House Call!

6 days ago | housecall.substack.com | Kate Arends

I’ve been following the breadcrumbs of my intuition lately, and it’s been leading me to some strange places. I had always believed bringing children into the world was the moment I truly felt “grown up”, but recent events have brought about a different kind of end of innocence, one in which you truly understand what it means to protect your boundaries and goodwill from those who will exploit it.

1 week ago | housecall.substack.com | Kate Arends

Here’s what I keep coming back to: Creativity is our birthright. And using that creative expression in the home—where we rest, gather, and recharge—can be quietly transformative. I really do believe everyone has an inner designer. Not in the sense that anyone can instantly replace a trained professional, of course—but in the quieter, more personal sense. We all make choices every day that shape the world around us. That impulse to create, to arrange, to make things feel “right”?

3 weeks ago | housecall.substack.com | Kate Arends

This week, I mostly weeded things. The yard, drawers, and my own expectations. I taught the kids how to keep track of their stuff, then immediately lost my own keys and felt weirdly serene about it. This is who we are—a tight-knit foursome, built to surf life’s minor chaos. Mother’s Day landed a little differently this year. I didn’t cry or spiral or secretly wish someone would hand me a medal. I just felt… loved. Like I didn’t have to recount the year for evidence I’m not f*cking this whole thing up.

1 month ago | housecall.substack.com | Kate Arends

When we look back, we tend to use broad brushes to make neat and tidy judgements about a specific time and era; in doing so, we miss out on all the nuances that make up the fabric of our story. This storytelling format doesn’t tell you to do anything specific to your home. It just invites you to remember.It’s about life unfolding. Last weekend I was home with my family celebrating my dad’s 70th.

1 month ago | housecall.substack.com | Kate Arends

I went to Target to buy lightbulbs and left with a bath mat, two frozen lasagnas (BOGO), and a citronella candle shaped like a lemon. I did not leave with lightbulbs. Just that familiar sinking feeling that follows me out automatic doors. It happens all the time. I walk into stores with such good intentions and walk out confused, holding plastic bags full of proof that my brain short-circuits under fluorescent lighting.