Should you practice scruffy hospitality?
When our to do lists are a bottomless tangle, our countertops have gone missing, and our desks and floors are covered with signs of indecision and lack of time, it’s easy to feel like we have lost control. This year I’ve personally adopted the motto of “make the most of what you have, with where you are.” We don’t have to wait for conditions to change to make change. When I ask new clients what they will do once they are organized, many say they will entertain again. Ashamed to bring friends into their homes, they put their social life on hold by keeping loved ones out, further perpetuating the story of shame associated with the home.
The theory of the scruffy hospitality movement tells us to bust open the doors to our slice of life, no matter the state! Anglican Priest and blogger Jack King says:
"Scruffy hospitality means you’re not waiting for everything in your house to be in order before you host and serve friends in your home. Scruffy hospitality means you hunger more for good conversation and serving a simple meal of what you have, not what you don’t have. Scruffy hospitality mans you’re more interested in quality conversation than the impression your home or lawn makes. If we only share meals with friends when we’re excellent, we aren’t truly sharing life together."
We can simultaneously be on a journey towards beauty and order, while finding joy in the home with the people we love. Anyone chosen to sit at your dinner table loves you for who you are, regardless of how many laundry baskets full of paper are on the kitchen floor!
If you’ve ever hesitated to entertain based on the state of your home, Jack King’s uplifting post on scruffy hospitality is an uplifting must-read.
Let’s turn this theory into a movement! Have you been too self-conscious or embarrassed to invite friends into your current state of affairs? Are you now willing to set a lunch or dinner date, and stick to it even if your organizing goals aren’t met by then? Please share in the comments!
