Some people have “modern farmhouse.” Some have “minimalist.” Others have whatever the hell they saw on HGTV this week. My decorating style? Lived in and cluttered. Not the kind where you need a map and a tetanus shot to get through the living room. Just the kind that says actual people live here instead of a furniture showroom.

We’ve got jobs, dogs, hobbies, projects, and a life that doesn’t stop just because someone on Instagram thinks every countertop should be empty except for a decorative bowl full of fake lemons. Those fake lemons have probably never known the joy of holding a set of car keys, dog treats, mail, and a random charging cable that nobody knows what it belongs to.

The funny thing is, every item laying around usually has a reason. Geocaching gear. Dog stuff. Computer parts. Coffee mugs. Things we’re actually using instead of hiding every night just so the house looks like nobody has lived there since the Clinton administration. That’s called living, not failing an interior design contest.

If you come to my house expecting a magazine cover, you’re going to be disappointed. If you’re expecting a home where people laugh, dogs are everywhere, projects are half-finished, and life is actually happening, then welcome. I’d rather have a house full of memories than one full of matching throw pillows nobody is allowed to touch.