Houzz Call: What Has Mom Taught You About Making a Home?
Whether your mother taught you to cook and clean or how to order takeout and let messes be, we'd like to hear about it
Vanessa Brunner
May 5, 2013
Houzz Contributor
Many of us have learned valuable life skills from our mothers. From day one Mom taught us how to take care of ourselves. From feeding us to teaching us how to cook; from cleaning up after us to making us clean on our own; from fixing our broken messes to teaching us to fix things ourselves, mothers have helped prepare us to have our own homes.
For this Mother's Day, please tell us what special thing — big or small — your mother taught you about creating a welcoming, functional home. Post a picture if you can. Your comment may end up in an upcoming featured ideabook.
For this Mother's Day, please tell us what special thing — big or small — your mother taught you about creating a welcoming, functional home. Post a picture if you can. Your comment may end up in an upcoming featured ideabook.
Here's my own mom, Carrie, with my sister, Emily, and me.
My mom had me and my three siblings pitching in on housework even back when the broom was taller than I was. Although we complained bitterly at the time, I'm so grateful to her for stoking my affection for a neat and tidy household — particularly her handy tip of sweeping dust from hardwood floors onto the carpet and vacuuming it all up in one fell swoop — and helping me find the sweet satisfaction in a clean house.
Rain or shine, the response to "I'm bored" in my childhood home was, "Go outside and play." Mom believed in fresh air, sunshine and playing with living things — and I owe my love of nature, gardening and being outdoors to her constant prodding. Oh, yes, there were many Saturdays spent weeding, moving rocks and planting flowers — and yes, I hated it. But now I'd kill for a garden to muck around in.
The two gardeners in this photo are not related to me, but it seems we share a love of nature.
The two gardeners in this photo are not related to me, but it seems we share a love of nature.
Of course, sometimes our mothers teach us what not to do, and we can be grateful for that, too. Hey, no one's perfect, and some of us may owe a particular strength to a mother's minor weaknesses.
My mom would be the first to admit that fixing things — jiggly doorknobs, clogged toilets and broken dishwashers — is not her forte. OK, it's not my forte either, but the fact that both of my little brothers are whizzes with a hammer and a screwdriver helps make up for it.
Tell us: What has your mother taught you to do at home? How has she helped you make your home what it is today? We'd love to hear your story and see a photo of your mom and you at home.
More: Time Travel to Houzzers' Childhood Homes
My mom would be the first to admit that fixing things — jiggly doorknobs, clogged toilets and broken dishwashers — is not her forte. OK, it's not my forte either, but the fact that both of my little brothers are whizzes with a hammer and a screwdriver helps make up for it.
Tell us: What has your mother taught you to do at home? How has she helped you make your home what it is today? We'd love to hear your story and see a photo of your mom and you at home.
More: Time Travel to Houzzers' Childhood Homes
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1- any house can become a home
2- memories are our most important possession
3- we were put on earth to give as much love as we can
4- God is never far
5- dreams are free
6- happiness can also be spelt F.A.M.I.L.Y
7- never judge a book by it's cover
Oh, two cops I know.