TEND: 5 Simple Ways to Maintain Your Home and Health

Hello there!

Today, I was thinking about the word “tend” vs. the word “maintain”.  Although the difference may seem subtle, these words ignite a distinct feeling in me.  I looked up these words’ definitions to see if they are different.

Tend: (verb) to pay attention to, to serve, to watch over.

Maintain: (verb) to keep in good condition or working order by checking and repairing it regularly.

There it is -“Regularly”.  That is the word that gives me a little angst.  When I think of tending to it, it feels loose, easier, like I am tending to children by playing with them or I am tending to my garden by weeding, etc.  However, when I think about maintenance, it feels much more rigid. I maintain my car, my weight, etc.    Maintenance has a discipline to it that irks me.  It is something that I have to do, not something that I get to do.  Maintenance reminds me of the Martha Stewart calendars that she used to share in her magazines about cleaning and sharpening garden tools every spring or washing the walls regularly!  Good grief!  Maintenance denotes perfection to me, and tending to it makes it more accessible.

I am responding to these ideas of rigid perfection with a list of ways to tend to some of the areas in life in order to more loosely maintain them.  These 5 actions work (mostly) in my life to feel a sense of order, control, and sometimes even peace.

HOME TENDING:

1-WEEKLY: LET GO OF EXTRA STUFF: Having fewer items in my drawers, fridge, pantry, closets, cabinets, and even furniture means that I have fewer items to maintain.  I usually do one small area during the weekend, but it is something easy that I can tend to.  This visual clutter removal gives my eyes peace and soothes me tremendously.

2-DAILY: Carefully consider before buying ANYTHING.  In the age of Amazon, purchasing almost anything is so easy!  I try to sit with items in my cart for a couple of days for both budgetary and clutter reasons.  And although I am trying to use Amazon less, I still find myself starting the search online and then pausing.

This allows me to ask myself if this is the best product that I can afford, if I need it, and a bonus is if I find it beautiful. That may sound weighty if I am buying cleaning supplies or makeup, but somehow, this habit still seems to work!

3- DAILY:  Pick up before leaving the house in the morning.  That means making my bed, putting away dishes, clearing off surfaces, and doing a little fluff to the pillows.  I realize that this is easier without small children in the home, however, it takes me about 15-20  minutes total to attend to these.  Then, I find that I enjoy the welcome that my home gives me when I return.

HEALTH TENDING:

4- DAILY: MOVE!  Whether I am going to the gym or simply walking the dog, I move daily.  I love to walk outside.  It calms me and lets me think.  If I don’t make time to work out, I often feel groggy and easily overwhelmed.

5- DAILY/WEEKLY:  Choose 1 day to enjoy dessert.  I learned this trick from the book 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss.  I am constantly battling my sweet tooth, so something that has usually worked (except holidays and vacation) has been to reserve my sweets for one day during the weekend.  My day is usually Saturday.  I love Saturday!  It gives me a goal to look forward to and helps me maintain my weight, my sleep, my teeth, and my overall opinion of myself.

These 5 things are simple but not necessarily easy.  However, they guide my days and weeks to care for my home and my body in ways that I can appreciate and even love (mostly!)

I also wanted to share 3 blogs that I read weekly.  These blogs speak to my soul, and I truly enjoy them!  I hope you like them too!

Quiet Decency:  This blog by Dixon Rye comes out every Sunday, and it is simply photography, art, and sometimes words that create a feeling, typically using a color palette.  It is a visual delight that I look forward to. You have to sign up through the Dixon Rye website, because the blog disappears after it is sent out and does not appear on any website. Mysterious.

Kakikata:  This blog by Kaki Okumura relates to life by explaining things, words, diet, exercise, and philosophy through a Japanese lens. She is mindful and playful and will share a simple yet profound idea.

Be More with Less: I love this blog by Courtney Carver.  She has so many articles on simplifying your wardrobe, your home, and your mind.  (I also love her books!)

Finally, I wanted to show you my tending habits as they relate to my coffee table.  While I am writing this article in the morning, my sofa and coffee table are used and messy, but before I leave, I cleaned it up a bit.  You can get a glimpse of my habit of tidying up.

Thank you for reading!

Stephanie