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The Perspective Makeover – Messy House Tour 2016

August 15, 2016 ~ 74 Comments

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Since the last messy house tour I posted got so much love from you guys, I figured now was the perfect reminder that our home doesn’t actually have fresh bouquets of flowers and perfectly styled vignettes at every turn. I mean… maybe it’s all perfectly styled by the 3 year-old’s standards.

I love a beautifully clean house, but I wouldn’t feel right letting y’all think our house actually looks how it did in our summer home tour all summer long.

Amidst traveling to a blog conference, working on several home projects, and preparing for two family vacations, I looked around at our reality one day and thought, “This needs to be documented.”

So I grabbed my camera and trekked from room to room because, as much as I want you guys to feel inspired by this blog, I also want y’all to know that the real life, non-magaziney shots can still be beautiful too.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Like our dining room that still has remnants of misplaced items from our kitchen makeover…

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Our entryway usually becomes our drop zone…

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

…which is why that pile of curtains from our living room refresh was sitting on the bench waiting for their buyer to pick them up.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Our living room is easy to clean quickly since we have a pretty good organization system.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

But it looks like this “after” most of the time since Olivia is apparently personally offended by throw pillows. I don’t know what they ever did to her.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

We’ve been loving our new kitchen and it gets a regular workout now that we’re able to cook again.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

To be fair, when I snapped this shot of our kitchen, it was on the clean side. But after several days of leftover dead flowers, I finally got around to tossing them in the trash. Our dishes often pile up in a blink.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

One of my favorite things is to create pretty tablescapes just for fun, but it’s so not the norm for our daily lives.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

There’s pretty much always some remnant of an afternoon snack, Play-doh bits, and an arts and crafts project on our kitchen table.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

And up the stairs is our still very non-decorated playroom waiting for its makeover.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

It usually has toy piles and stacks of laundry… and this office chair that now randomly has a home here since Olivia likes to spin around in it like maniac.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Can we just not talk about this laundry room? Close the door and walk away. Laundry duty between summer vacations is not for the faint of heart.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Olivia’s bedroom usually has bedtime story books on her rug…

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

…along with all of her dress-up clothes.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

And even though Olivia’s bathroom is clean most of the time…

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

…there is usually toothpaste around the sink and clothes on the floor.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Robert has been a pro with keeping his office tidy though… I think it’s still in the post-makeover honeymoon phase.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

And as much as I love fresh flowers and breakfasts in bed…

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

lazy Saturdays really call for unmade beds just because.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

 We’re just one project away from this bedroom being finished.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Whenever we’re in mid-project mode, our tools pop up in random places. And since our sliding barn doors are next on the list, our power drill has been sitting on our dresser for a few days.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

It sort of hurts to show y’all a photo of our master bathroom in real life…

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

…but here it is, exploding makeup bag and all.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Oh, and Olivia’s bubble bath central…

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

I swear to you, I walked in and Princess Anna was already positioned in this rather un-princesslike pose. Get a hold of yourself, girl!

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

And this is my messy bed-headed bunch who I wouldn’t trade for anything.

The Perspective Makeover - Messy House Tour 2016 | blesserhouse.com

Can I tell you a little secret?

Before I know it, in the midst of scrolling through Pinterest and flipping through the latest issues of Better Homes and Gardens, insecurity starts to creep in. The comparison game gets real, and there are days I begin to question myself as a wife and as a mom.

But do you know the best makeover that is truly the most beautiful of any of those perfectly styled rooms? Our rooms are loved and they are lived in. They just need a dose of perspective.

Because it’s the dirty dishes piled in the sink that can tell you you are blessed with mouths to feed.

It’s the stacks of laundry pulled out of suitcases that tell you you have had great adventures.

It’s the toys and books tossed randomly on the floor that tell you little minds are growing and learning.

It’s the unmade beds that tell you sometimes the chores can wait because Saturday morning snuggles are much more important.

When you find yourself wishing for a perfectly styled home that isn’t strewn with the daily chaos, remember to tell yourself, “You are enough.” And one day you will wish the messes and the little pattering feet lasted a bit longer.

 signoff

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Filed Under: Life and Love, Tour
Tagged With: Life and Love, Tour

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Comments

  1. Lucy D. says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:00 am

    You are such a riot!! I had to laugh out loud several times while reading this. But it is so true; you have to stop and savor the simple, everyday moments in life, messy rooms and all! My kids are getting ready to leave the nest, and if this teary-eyed mama could have one wish, it would be to turn back time to when they were little. I would gladly go through that craziness all over again! And thank you for your informative, entertaining blog. I really enjoy it!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:38 am

      Haha! I DIED when I saw Princess Anna just posed all crazy on our bathtub. What in the world?! She’s totally going to corrupt my daughter. 😉 Thank you so much for the love, Lucy!

      Reply
  2. Christene Holder says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:10 am

    Thanks for this post! Such a great reminder and a great dose of perspective.

    Btw tho you are a master styler for those beautiful home tour shots! I know they aren’t real life but you’ve got a gift girl! I would take photo styling classes 🙂

    >> Christene

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:36 am

      Wow! Thank you, Christene! That’s great to hear because I just wing it. Not sure if I’d ever really know how to teach that part except to say flowers make everything better. 😉

      Reply
  3. Vicki and Jennifer 2 Bees in a Pod says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:12 am

    Lauren – your home is beautiful whether clean or “messy”. Thanks for keeping it real!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:35 am

      Thanks, ladies!

      Reply
  4. Holly Krajewski says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:19 am

    Oh, my, yes! Beautifully stated.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:34 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  5. Treva says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:20 am

    Loved seeing real life pictures.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:34 am

      Thanks, Treva!

      Reply
  6. Lynne says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:35 am

    Thank you for the reminder that a home is loved and lived in. What a happy, comfortable home you have created!!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:34 am

      Thanks, Lynne!

      Reply
  7. Danielle Ferretti says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:36 am

    I loved LOVED seeing the real life pictures, and especially the master bathroom shot – the toilet paper roll is placed on top of the holder….. That actually made me chuckle since it KILLS me when done at my house. REALLY ?! It might take you longer to balance it on TOP of the holder than to put it in, dear husband… LOL

    Your house is gorgeous, regardless ! And I secretly think I like the “messy” better…. as you so perfectly said : “Our rooms are loved and they are lived in”. Not sure I would like a picture perfect home where it looks like you live in a magazine and people cannot even sit on the furniture… And the throw pillows staying on the couch fight – when you figure out the solution besides zip ties or stapling them to the couch – please let us know. 🙂

    Go Anna ! Nothing like a getting down at bath time ! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:34 am

      Haha! The struggle is REAL, right?! That dang toilet paper roll kills me! When I first saw it, my first instinct was to fix it, but I had to tell myself, “No, Lauren. Leave it. This is real life here.” Haha! I totally agree. If you have to worry about keeping everything spotless all the time, you can’t really relax. And relaxing is supposed to be the best part of being home.

      Reply
  8. Jana says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:45 am

    Well done Lauren! I LOVE, love, love that you keep it real! Thanks for sharing…even the painful parts! And for the most important reminder….perspective. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:31 am

      Thank you, Jana!

      Reply
  9. Linda says

    August 15, 2016 at 12:12 pm

    This is my all-time favorite post so far. I’m pretty new to the blog, but I absolutely love the idea of being so real. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:31 am

      Aw thank you, Linda!

      Reply
  10. LISA NICHOLSON says

    August 15, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    I LOVE this Lauren. And while your “mess” is seriously on the clean side, its real, and honest, and that is awesome. We can’t get caught up in the perfection of blogdom homes because our homes almost never look that good, despite our best efforts. Just the other night I was lamenting a mess and a fleeting thought leapt through my mind–“If it was just me living here, this place would always be spotless”. That was quickly followed by, “and so lonely and sad”. The mess is living, and I am awfully close to empty nest when I will gladly trade cleanliness for their presence.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:31 am

      Thanks, Lisa! Today, the mess is worse and definitely not on the clean side. Maybe I should have waited until we had THREE projects going on to really show the chaos. 😉 You are so completely right though. When it was just my husband and I back in the day, it was always really clean. Messes = pillow forts and coloring books and dress-up and adventures and a whole lot of awesome. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Debra Bartels says

    August 15, 2016 at 1:37 pm

    Coming from a mom of a 36 year old and a 30 year old the last sentence says it all.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:27 am

      All the feels! It’s so true.

      Reply
  12. Carrie says

    August 15, 2016 at 1:45 pm

    Wow Lauren, nice words and pics.
    Sometimes I take pics of how it really is or how we really are, not to show anyone, but because they’re really special to me. Not just lived in but “loved in”.
    I like these posts because sometimes I feel I’m not doing enough and everyone else has a perfect home which is so not true lol.

    Have a blessed day!
    Carrie 🙂

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:27 am

      That’s a great way of putting it, “loved in”. I love that! Hope you have a blessed day too, Carrie.

      Reply
  13. Susie from The Chelsea Project says

    August 15, 2016 at 2:05 pm

    Absolutely one of your best! Love your home and your message.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:26 am

      Thank you, sweet Susie!

      Reply
  14. amy says

    August 15, 2016 at 2:35 pm

    🙂 Thank you ! I love this, and i feel so much better now!! Your home is beautiful, and so is your heart.

    Thanks for caring…and sharing!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:26 am

      Thank you, Amy!

      Reply
  15. Babs Loyd says

    August 15, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    Such fun to see the “lived in look.” Thanks for the dose of reality; your sense of humor is delightful.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:26 am

      Aw thanks, Babs! By the way, I love your name. 🙂

      Reply
  16. MJ says

    August 15, 2016 at 2:57 pm

    Love this. Real life. But your mess is way less than mine. I’m thinking you purge often….? Great share…thanks….

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:25 am

      I do purge often. I get in a toss out/donate frenzy every few months. It has been messier before, this is just how it happened to look the day I walked through with my camera. 🙂

      Reply
  17. Bonnie says

    August 15, 2016 at 3:06 pm

    I love this post. Thanks Lauren. What you said is so true. I have 4 grown children and 6 grandchildren. They do grown up so fast!!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:24 am

      That’s what I’m told. Hanging on to every sweet little minute while I can. 🙂

      Reply
  18. Susan says

    August 15, 2016 at 3:33 pm

    I love your “lived in look”. Thanks for keeping it real for the rest of us!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:22 am

      Thanks, Susan! 🙂

      Reply
  19. Betty says

    August 15, 2016 at 5:39 pm

    I love all your pretty styled photos but I really love the fact that you are “normal” just like the rest of us. As I was leaving the house today I thought about what a wreck it is and that my dog sitter will see how messy we really are…you made me feel much better! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:22 am

      Thank you, Betty! That means a lot to me. 🙂

      Reply
  20. ROBIN PETERSON says

    August 15, 2016 at 6:21 pm

    Love the shutters next to your china cabinet.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:12 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  21. Karen Ploransky says

    August 15, 2016 at 10:11 pm

    You’re very wise to realize what’s really important at such a young age! You’re very talented and have a lovely home and a beautiful family! Messy just means you have your priorities straight!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:11 am

      Thanks, Karen! My mama taught me well and kept my feet on the ground for many years. 🙂

      Reply
  22. Jessica says

    August 15, 2016 at 11:05 pm

    Love this.

    Reply
  23. Julie says

    August 16, 2016 at 12:07 am

    This is my favorite post! Looking at Pinterest or Instagram for any length of time will make anyone start to feel bad about their less than perfect home. We all know that most people do not live that way. Thanks for reminding us 🙂

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:10 am

      Thank you, Julie! Instagram is DEFINITELY a culprit in the comparison game too.

      Reply
  24. Karen says

    August 16, 2016 at 6:45 am

    Love this! Especially the throw pillows! My kids toss them on the floor first thing in the morning. ? I finally bought a basket to throw them in!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:10 am

      Haha! Makes you wonder… why do we bother?! Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome? Yeah… throw pillows are insane.

      Reply
  25. Kellie Dietrich says

    August 16, 2016 at 7:49 am

    This is awesome! It is so great to see someone else’s reality snapshots too! Love it and thanks for sharing. Your home is absolutely delightful!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:09 am

      Thank you, Kellie!

      Reply
  26. Jennifer Ford Berry says

    August 16, 2016 at 8:01 am

    Bravo! So many women need to read this post. Beautifully said and a perfect reminder when we get that anxious feeling scrolling through “perfect Pinterest”?

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:09 am

      Thank you, Jennifer! I know what you mean. “Perfect” is so overrated. 😉

      Reply
  27. Candy Walsh says

    August 16, 2016 at 9:27 am

    You are so right! There’s nothing lonelier than not hearing those little feet or the chaos of playing and laughing and making memories. My two are grown (26 & 21) and out on their own and I still very much have empty nest syndrome, lol.
    Thank you for sharing your “real” life, not many people with homes on display as beautiful as yours would have the guts to do that. Not that it was terribly messy anyway, lol.
    Blessings,
    Candy

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:08 am

      You are so sweet, Candy. Thank you! If it doesn’t scare me a little bit to push that “publish” button on a blog post, then I figure I’m not stepping outside of my comfort zone enough. That’s how we grow. It’s definitely sometimes messier than this. It just happened to look like this the day I walked through with my camera. You never know with this bunch around here. 😉

      Reply
  28. Junette says

    August 16, 2016 at 9:44 am

    My (almost 3-year old) son also hates the throw pillows, they always end up on the floor.. Guess it is a todler thing!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:06 am

      I wonder if it’s just an everyone but mom thing. My husband does it too. Haha!

      Reply
  29. Chelsea @ The Johnsons Plus Dog says

    August 16, 2016 at 12:49 pm

    Just so you know, this post was wayyyy more inspiring than others with perfectly staged rooms. We just got back from our first trip with our 3 month old and we’re trying to wrap up a home renovation… so I FEEL YA! Thanks for the encouragement today.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 9:06 am

      Thank you, Chelsea! Wow. Trip + 3 month old + home renovation is definitely the messiest of messes. Hang in there!

      Reply
  30. Judy says

    August 16, 2016 at 11:34 pm

    Love your web site. I’m not receiving your post, had to look this one up.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 8:58 am

      Oh I’m sorry, Judy! Thanks for letting me know! I just checked from my end, and it’s showing that the email was sent to you; it just wasn’t opened. So maybe it ended up in a different folder? I’m hoping I fixed it now though.

      Reply
  31. Lanita Anderson says

    August 17, 2016 at 9:19 pm

    Oh my goodness…..I LOVED this post and seeing your home in the “for real” lived in stage!! Thanks for your insight and the reminders that we all need – that it’s not what our house does or doesn’t look like….it’s the people who live in it and what they mean to us! You are a blessing……

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 17, 2016 at 11:24 pm

      Thank you so much, Lanita! You said it perfectly.

      Reply
  32. Toni says

    August 18, 2016 at 11:36 am

    Bwahahahaha…Princess Anna…

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 19, 2016 at 8:47 am

      I don’t even know… Haha! Gotta love that magic marker makeup. 😉

      Reply
  33. Bev says

    August 21, 2016 at 10:40 am

    Love the transparency! I must admit I do get a complex visiting all these blogs with perfectly staged rooms that make the lived-in atmosphere of my home appear in stark contrast. Thanks for letting us see the other side.

    Reply
  34. Jody says

    August 22, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    I never comment on the blog but read it frequently. This may be one of my favorite you have written. Such a great perspective of living in a pretty home. You are trully inspiring to so many. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 23, 2016 at 9:53 am

      Thank you so much, Jody! That truly means a lot.

      Reply
  35. Rachel says

    August 23, 2016 at 9:30 pm

    Thank you for making the rest of us feel human! So many of us love reading blogs like yours and try really hard to make our homes beautiful, but family and life always pile up on top of the pretty. It’s nice to know we’re all human!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      August 26, 2016 at 9:46 am

      Thank you, Rachel! We’re definitely all human. A lot can come from a little bit of grace.

      Reply
  36. Amy Scholma says

    August 28, 2016 at 10:54 am

    What color paint is in girl’s room, above deacon bench, and kitchen? Nice.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      September 9, 2016 at 4:38 pm

      The girl’s room is Benjamin Moore Gray Owl and the kitchen/hallway is Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige. 🙂

      Reply
  37. April Leiler says

    September 8, 2016 at 10:40 am

    Oh, this just made me love you even more. And really, half way through I said “She redid her KITCHEN? How did I miss that?!” Off to read the kitchen post if there is one…

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      September 9, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      Haha! Thanks, Rachel. And YES! We love our new kitchen! Totally worth all that hard work.

      Reply
  38. Lynne Gaylor says

    September 20, 2016 at 12:34 pm

    Hi! Uh……news flash……….even your “messy” rooms didn’t look messy!!!! You have a beautiful home! My daughter’s “messy” room would scare anyone away forever! lol Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      October 4, 2016 at 1:03 am

      Haha! This just happened to be what it looked like when I was on my way out the door on this day. Right now, we’re starting a big project and several rooms have exploded around here!

      Reply

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We’re Robert and Lauren, a DIY-loving duo just fighting the good fight in making our house a home one renovation and thrifted decorating adventure at a time. Home wasn’t built in a day, but the journey is half the fun. We’re so glad to have you here, and we hope you feel inspired to love the home you have.

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