How to Find your Homemaking Style
Finding your homemaking style or homemaking personality can be difficult in a time where we compare ourselves to other homemakers on Instagram or Youtube. We may get inspiration from these accounts and that's a blessing, but we also can lose our authentic self or sense of style when comparing our lives and homemaking routines to women we have never met in person.
In this post you will learn:
how to find your own unique style
learn what hobbies make the most sense for your current season of life
how to find community with like-minded women who share your lifestyle
how to gain inspiration from other homemakers on social media without losing your authentic sense of self.
So let's get started...
There are so many different and unique homemakers out there, I've found home decor inspiration online and learned valuable lessons from other homemakers. But how do we hold onto an authentic version of ourselves while still getting home inspiration or parenting advice from other homemakers.
I think the first step is deciding what type of homemaker you already are. Are you disciplined or creative, an excellent cook maybe? Take a look at what you would ideally want your homemaking to look like. What could you change to be a better homemaker or mum, is there anything that you wish you were good at?
I don't know about you but my style & hobbies/interests as a homemaker have been ever changing. It's taken time to develop skills and decide what activities I enjoy. I love natural living, cooking from scratch, & I desire a clean home. I also love bohemian inspired decor. But it took me years to nail down the what I liked and didn't like in my home, it has taken a lot of trial and error and I'm still working towards having a home that looks and functions the way I want.
It takes time to furnish a home, and pick out pieces that make it feel like it's yours. Just as it takes time to swap out toxic products from your home or learn how to cook. Maybe you have developed some skills and already have some sense of self , but find yourself distracted by what other ladies may be accomplishing. I've been there, It's easy to find yourself lost in comparison these days.
So how can we nail down exactly what our “homemaking style” is, so we can stop comparing and embrace our own authentic desire's as a homemaker? Here's a couple questions to ask yourself when trying to figure out what's most important to you as a homemaker.
1) What are my priorities in this stage of life?
2) What decor style have I already implemented in my own home and what do I like about it?
3) What is my favorite hobby or homemaking activity?
4) What does my daily life look like as a homemaker, what could I improve?
5) What about my life do I want to keep and what do I want to change?
These questions can help you narrow down what your priorities already are, and what homemaking currently looks like to you. Once we have that figured out it can be easier to understand what homemaking style you might fall into, but here's the thing: there are almost as many “styles” of homemaking as there are homemakers. You don't want to conform yourself into a box right?
We don't want to be like everyone else, but we can take inspiration from others and apply it where we want. Basically a “take what works for you & leave the rest” kind of attitude. You don't have to fit into any particular style. You can identify with one of these or all of them at the same time or even none of them. So now that that's been said.
Here are some styles of homemaking that we can gain inspiration from, and I will try to add some lovely women who I think embody some of the styles I've mentioned, so you can follow them and get some homemaking inspiration. Go check them out and you can decide for yourself.
The Country Homemaker
From homesteaders to farmers wives, these women have a special place in the homemaking community. Often known for the farmhouse lifestyle. These women are usually good at everything from milking cows to canning. Lisa from Farmhouse on Boone is the queen of sourdough and in my opinion the epitome of the farmhouse lifestyle.
The Traditional Feminine
These women are usually seen as the "traditional housewife"
Often soft spoken feminine women. Usually christian or catholic, and are an inspiration for those who want to incorporate more faith and traditional family values into their homemaking. Mrs. Midwest is an icon in traditional homemaking spaces and in my opinion embodies the traditional feminine style.
The “Crunchy” Hippie Homemaker
These are my people! Often these women are natural living advocates,
who live very non-toxic lifestyles. Usually a wealth of knowledge when it comes
to herbalism, and ancestral living. Many of them are homesteaders, gardeners, and home birthers.
Lisa Clark of @holistic_homemaking
The Oily Homemaker
Now so many homemakers, whether crunchy or not, are often lovers of essential oils. They are the “ I have an oil for that” ladies who inspire us with diffuser blends or homemade roll-on's. These women tend to be natural living advocates as well.
The Vintage homemaker
These women often have an eye for vintage or antique decor, they have an old soul type of vibe and are often avid thrifter's. They inspire us with their often feminine presence and vintage home aesthetic. One of my favorite accounts that's fits the vintage homemaker aesthetic is @_sweetmagnolias_
The Minimalist homemaker
Women who are advocates for minimalism and speak on how to keep an orderly home, and have lots of experience decluttering. They usually embrace intentional living as well as simplicity. Their homes are often simple but peaceful. My favorite minimal homemaker inspo comes from Natalie Bennet and The Minimal Mom
The Homesteading Homemaker
She probably lives on a couple acre homestead with chickens, a big garden, and maybe even some goats or a milk cow. She's probably learning to can and preserve. She gets her groceries from local farms and her daily chores include milking the cow, feeding the chicks and watering the garden.
The Homeschool Momma
She's focused on teaching and bringing up her children. Her days are filled with little books and crafts. She teaches her babes in ways that the public schools never could. she uses nature and real life to teach lessons. At-least one wall in her home probably has the alphabet or a world map. She's taking the time to raise up the next generation.
The Frugal Homemaker
She clips coupons, sticks to a budget, and is a good steward of her resources. She's frugal out of necessity. She's focused on financial freedom, getting out of debt and probably has quoted Dave Ramsey a time or two. She likely knows how to sew, goes thrifting to save cash and can find all the latest deals at the local grocer.
The Classic Feminine
These women exude a classic style, well put together and organized. They are often effortlessly elegant, polished, and sophisticated. They are more likely to be found in the city at a classy restaurant or luncheon than in the country or on a farm. They are usually fashionable, and sometimes live luxurious lifestyles. These women are often classy, feminine and traditional.
The Soft Feminine Homemaker
She's living that soft life. She has a feminine casual style. She takes her homemaking nice and slow and romanticizes her daily routine. She prioritizes self care and taking care of her mind and body. Her home life is simple and quiet. Her home is cozy and simple. I really aspire to be more like the soft feminine homemaker.
The Hunter's Wife
The homemaker whose life revolves around the hunting seasons. Her husband is an avid hunter, spending his free time hunting and fishing. She's usually right there with him, processing meat and cleaning fish. She is usually cooking up some venison in the kitchen or having a big ole fish fry with friends and family. Her home and closet is filled with camo and probably has some deer hide around somewhere.
I know for myself I can relate to so many of these, but I'm and hunter's wife and a crunchy hippie homemaker through and through, when I'm not cooking venison you can find me tending the garden or baking sourdough.
Now this is clearly not an extensive list. As I said there are as many different homemaking styles as there are homemakers. But I find it fun and inspiring to take notice of some common themes we often see in the homemaking community.
What do you identify with? Is their particular style that stands out to you, or maybe you're a little bit of everything? Don't feel as though you need to conform yourself into one style, but if you strongly identify with one then that's great. I love taking inspiration from all different types of homemakers, and applying what makes sense for my season of life.
I know that comparison is a difficult issue in today's social media culture but I think we often forget what a blessing it is to have so many ideas, inspiration, and even motivation right at our fingertips.
We can learn cleaning tips and tricks, get help decluttering or organizing our homes. We really have a collection of free resources at our fingertips that homemakers from 50 years ago would have loved to have access too.
We also shouldn't forget that some of the best homemaking inspiration may be right in front of you. Your own family, maybe your mother, or grandmother can be a great source of inspiration. I learned a great deal about cooking and cleaning, and how to nourish and care for others through the women in my family.
We can also learn lessons about what we don't want from those around us, it's just as important to know what you don't want, as it is to know what you do want.
Key takeaways
So here's some key takeaways to figuring out your homemaking style.
1) Take inspiration from other women but do not conform yourself to someone else's ideal.
2) Learn from others' accomplishments and mistakes.
3) Learn from your own accomplishments and mistakes.
4) Understand your likes & dislikes.
5) Decide what your priorities you have in this stage of your life
6) Lean into your own authentic homemaking vibe, whatever that may be for you.
I hope this post inspires you to experiment with different styles, change up your home decor or lifestyle and discover homemaking communities that may encourage and inspire you!
