Home is where the heart is – adapted from the Elvis Presley song
For as long as I can remember, my greatest passions in life aside from my family have been all things health and all things home. In fact, I never quite realized just how much these two areas of interests have held places in my heart until I hosted a summer get-together amongst school friends and the subject of “what we always wanted to be when we grew up” arose. Amidst the easy-going conversations and camaraderie with other mothers, my response came naturally. As a child, I always dreamed of a career in either healthcare or interior design, to which my friend replied, “Wow, those are really opposite ends of the spectrum!”
It’s true that those career choices do seem to be polar opposites in many ways. One’s education, training, and day-to-day life would have each taking two very different paths. However, I’ve spent a greater part of the past decade blending the two into a career and lifestyle I thought I’d never have. In the thick of a challenging and rewarding career in clinical pharmacy – and right before motherhood – my husband and I invested in our first real estate venture.
I remember shedding a tear or two at the closing table and quickly wiping them away to avoid embarrassment – I was that nervous! Managing every aspect of real estate alongside my husband was all new to me, but I quickly learned (and am still learning after all these years!) how much I enjoy the process and all the trials and tribulations in creating not just a space with four walls, but a home in which memories are made.
When I had my first child, the element of home became even more important to me. I realized how much having a happy and healthy home is so crucial in raising children, keeping a comfortable life, and cultivating peace. Home life became something very personal to me, and it has been my goal ever since to create an environment in which good health, cozy vibes, and positive outlooks can stem from and branch out into the world. My vision doesn’t always unfold the way I plan, but I definitely try to give a valiant effort in many of the ways I keep my home.
Eighteenth-century British literary figure Samuel Johnson wrote: “To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition, the end to which every enterprise and labour tends.” This simple, but core belief has become such a critical part of my credo that I can only hope one small ripple can be felt in my most important role as homemaker to my family, but also in my professional life that blends a little of everything these days. More importantly, I hope my children – young now, but once grown and flown – remember that all their childhood happiness and core values originated in our home.
Fall is the season of labor and harvest and also happens to be a great time to evaluate the home situation for health and happiness. With three young children, a dog, a pet chameleon, and a saltwater fish tank, it’s safe to say that my home is often nowhere near its prime condition! I do try to remember to keep the following tips in mind, and this time of year serves as a great reminder to recheck my list and refresh for my family.
Change Air Filters:
Air filters can quickly become clogged with dust and other debris which can block proper air flow and filtration. Keep the air clean in your home but replacing air filters every 3 to 6 months, aiming for every 3 months if you have pets or many people in your household. Vacation homes can be changed a little less frequently, depending on usage.
Test Water:
I admit that I don’t do this as frequently as recommended, but it is important to gain a sense of how well your home water quality is by testing with at-home water kits. From cooking, cleaning, drinking, and bathing, testing your water can provide valuable insight for the household chores that require quality water every single day. If you’re noticing unexplained gastrointestinal issues, scaly residues, odd odors or tastes, staining, or cloudiness in water, it may be a good idea to look into water testing.
Clear the Clutter:
As simple as I am, I still find joy in the tangible household items, art, and knick-knacks that define our space and make our home personal to our family. However, I also have fast-growing children, and it is all too easy to let toys, unfitting clothes, paperwork, and other odd-end items accumulate and start emanating a negative energy to our space. I frequently remind myself of how important it is to go through all the rooms every 3 to 6 months and clear the items that no longer have utilization or provoke sentimental feelings. It is always to difficult to start these types of tasks, but once they are done, the refreshed and revitalized feelings that emerge make de-cluttering well worth all the hard work!
Clean the Medicine Cabinet:
As a pharmacist, I would be remiss not to mention a very crucial, but often overlooked space in the home: the medicine cabinet. Many people keep their medications in a location that is right by their shower, but the heat and humidity can degrade medications over time. It is important to keep your medications in a cool, dry place away from the shower. It is also incredibly important to keep them out of reach from children and pets.
I often am asked how long medications are good for past their expiration date. The only resource we have is from a military study conducted many years ago. The armed services had about $1 billion in medications that were to set to expire, so they tested them with FDA oversight and found that 90% of more than 100 prescription and over-the-counter medications were still perfectly fine to use (albeit less potent) even after 15 years past the expiration date! However, there are several medications that need to strictly abide by their expiration date, such as aspirin, liquid antibiotics, nitroglycerin, insulin, and epinephrine pens. If you have any questions about which drugs are safe or how to discard old medications, consult your pharmacist about drug take-back days or how to safely discard at home.
Start/Keep Traditions in Your Home:
Keeping traditions alive and well in the home – and even starting new ones – has been shown to be a big indicator of what many people view as a happy, stable life for both themselves and their children. Many of us have traditions that we don’t even realize are traditions. Fall in our family means painting or carving pumpkins on our backyard deck, decorating with mums and other fall décor, and entertaining at our home for many of the fall birthdays and Thanksgiving. My husband and I recently purchased a smoker for cooking meat, and – as silly as it sounds – I hope our fall days are filled with that warm, smoky smell and lots of delicious weekend meals that my children will remember forever.
Taking care of the home and keeping it healthy and happy for all is truly an art form. I hope these small tips and reminders help to make the fall season a very special one for you!
