Three years ago today, with a pounding heart and trembling fingers, I pressed “publish” on my very first blog post.
Twenty-three years ago today, I stood in a white dress (and that slightly quirky white hat) in my hometown church and said “I do” to the man I still love sharing breakfast with every morning. We’ve already celebrated the occasion in a big way with a spring trip to Maui.
Isn’t it convenient that my blogiversary and my wedding anniversary fall on the same day?
And, as if that weren’t enough, my birthday was just yesterday.
With all of those celebrations clustered together, it’s no wonder my brain can only manage so many milestones at once.
On a day like this, it feels fitting to share a few honest reflections on what I’ve learned as a home decor blogger—lessons about creativity, real life, and the gap between the two.
When I try to sum up what I’ve learned, sometimes nothing immediate comes to mind. Then a small reminder shows up—usually in the form of an unexpected visitor request—and I remember one of the hazards that comes with running a home decor blog.
House tours. They usually begin with a message like, “My Aunt Grezelda is arriving from Timbuktu tomorrow. She follows your blog and would love to stop by for a house tour.”
It’s flattering—truly. I adore chatting over coffee with readers who want to see the homes I post about. But that kind of visit also exposes the little secret behind those polished photos.
I sometimes wish I could hang a friendly sign on the front door that reads:
“CAUTION: THE ROOMS YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE MAY NOT MATCH THE PHOTOS ON THE BLOG”
Especially in the summer.
Summer is a whirlwind. Between projects, events, and whatever family outings fill the calendar, I’m rarely home for long stretches. When I am home, I’m often recharging for the next sprint. That means there may be dirty dishes on the counter, a stack of freshly folded laundry waiting on the dining table, full trash cans, and floors that urgently need vacuuming.
If you were to step into my house right now, you’d likely see all of those things.
One of my greatest joys is bringing order to chaos—styling a room, arranging accessories, and creating calming vignettes. But life doesn’t happen on a mountaintop every day. Some days we live in the middle of a mess, and that’s okay.
Here’s the truth: the photos you see on this blog—and on many others—are staged, edited, and captured in carefully chosen light. They are composed with attention to detail, often arranged room by room over different days. That’s a deliberate, strategic choice.
Rooms are photographed at different times, with various lighting conditions and styling adjustments, so that each image tells a calm, cohesive story. It’s not that I’m hiding anything; it’s that I’m selecting the best moments to share. If I’m honest, I rarely have every room perfectly tidy at once.
That’s why you might find one room looking immaculate while another nearby is still very much a work in progress. It’s strategic—not deceptive. It allows me to present ideas and inspiration without pretending that every moment of home life is picture-perfect.
For example, the craft room you see in a photo may have looked exactly like that the day I shot it—but it probably hasn’t looked like that since. I love that photo, and I love that moment of order. But daily life quickly rearranges things back into creative chaos.
I’m sharing this little hazard as a friendly heads-up in case you decide to visit in person. I want to protect you from any disappointment when the reality of everyday life doesn’t match the carefully curated scenes you see online. Sometimes, real homes are messy—and that’s perfectly normal.
On the flip side, knowing how a visitor might interpret things is motivating. A planned house tour is a gentle nudge to tidy up and make the place presentable. I’ve already been warned that someone may stop by later this week, and suddenly the vacuum cleaner looks a lot more appealing.
Maybe I’ll tackle the cleaning after a long Sunday nap—because even when life is busy, it’s important to find moments to rest and to enjoy creating beauty when we can.
Thanks for joining me on this little anniversary reflection. Whether you’re here for inspiration, a peek at a styled corner, or just a slice of honest home life, I appreciate your company on this blogging journey.
