Three Things I Learned from Martha Stewart

It was the early to mid-1990’s. I was a young wife in her early twenties and didn’t know a single thing about how to make a home, much less, how to keep one well. Suddenly, at twenty two years old, John and I found ourselves the proud owners of an 1,100 square foot, three bedroom home on a wooded acre of property. I knew the basics; how to vacuum, mop, clean the kitchen, make the beds. But I had no idea how to actually enjoy the work set before me. Then I discovered Martha Stewart Living. And I watched it every chance I got. It was life-changing. Here are the three things I learned from Martha Stewart, and how they’ve carried me through the last thirty years of my life.

It’s a good thing…

One of Martha’s famous phrases was, “It’s a Good Thing.” She would say it after a brief, five minute segment where she talked about random good things. Sometimes it was about making homemade peach ice cream, sometimes it was how to mend a sock, sometimes it was how to polish silver, or embroider a handkerchief. No matter what the topic, she would end by saying, “It’s a good thing.”

It wasn’t just the information I learned from her – oh, it was always valuable – but more than the learning was the sentiment behind it. Somehow hearing Martha say, “It’s a good thing” impressed on me the joys of life’s little (and big) tasks. But it also impressed on me the benefit of learning homemaking tasks, and finding joy in them.

I learned how to hem a napkin, polish tarnished thrifted silver, spot real and fake McCoy pottery, and the beautiful history of depression glass. My love of thrifting started with Martha and her lessons. I looked at pieces differently; not as unwanted, discarded junk, but as potentially beautiful things that could make our house a home.

The value of home…

Martha Stewart had a knack for creating beautiful spaces. Her homes could be seen filled with handwoven baskets, heirloom silver, and hand embroidered linens. But it wasn’t simply what her home was filled with. It was how she lovingly and painstakingly cared for the items in her care.

It was during those thirty minute episodes on daytime television that I learned stain removal, and the proper way to iron a collared shirt. I learned how to make coffee in a French press, and how hot to heat the water when making a cup of green tea. And it was where I learned that adding a pinch of cinnamon to the dredging flour makes an incredible, delectable, coating for fried chicken.

It was where I learned the value of home, and the value of home keeping. I learned that dusting the furniture wasn’t a chore, but a privilege. It was a privilege because these items are entrusted to our care and stewardship. And it’s where I started to understand that our homes are a reflection of our lives; our hopes, our dreams, and our creativity. It was where I learned that our homes tell our stories, and that it’s important that we tell them well.

How to host a gathering…

I loved watching the Martha Stewart Thanksgiving and Christmas specials. I would plan my table scape and my menu, create a schematic for food placement, and plan which serving pieces I would need. It was where I learned the value of background music, of welcoming your guests with a warm drink, and it was where I learned you treat your guests like family, and your family like guests. Because everyone wants to feel extra-special, like they matter, and like you’ve taken the time to lovingly care for them while they are in your home.

Martha taught me to truss and stuff a turkey, how to set a beautiful table, how to sugar fruits, and how to plan a holiday meal that decreases stress. She taught me to take the extra five minutes to iron the cloth napkins, and to set out a few appetizers.

In short, she taught me that hosting is fun, not a bother. She taught me that caring for home and caring for others is what makes life an enchanting adventure.

Then and now…

Those early days of home keeping and hosting events were a lot of trial and error. There were more than a few burned dishes, wrinkled tablecloths, and boring dinners. But along the way, I learned the joy in creating, and caring for home. Now, more than thirty years later, I still remember how to hem a napkin, mend a sock, and polish silver. While I don’t always set a full table when hosting guests – our apartment is much to small for that – I still remember the thoughts behind the process; make everyone feel welcome, offer a beverage and a snack, and make people feel important and seen when in your home.

As John and I continue our traveling adventures, I hope we have the privilege of hosting friends in our home, of connecting with others, and of making memories that will last a lifetime.

And, as Martha would say, “Home: It’s a good thing.” Yes, Martha. It is a very good thing.