With two children, we tend to avoid staying with too many people; but when we do, I always notice much more about their homes than I hope anyone ever notices in mine. Have you ever noticed how much more you can see from a removed perspective in somebody else’s house than in your own?

I traveled to my relative’s this past summer in Sacramento, and even though they lived in a very expensive home in Folsom, I couldn’t help studying the house with a critical eye. I always notice interior design, and their colors were so bland. The house would have looked so much richer with the addition of some deeper hues along with some decorative moldings. Speaking of moldings, the baseboard was a thin 1×2 that looked very tacky and cheap. It was interesting to me to notice how their home was worth twice as much as mine, but was half as nice.

Mainly because we are out of our comfort zones, we are all more aware of the layout of other’s homes than our own. We get so used to the little inconveniences in our houses that we don’t even notice them anymore. If there is an awkward feature such as the guest bath backing the family room, you feel really uncomfortable with that in someone else’s home. I probably shouldn’t disclose all of my little secrets as no one will want me to stay with them anymore, but I’m acutely aware of the cleanliness of other’s homes as well. Dust bunnies and dirty windows are blaringly obvious (which reminds me, mine need cleaning).

None of this is really that important, although you might just take a step back occasionally and try to see your home as through the fresh eyes of a guest. Look for little repairs that need fixing such as holes in the walls, chipping paint, or caulking that should be replaced. 

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