Oh thank you so much for posting this!! My house is upside down right now and this just made my day to know that I’m not alone.

Off to rearrange my bedroom now…yep…skipping the cleaning for just one more day.

In that last photograph, do you know where that white dresser is from?

I am glad that other people’s children put pillows all over the place. Everywhere. Makes me feel better.

I’d pick re-arranging instead of cleaning too… and I usually do!

Good luck!

Meg

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You made me fell so much better with this post!

love this. it’s the reality of what’s behind every blog. despite all of our beautiful pictures we have messes like the rest of the world. g*luck tiding up!

ashley

Thanks for your transparency, Emily! Your house is not only beautiful, but lived-in. Love it.

Thank you so much for sharing this! Makes me feel so much better…but honestly, yours really isn’t that bad!

I love that you showed how messy your house is!!!!!!! Makes the rest of us feel normal!

No sweat! It’ll get done. It still looks beautiful. Have the kids grab a couple of empty laundry baskets and put everything from each room that belongs somewhere else in the baskets. After collecting all the stuff that belongs somewhere else, they can straighten up what’s left in that room. As they carry the basket to the next room, they can do the same thing, leaving the things in the basket in the appropriate room as them come to them. Sometimes, setting it to music where they try to finish a room before a song plays for the second or third time while they sing along makes it fun, but keeps them moving and energized. Before you know it, much progress has been made, which is very encouraging to everyone.

LOVE it!
Thanks Emily!

i love knowing i’m not alone.

This is such a funny post because I was photographing some rooms today and thought how happy I was that the camera doesn’t pick up dirt on the floor and dust on the furniture! Thanks for keeping it real.

Thank you for this post! Now I feel normal =) Me and my friends talk about you like you are a celebrity and I am always all…how does Emily Jones do it???? Nice to know your amazing house gets just as messy as mine =))))

YAY! Thank you for showing real life!

Oh how I can relate and I don’t even have children yet. This was one of my favorite posts from you yet. Thanks for letting us in.

Thank you for being so transparent!! Us moms can aim for perfection so much and end up feeling like we’ve fallen short when in reality there is no “perfect life” but perfect moments. Your home looks beautifully “lived in”. As a fellow mom of 3 boys and new little princess (3 months) plus a homeschooling mom..it’s sooo refreshing to see pictures posted of what most of our homes really look like..wink wink.. You inspire so many with your transparency and humility not to mention your talent! May God continue to bless your talent and obedience to using the gifts He has given you!!

Love that you are keepin’ it real! But even in disarray, it’s all still beautiful. : )

totally love your blog today…your honesty is refreshing~xo~

This made me smile. My sister-in-law came into town today with my niece and nephews. At 8pm she called to ask if they could stay here – they could be here in 20 minutes! We turned off the movie we were watching and all ran around picking up, vacuuming, wiping down counters, etc. right up until the doorbell rang! I’m glad I’m not the only one whose house isn’t “guest ready” all the time.

Funny…we all love beauty on blogs to a point. Every now and then, a fresh does of reality is a blessing. You house looks like your family is really LIVING! That’s awesome.

xo,
Linsey

Yes, but at least under the mess, you’ve got a beautiful home! And is that a gray canvas Old Navy bag I spy on the stairs? I snatched it up at $4.99, could NOT pass up that deal!

I’m glad you showed those pictures… reminded me of some ideas I want to show my husband for our house… My house might actually be cleaner then someone else’s right now!

ha! love it!

It will be fine! Melaine is totally laid back and cool. You are going to love her!

I think you just made everyone feel a little bit better about themselves knowing that you are a real person with a house that isn’t a show room but full of memories and messes just like everyone else! Thanks for sharing this.

I’m so glad you showed those pictures. Sometimes people only blog the perfect, staged elements of their homes and lives. This is a dose of reality and we all need it sometimes! Good luck with getting it ready for your guest. Sometimes that’s what I need to motivate me to tackle the mess! Love your blog!

thanks for sharing…..i am LOVING your polka dot curtains!!! do tell ~ where did you get them??!!!!

thanks for keeping it real……

Looks like my house! Some days I just say, “I give up!” Did I mention I only have one child? Kuddos to you for keeping such a lovely house with 4 kiddos running around!

Looks familiar! I make re-arranging my reward for cleaning. Motivation! Enjoy the visit! Sounds like a fun time!

Thanks for being so real; it is refreshing!

so glad you are human. your home is beautiful and lived in. luv it.

Awesome! Looks like my house but I’d have a bra or two laying around as well I’m sure. Cheers to happy messes and ” not in the mood” to clean it up!

omg. i have the utmost respect for you just for posting this! i am going to immediately show it to my husband to drive my point home. i am not alone!! thank you! hahaha…

Oh my! Where did you find those beautiful polka dot curtain panels?

Girl, I do the same thing (in regards to C). It is always more fun to re-arrange than it is to clean. I did that very thing to my Living Room on Saturday

I am so glad you posted this! My house has been a wreck this week and I’ve been having the hardest time getting the motivation to clean. I’m glad I’m not the only one!

I love the real side of living – especially when we see so much of the staged side of living in blogs. THIS is a house lived in by kids! So glad to see the human touch!

I’m so with everyone else on this post- thank you, thank you, thank you for letting us see that your house is occasionally similar to ours on the messiness factor! The beauty still shines through!

Your house looks incredible for you being gone 10 days! Can’t imagine what my house would look like with me being gone for 10 days! My 3 kids love making pillow piles in the living room thing! I didn’t realize that this is really common!?! Made me giggle! I love the sneak peek of your house! It’s beautiful! I love those bunk beds? Where did you all buy those? So cool to have 2 sets of bunks in a room! Love that!

~ Ali

As a mother of two little ones, I just want to say THANK YOU!!!!

So nice to see someone post real pictures of their home. Every blog shows everything perfect, and we know that isn’t happening with kids.

The fact that you have proof of children is in itself beautiful…at least that is what I tell myself when my house looks just like that, which is VERY often! How comforting to see other people have the same struggles. I’ve found that dirty dishes hide well in the oven (beware of preheating without checking) and a multitude of junk can be quickly carted to the garage, since no one usually wants a tour of that particular place. Also, washers and dryers are great quickie hiding spots! Yes, I have practice.

LOL! I am so glad you shared this. We just got back home from a 2 week road trip from WA to CA. My house is absolutely turned upside down! I would pile all my kids in the car and drive away, but that is a mess too:-) Oh well, at least the trip was a blast.

Our houses look so similar. Well mess-wise they do (you have much cuter furniture!). Thanks for sharing “real life” photos. I suspect that is how 90%+ of homes with kids look most of the time!

Seriously love you right now. lol.

I love this post! I often wonder what a house as beautiful as your looks like on a normal day. THANK YOU!!!

Oh, yay! You are REAL!
Me, too.

Thank you!