Frodo was now safe in the Last Homely House east of the Sea. That house was, as Bilbo had long ago reported, “a perfect house, whether you like food or sleep or story-telling or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all.” Merely to be there was a cure for weariness, fear, and sadness.

J. R. R. TOLKIEN, THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

I’M JUST ABOUT AT Amy’s house.

I pull up and I barely get parked when my kids jump out to greet her kids. They all head straight for the trampoline. See you in a couple of hours, I think to myself, smiling.

I head in and Amy has coffee made and some sort of snack. My favorite is the homemade gingersnaps she made over the Christmas holiday. To die for. Today, she has banana bread. We chat in the kitchen as she sweeps up some crumbs that she’ll be sweeping up again before I leave. Five kids. There is always something to sweep up.

We get our coffee and our bread and settle ourselves on the off-white couch for some good conversation. Toys are on the floor, but that’s okay because the place feels happy. I notice a chocolate bar on the end table. Amy gives me a wink and says, “For later.”

I love it here.

Have you ever walked into someone’s home and felt like you couldn’t get comfortable? The whole place was just too clean, too put-together, too . . . untouchable?

There is something to be said for a space that invites rest, a “come-on-in-and-prop-your-feet-up” kind of beckoning. I like places like that. I like melting into a comfy couch that was made for long hours of coffee and conversation.

Cleaning isn’t just about scrubbing floors, making beds, and clearing out clutter—although those are good things. It’s also about creating an environment that encourages people to feel welcomed and loved. I believe one of the ways we can give love through our homes is to have a “put your feet up” atmosphere. Here are some ideas to do just that.

5 Ways to Create a Sense of “Welcome! Put Your Feet Up”

1. Don’t, under any circumstances, have plastic coverings on your furniture. Nothing says uncomfortable like plastic under your behind.
2. Do consider having some throw blankets and soft decorative pillows around that whisper, “Go ahead and get comfy, friend; you won’t wear out your welcome.”
3. Don’t make everything perfect. Let your home be lived in and let others experience that lived-in feel.
4. Always have coffee or tea made (or ready to be made).
5. Be a listener.

The goal of homemaking isn’t to have perfectly decorated, perfectly clean homes. The whole point is to have a place that is welcoming, and you know where that begins? In your own heart.

Your home is a reflection of who you are. If you are warm and welcoming, your home will be. The cleaning? That’s just the cherry on top, you know, so no one trips on the way to your couch.

Here’s to putting our feet up and staying awhile!

READ PROVERBS 27:9; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11; AND HEBREWS 10:24-25

What are the benefits of a safe, strong friendship?

Invite a friend over and encourage her to put her feet up. Don’t worry about making everything just right! Brew some coffee, get a snack, and enjoy good conversation. In fact, I double challenge you: Listen well and make your guest feel loved and special.

MARTHA CHALLENGE

TODAY ON THE DOCKET WE BEGIN BEDROOMS!

This is another one of those challenges that may need to be adjusted depending on how many bedrooms you have in your home.

We have four bedrooms in our home, three for the babes and one for my husband and me.

We are going to split bedrooms into seven days of cleanup, which includes closets. If you need more time than that, plan accordingly—perhaps a weekend cleaning day. If you need less time, use the days off to bake. Or—my preference—spend them reading a good book!

HERE’S WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO

1. Tackle the oldest child’s bedroom first, enlisting his or her help or having that child do it if he or she is old enough.

2. Put all the dirty clothes into a laundry basket and all the clean clothes (why are there clean clothes on the floor?) on the bed.

3. Put all toys and books and miscellaneous things on the bed. (Yes, it’s crowded, but it works.)

4. Pick up all the trash and throw it out! You should now have nothing on the floor.

5. Pull things off any unordered, disheveled shelves and off the top of dressers.

6. Clean the shelves and surfaces.

7. Put the clean clothes away.

8. Put the books away.

9. Put the toys or other things away.

10. If you or your child has a desk, go ahead and get that cleaned out and cleaned up. If your child has a messy desk, he or she is probably old enough to clean it alone.

11. Vacuum or sweep the floor.

Do not wash the bedding yet because I don’t want you to get burned out. We’ll save the bedding for another day.