What exactly is a "Normal House"?

Step aside Pinterest worthy homes. A new trend has entered the chat.

The Weekly Yap is a bi-weekly newsletter where I dive into a more ‘focused’ topic that can range from clothing consumption to favorite local Chicago bookstores!

One of the most recent home trends I’ve seen circulating on social media is the “normal house” trend. Not your typical grand-millennial or even, coastal grandma trend but one which with (I’m gonna gamble here) most of us will be fully embracing. Essentially it seems to be flipping the script on the unattainable interior design standards by embracing the lived in, cluttered, and well loved spaces that we call home. So why is this trend so important right now? I’ll lay that out in this post.

Grab your favorite bevvy and let’s dig in to this week’s, Weekly Yap.

---

What is a “normal house”?

Not sure this needs much of a definition, but a “normal house” is what it sounds like. A home that isn’t photo ready at all hours of the day. It doesn’t have the most up to date fridge organizers. There’s a *gasp*… junk drawer (or two, or three), scuffs on the wall, scratches on the floor, dog hair on, well, everything. Outdated kitchen cabinets. You get the picture!

Why is this trend so important?

It’s meant to normalize the every day house that isn’t perfectly curated, and kept like most influencers and celebs boast on social media (no shame on those hyper organized Virgos out there, either!) On the topic of shame, many of those pristine dreamy interiors pics, do in fact cause the rest of us to feel ashamed of our untidied spaces. There will always be a day when you won’t have it in you to vacuum or put all the dishes away before going to bed.

And that’s okay!

This trend reminds me of the much needed “de-influencing” trend that took over a year ago. One that is sorely overdue and I hope continues because, let’s face it, consumerism is out of control. It’s almost as if most of us are craving getting back to a slower, less everything, lifestyle.

Not to mention, upgrading/renovating is expensive. When my hubby and I moved into our current condo, I was dead set on renovating the master bathroom. The mood board was created, DIY videos were watched. Then when we finished the closing process and I realized how much money we needed to spend to furnish the living room alone, I decided the bathroom was looking pretty good as is. Plus, the idea of renovating with three animals, and the bathroom being connected to our bedroom sounded miserable. We’ve been in our current space for 3.5 years and it’s taken about the same amount of time to decorate.

And finally, this trend is so important because: a home is meant to be lived in.

---

How to embrace your “normal house”

It might be easier than you think…

The vibes might be more important than the aesthetic

Think about how you want guests to feel when they come to your house. I want my guests to see my home as warm and welcoming. I don’t want anyone to be stressed about sitting on our couch, or not using a coaster (although, yes I will place said beverage ontop of a coaster. That’s a me thing). Regardless of my coaster rules, I want my guests to put their feet on the coffee table, drink a non clear beverage on the couch and be okay that they’ll be leaving with considerably more dog fur than they entered with.

A few easy ways to make your home cozier: throw pillows, candles, flowers, warm lightning, a fuzzy blanket, maybe a coaster with your face on it :)

nothing some fresh flowers can’t solve

Wrangle the clutter

You know how in Friends, Monica has her ‘closet’? The one where she contains all her mess so the rest of her space can be pristine? Do that. Like, actually, if it helps you have peace of mind, dedicate one area of your house to be a sort of dumping ground. Ours, ends up being my hubby’s office because he can live in chaos, and I cannot. Or our dining table always ends up with random sh*t on it.

There are always little things you can do to “wrangle” said clutter. Baskets, containers, I use a lazy susan under our bathroom sink to house hair care and skin care products and it’s made it so much easier to find stuff! This is where organization does come into play, but no one said it has to be pretty.

Function over form

There are going to be spaces in your house that need to be functional. Think closets, drawers, under sink storage. We live in Chicago and while our space is roomy, it isn’t huge. Anything we can do to maximize storage, we do.

easy access to Bennet’s leash and treat bag, obviously

We ended up adding hooks in our living space because we didn’t have an accessible coat closet. It might not be the prettiest aesthetic but it’s functional AF. And I’ll never forget how desperately I wanted a cream colored couch, because that’s what Instagram told me I needed. But, boy, am I glad we didn’t seeing as Bennet sheds a coat a day… I can hardly keep up with my daily Chom Chom routine with a blue couch.

Make updates slowly

A complete home makeover doesn’t need to happen over night (or even over a year). Instead make updates slowly and thoughtfully. Maybe your home office is feeling a little sad, a little drab but you spend forty hours a week in there. Take the time to spruce up that space and do it little by little. You could try moving around furniture, a fresh coat of paint, or making a moodboard to help you identify any purchases you want to make! And never underestimate the gems you might find on Facebook Marketplace (talk about excellent and entertaining window shopping).

If there are bigger projects you have in mind, space them out. Your wallet will thank you, and you’ll likely have a clearer idea of how you’d like that space to turn out instead of rushing.

These are a few items I have my eye on to add to our space

Add personal touches

These personal touches are, in my opinion, what makes a house a home. Framed photos, mementos from travels, a family quilt. It can help take the financial burden off of decorating and the updates can happen over time. Maybe you frame a beloved birthday or postcard. Turn a tile you brought back from Portugal into a coaster by adding felt pads underneath. Don’t be afraid to blend styles, you’re discovering your style in the process! All those littles things that when you see them, you can’t help but smile will fill your house with personality.

---

And there we have it.

I hope you enjoyed this weekly yap! Does this trend (that is maybe all of us just living our lives lol) resonate with you? Tell me in the comments:

Until next time,

MacKenzie

---

---