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!
Virginia Mostellar says
Happiness seems to be a peace that says to your soul,”I am exactly where I should be, doing exactly what I need to be doing!” at home, it involves my loved ones: family, animals , self.
OXOX
Marla says
Here’s a tip from Gretchen’s 1st book that really makes a difference to home-happiness: never put off a chore that would take less than a minute.
Vicki says
I’m happiest when we have places for things, and things are in their places. We are currently up to our ears in excess possessions, many inherited from my dear husband’s brother, whom we lost last year. The sale of his home has brought many useful, but unneeded items to us – we are very grateful for those items we are able to use, and to be able to share others with folks who can put them to good use. We’re slowly finding homes for many items which we don’t need duplicates for among family and friends, any by donation — we fervently hope to avoid the dreaded garage sale. As we slowly bring sanity and order back to our small home, I think Gretchen’s new book would be a delightful addition to those possessions which we have chosen to keep!
Mary says
I make sure I do something nice for someone every day
Laura T says
Happy when I look around the house and see so many memories and know that we are making new ones. Sometimes I just stop and take a breath and look around at Grandma’s antiques mixed with funky 50s furnishings from mom; art from places we’ve traveled mixed with framed art from the kids; all the little things that make a home happy.
Leslie says
I’m happiest curled up with a good book!!
Meghan Smith says
I make time to sit and watch my child work. He has similar habits that i had when I was little. He sticks his tongue out a little if he’s really concentrated. I enjoy being able to witness myself in him and it encourages me to be a child again and live a less hectic lifestyle.
Kitty Dollar says
Be yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin. I have found great happiness now that I am old enough to know that who I am is fun and interesting; and I am at my best when I am just me and don’t care about anyone’s opinion.
Joan Yoshioka says
I am most happy when I am kind to others. 🙂 I guess that makes happiness a choice.
Father Muskrat says
I’m happier when I’m doing late night karaoke with a bunch of friends and a bottle of Makers Mark. I’m a simple kind of guy.