Category: Home story

Our relationship with money, undoubtedly, serves as one of the most defining relationships of our lives. Whether we hoard it, overspend it, worry about it, chase it, save it, or give it all away, the way we interact and think about money affects countless aspects of our lives. Some consider money as merely a tool. And that is true, money is a tool. But it is also much more than that. One must only look at the fact that 77% …

“To live long is almost everyone’s wish, but to live well is the ambition of a few.” —John Hughes Think for a moment about the people who’ve left a positive, lasting impact on you. Some may have lived long lives, others short. But without a doubt, almost all of them lived well. Chances are, their lives were marked with characteristics you desire for your own. They were probably loving, selfless, warm, and a joy to be around. Maybe they were …

Benjamin Franklin wrote in his autobiography, “It is more difficult for a man in want to act always honestly.” All those who desire to live an honest life should consider the weight of those words. In fact, read them again if you skipped over them quickly. In its original context, Franklin was exhorting his readers to work industrially and live frugally. Because as he explained, it is “more difficult for a man in want to act always honestly.” It is …

Happy April 1st. It is true, there are a lot of really good reasons to minimize our possessions. For example, when we own less, we are able to focus more of our life on things that matter. Minimalism saves money, time, focus, and energy. Owning less means less stress and more freedom. And those are definitely wonderful things that everybody would benefit from! But that’s not to say that there aren’t also reasons to keep all the stuff we don’t …

It’s easy to miss out on the simple pleasures that surround us each day. This is because they become routine and ordinary. Oftentimes, it is the good things around every day that we are first to forget. We forget to be thankful for them, we forget to appreciate them, and we forget to find pleasure in them. But when we make an effort to focus on the simple pleasures around us each day, we become less inclined to chase happiness …

Note: This is a guest post from Emily McDermott of Simple by Emmy. “What do you want to drink?” I asked my youngest son over breakfast. “Milk!” I pour milk into the small glass in front of him, stopping at a groove about a quarter of the way up we call the “Sean line.” I had learned many times that when I filled the glass to the brim without thinking, he never finished it all.  I pick up my phone …

There’s an old saying I think about quite a bit. It goes like this: “The trouble is, you think you have time.” The thought is one that routinely spurs me to action and helps me prioritize my life. Because it’s true. Our priorities often get misplaced specifically because we think we have more time than we actually do. It’s easy to forget the value of every day—especially in a world of constant distraction. What if we approached life each day …

According to a recent survey, 71% of Americans identify money as a significant cause of stress in their lives. This is a very large number of us. In some ways, however, this number makes sense. Consider the stats and economic realities we are facing: Americans now carry a staggering $1.1 trillion in credit card debt. And we carry that record debt at a time when credit card interest rates have soared to all-time highs. Housing affordability hit a new low …

Our homes are more than just a place where we sleep and a roof for us to store our stuff under. They reflect who we are today and where we’re headed tomorrow. Now, just to be clear. Our home is the place we return to at the end of the day to rest our head and it is the place where we keep our stuff. But it is more than that. Home is also the launching pad from which we live our lives …

In today’s world, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. In fact, the average internet user spends almost 2½ hours each day using social media platforms—more than one-third of our total online time. Social media offers some wonderful benefits. It allows us to stay connected with friends, remain informed, and even make a difference in the world (as an example, in many ways, the reach of this website has grown significantly because of social media). That …