A Home In Between Homes
This was supposed to be a sponsored home tour - a review of my favorite "home brands" that I used daily and displayed in my home. But then we moved. Suddenly and without much of a plan, we had to leave our first home here in CO (a tiny, overpriced two bedroom condo that needed lots of attention and TLC). We've relocated - er, moved in with my wonderful parents - in efforts to save some money for a house of our own and "get back on our feet" after a long period of job hopping for my husband and discouragement for both of us.
It's a fresh season. It's a good season. But, strangely, we don't have a home to call our own at the moment. All things considered, this probably isn't the best timing to publish a blog post about home goods. But I'm nothing if not an eternal optimist and so, the homeless blogger will blog about home things ;)
I've lived in lots of "homes" in the lifespan of this blog - there was the cozy one bedroom house on G street, the loft above the garage, then the three year stretch that we were first time homeowners of a gorgeous Victorian fixer-upper. Home, the belongings we put inside it, and the feelings attached to it, has been in a state of flux for my family and I for years. And as much as I'd love to feel "settled" in a space that was all my own that I could host guests in and decorate to match my dream aesthetic, I've learned a lot about what constitutes the concept of home for me in these semi-nomadic years.
More than a single place or building, home has become a feeling. It's where my husband and daughters are, of course, but it's also where I feel most myself. Home is where my introverted self feels authentic and where I can be at ease. Sometimes home is a cozy coffee shop filled with people (literally. Coffee shops have always felt like home to me.) Sometimes it's getting lost in a conversation with someone I care about. Sometimes home is a place, but more often than not, it's the feelings I associate with a particular object, place, or person.
So what is one to do when the walls around you change more often than you can track? When your plan for the future isn't set in stone and you don't have that "settled" feeling that so many of us long for?
For me, intentionally gathering items that travel well from place to place and mimic my "dream aesthetic" has been huge in creating a home-y feeling wherever I'm at. I've gathered these pieces slowly, over the year(s) and some, like the fragrances, will need replacing, but others will last through the years whether we continue to house hop or we find a home to call our own.
Organic Cotton Sheets || Jefferson Lane Home
It took me a long time to upgrade my bedding to a more sustainable option, but now that I have, I can't sleep on anything else. Jefferson Lane, who happens to be one of my sweet freelance clients, sent me a pair of their Organic Cotton Sheets and the benefits of switching from conventional cotton to organic are hard to beat. Even though we're staying at my parent's house, our sheets were one of the first things to come out of the box when we got settled in.
Candles & Diffusers || 1502 Candle Co.
There's nothing like a beautiful fragrance to instill a sense of calm and home. Even though we're just occupying a single room, I have multiple candles and (my new favorite) a reed diffuser spread throughout. I love lighting my White Sage & Orange Blossom soy wax candle from 1502 Candle Co. at night when AJ and I are settling in after work. The reed diffuser keeps the room continuously fresh much more effectively than a candle and I love how they can function as a decor piece as well.
Freeleaf
My handknotted rug from Freeleaf is a statement piece with a beautiful story. Each Freeleaf piece is handmade from a single strand by a woman overcoming abuse or trafficking. That fact alone gives me hope each time I look at my rug.
Ten Thousand Villages
One of the "pioneers" of the fair trade movement, Ten Thousand Villages has been supporting artisan craftsmanship around the world for decades. I've partnered with them before, but recently added this stunning Bamboo Reflections mirror, handmade by the Dhaka Handicrafts artisan group in Bangladesh, and it's an heirloom piece I can't wait to display in my home for years to come.
What pieces make you feel most at home? Is home more of a place or a feeling for you?
*This post was sponsored by several brands. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
