraordinary neat freak. I do, though make it a study to curate on the topic improve in those areas as I’m sure you do too. I draw on my life experiences and that of from running a B&B.
I am chronologically gifted. I’ve lived in 19 homes in my adult life thus far, raised four children, and pursued passions and careers, in and outside, the home environment. It’s no less than a positive statement from me to say entering a home or personal workspace reflects the inhabitants.
The future content in articles will be about what I have curated and to share ideas for decorating, cooking, organizing, and nurturing that can be added to your home environments. I attempt to keep things budget friendly. Often after inventorying what I have on hand around my home, repurposing or recycling items, reinventing them a bit, refreshing a look, even removing items for a while from the decor, reintroducing them later keeps me on my budget and I see the item with fresh eyes.
Until next time, warmest regards. Cathenry.ch@gmail.com
P.S. A house is made of bolts and beams, a home of love and dreams.
