They say home is the single most important place in a child’s life, but what does home actually mean? I’ve been tagged by the lovely Morgan Prince at Morgan’s Milieu to write a post about what home means to me. It’s a jolly good question and I ought to know the answer because it’s fair to say I’ve had a lot of them.
As a forces child we moved home every time my dad had a new posting. Not just to another house or flat, but to a different town and even a different country. By the time I was 18 I’d moved home eight times and been to five different schools.
I think this is why I am so materialistic. Materialism is often held up as something bad and something to be ashamed of but for me – when I was dropped into a new house in a new town with a new school – it was the familiar, material objects at home that offered a sense of security and stability when the rest of my world had been turned upside down.
Getting home from my new school and finding our old Paisley-print sofa in the new living room or my favourite toys unpacked onto a new shelf was reassuring and comforting.
I particularly remember moving to Germany and all of our furniture had to go into storage in the UK. Our new flat was furnished with military issue furniture – utilitarian tables and chairs, functional chests of drawers and a scratchy, nylon covered sofa. There was nothing homey about it and it was like Christmas had come early when my dad’s posting was extended and my parents’ decided to get our own furniture out of storage.
I vividly remember the removal lorry arriving and the Paisley-print sofa being carried out. I can even remember it’s smell. Ironically, when I see that military issue furniture in charity or junk shops now I feel oddly nostalgic – just like I did with the Paisley sofa!
So for me home is the place where all my things are. Since becoming a mum a surprising amount of things from my childhood have surfaced, which given the number of houses we’ve lived in you’d have thought would have bitten the dust years ago.
But there are things my parents have carted from house to house, including:
My old moses basket which both BB and Little B got to sleep in. (It was also my mum’s moses basket, so goodness knows how many house moves it’s survived).
My old doll’s house which was the best Christmas present in the world ever when BB was given it for Christmas last year.
And my old rocking horse which sits in their bedroom. (Admittedly this has freaked out at least one of BB’s friends).
It’s things like these that make home for me, and if being materialistic is bad then so be it.
What does home mean to you?
Now it’s my turn to tag some fellow bloggers, so I nominate:
Kirsty at Busy Working Mummy
Robyn at The Years are Short
Laura at Life with Baby Kicks
Looking forward to reading all about what home means to you!
Linking up with…
I have kept lot’s of keepsakes and I could never get rid of them, so that too is being materialistic, even though I wouldn’t say I am a materialistic person.
It’s funny how we can’t bear to part with things!
I think it’s understandable you have attachments to the things that remained constant in your life with so much change. I love these tags as they allows to really get to. Know each other. I’m working on mine. Will be out in Jan. Happy Christmas x
Looking forward to reading yours! Yes I like these tags too as you really get to know the person behind the blog!x
A brilliant write up hun, I loved reading about what home means to you and you’re right, being materialistic isn’t necessarily a bad thing! Thank you so much for writing. xx
Glad you enjoyed it – thanks for tagging me!x
Ah this is so true. Home is so important and those familiar things make it home. It must have been hard for you to move so many times, especially with unfamiliar furniture! I can see why home means so much to you. Thanks for sharing with #bestandworst x
I suppose these things make you who you are!
Thanks so much for tagging me, I’m so excited to get writing about this! Love your story so much and can completely understand how home wasn’t about the location for you it was about the familiar things. So impressed by your moses basket which has been used for three generations, that’s gorgeous.
The moses basket is such a nice thing to have – looking forward to reading your post!x
Lovely post! It’s great having a nose around people’s houses and getting to know the person behind the blog! I love the fact that for you it’s about the objects you’ve bought with you as well as the people. 🙂
Have a wonderful Christmas 🙂
That’s why I like these tags!x
Love the beautiful things you’ve saved! Even though I’m a grown up I still call my mum’s house home. I wonder if it’s because I grew up there or if they moved, I’d still call them home.
My mum and dad don’t live in a house I’ve lived in, and I don’t call it home – it just doesn’t feel like it!
I love this post, it’s so sweet! #justanotherlinky
I aim to please!!
What a lovely post. Thanks for linking up to #justanotherlinky xx
So glad you liked it!
woah super gorgeous homeporn! Love you lots, parent in pyjamas xxx
Haven’t heard that term before – love it!!