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!
Sharon says
Home is where I am loved and accepted unconditionally – who wouldn’t want to be there?
Martha White says
I am happy when I am able to grow, cook and eat home grown vegetables.
Michelle says
I am most happy when I bring the clothes in from the line and inhale the beautiful fresh air as I push my nose into the materials, I love the roughness of each piece in my hands and their sweet intoxicating scent; have 2 trashbags filled with clothes to take to goodwill after I have just cleaned out my closet; see the just vacuumed livingroom; and when my cats and dogs curl up together in the winter months creating the fluffiest and most unique living fur quilt.
Tina Knezevic says
I am so much happier when I am either gardening, cleaning, organizing, cooking, baking, crocheting, sewing, crafting, painting or just entertaining my friends and family in my fabulous home. My husband and I just finished our brand new living room and we are so very happy how great it turned out with all the hard work and determination to make it look just right!
Barbara says
I retired from teaching this year. Never knew a September to be so lovely, so peaceful, so full of new wonders. I love being at home.
Janis Taylor says
Happiness = crossword puzzle and coffee in bed on Sunday morning with my significant other, the dog and the two cats. (The dog is adorable but she never gets any crossword clues right.)
Jesse Miles says
I’m happy at home when it is warm and cozy, I can open my windows for a little fresh air, and the smells of real foods are simmering somewhere!
natalie caine says
Happiest when I am outside . Seeing something in my garden that I missed and welcome. Happiest when I easily find where I put my socks . Happiest when someone helps me figure out where else to put my photos besides in my old free standing window panes of two french doors in the garden.
allen hori says
happier when i get to watch the bats feed-flying at dusk.
Kris says
I’m always happiest at home. It’s where I belong.