Why In-Home Family Photography Captures What Matters Most
If you’re signed up for a Year in the Life package, or thinking about it, you might be wondering if your home is “good enough” for in-home family photography. Let me gently tell you: It absolutely is. And not just “good enough,” but actually the perfect place!!
You might see laundry on the couch, toys underfoot, dishes in the sink, or a living room that hasn’t had a designer’s touch. But years from now, when the house is quiet, when the baby toys are packed away and the fingerprints are long gone, you’ll ache for a glimpse of this exact season! The season you’re living in right now.
Your House Doesn’t Have to Be a Dream to Hold Your Dream Life (the episode where Melena spills her guts and pours out her heart again in a blog post)
I’ll be honest with you… there was a time I had to wrestle with the fact that my home didn’t look like the Pinterest boards I’d been curating. I still wrestle with that insecurity! Just this week my friends moved into their dream home and I felt my old friend discontentment knocking. Where we live now… it isn’t my dream house. But I realized something: my dream isn’t really about subway tile and antique floors. My dream is about having a home where love lives. Where kids grow up and feel loved and cared for, where we laugh, dance, play. A place where we invite others in and love on them with conversation and coffee.
This is the house where I tuck my children in at night. Where we spill snacks and laugh and sometimes cry. Where real life happens. Where I’m building a life that’s imperfectly perfect!
And I don’t want to miss love, life, and connection just because the cabinets aren’t updated or the laundry’s not done. Because this is our dream house. It’s where we’re growing, loving, and doing the beautifully ordinary work of being a family. I listened to a motivational talk in the car today and it said to write down the thing I wanted most in the world, here is what came to mind instantly: “I want to serve the Lord where He wants me and build a beautiful life for my family.” Wouldn’t it be a shame if I missed out on documenting that beautiful life because I thought I wasn’t living it yet? News flash Melena and other mamas listening, it’s here. It’s now. What will we do with it?
What Your Kids Will Remember (And What You’ll Be Glad You Captured)
Your children won’t remember whether the kitchen sink was clear or if the throw pillows were fluffed. But they will remember you snuggled up on the couch. They’ll remember dance parties while your favorite music plays. Giggles echoing past bedtime.
When they look back at your family photos, they’ll see warmth, closeness, and love- not mess. They’ll see a childhood full of life and real beauty.
Gentle Tips for Getting Your Home “Photo-Ready” (Without the Stress)
Now, if you’re someone who likes to tidy, that’s okay too! There’s no need for a deep clean, but here are a few gentle, stress-free ways to prepare your space so it feels comfortable and confident for you:
- Focus on the rooms we’ll be in the most– usually the living room, kitchen, main bedroom, and sometimes a child’s room.
- Tidy up clutter that feels distracting to you– maybe a laundry basket or countertop. If it’s something you don’t want photographed, feel free to set it aside in a room we won’t use.
- Leave the lived-in touches: toys, books, a coffee mug on the table… these are signs of life, not flaws.
- If you’re worried about something specific, ask me! I’m happy to help you prioritize or move things the day of.
Remember, this isn’t a magazine shoot. It’s a time capsule. Your home is enough, just as it is. If your dream is to build a beautiful life with your family in whatever home you’re in, then you are living in your dream home now. It’s the setting of your family’s love story- and that’s what we’re here to capture!
Reach out if you want that love story documented in a meaningful way! I offer year round packages or single storytelling packages.
With all my heart!
~ Melena
