To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition, the end to which every enterprise and labour tends. — Samuel Johnson, the Rambler, No, 68.
That’s the very first quote in Gretchen Rubin’s brand new book, Happier at Home (affiliate link) which — like its predecessor The Happiness Project — is sure to be a blockbuster. The Samuel Johnson quote immediately hit home for me, because 
golly, isn’t this blog about finding happiness in our sweet little midcentury homes… about loving the house you’re in, instead of pining after what it may lack… and about giving our houses our tender loving care — so that they can give theirs back?
Crikes, sorry to get all mushy there. But in case you haven’t guessed, I am hugely enormously, gigantically, sentimental about happiness in house and home. It is kind of… all that I think about. I also just read Gretchen Rubin’s first book The Happiness Project (affiliate link) in July. I thought that the book was hugely enormously gigantically brilliant. It was a #1 New York Times best-seller for good reason. The book is NOT self-help FLUFF. This woman is a take-no-prisoners serious, avid researcher. She wrote lauded history books about Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy before she turned to the more prosaic, yet elusive, topic of Happiness. In a nut, with The Happiness Project, she synthesized amazing amounts of research on the topic… and then… and this was the especially brilliant part: She put her findings to work in her own life, small-step-by-small-step, over a 12-month period, and chronicled her experience. The book is super easy to read, super encouraging — but at the same time, it’s deeeeeep. How often can you say that.
Now, Gretchen (I don’t think she will mind my familiarity) has followed up her first best-selling happiness book with a second one that focuses even more specifically on cultivating happiness within your home and with the creatures who may live there with you. UPDATE: Happier at Home has just hit #2 on the New York Times best-seller list, in just its FIRST week on sale. THIS BOOK IS A MUST-HAVE!
One more happy thing: Gretchen once gave a shout out to Retro Renovation on her blog — and send several hundred new visitors our way. She like the retro. Can ya believe it. I can: Retro is Happy!
Kim says
My happiness seems to be disproportionate to the time I spend plotting and planning my happiness!
Jennifer says
I think that being happy is a choice, you have to decide to be happy and it will happen.
Lisa Adams says
Lighting candles and soothing pandora music is good for me!
Nancy says
Frappucinos!
Erin says
Remember that the people in my house are more important and deserve my attention more than anything else about it.
Marta says
Each new day is a gift, yet so many treat it as a curse. Happiness is a choice anyone can make.
Michele in Salem says
I’ve boosted my happiness at home by truly embracing my position here. I have a large family and many demands on my time. I think that happiness for me means doing it all and doing it well. That said, I’d better go catch up on my morning tasks. Can’t wait to read this book!
kelley says
Spending a little time outside everyday boosts my happiness. Gotta get that vitamin D!
Pattie says
the mere thought of happiness keeps me motivated in down times. remembering happy moments seems to encourage me to bring happiness and lovely thought my way.
Missy K says
have increased my happiness at home by clearing out the things we do not regularly use, or truly love, or ideally, both. We have moved closet by closet, drawer by drawer, room by room, and released to others, to charity, to the curb so much that was cluttering our spaces. The result has been I believe, more clear thinking, more art making, more rest, more order and peace.
Oh, I’d love to win this book!