The Joy of Staying Home

What if the real adventure lies within your own walls? 

Society loves to label those who cherish home life as "home bodies," but why don’t we name those who constantly leave? 

Most of us spend the bulk of our time at home—cooking, resting, creating—yet the world glorifies the "outgoers," those chasing shiny distractions. 

I propose we call them “away bodies" or "home leavers," and for the extreme cases, the rarely-at-home, perhaps “shutouts.” 

After all, isn’t home the default, the heart of a meaningful life?

One of my favorite reflections on this comes from the now-dormant Stay at Home Instead blog, which captured the magic of domestic joy: 

“I absolutely love my home and garden; nothing brings me greater joy than staying home and doing meaningful things that enrich my life. Cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing, gardening—boring? Not to me. The joy I find in my home is immeasurable. I work full time, but my afternoons, weekends, and days off are spent with a to-do list for my home. Why not give it a go? You may find what you’ve been searching for, right in your own backyard.”

This resonates deeply with me. Don’t get me wrong—the world beyond our doors has its wonders. Travel, social events, and new experiences enrich us. But home is where we recharge, reflect, and build a life that matters. 

In a culture obsessed with getting "out there," choosing to stay home is a quiet rebellion, a minimalist act of prioritizing what truly fulfills us.

For me, home is a canvas for simple living. A slow morning tending to my garden, a homemade meal made and eaten without rush, or an evening organizing a closet—there are grounding moments. They’re not chores, but rituals that weave meaning into my days. 

Minimalism teaches us to strip away excess, and what better place to practice that than at home, where we can curate comfort and intention?

So, why not try it? Spend one full weekend at home—no plans, just presence. 

Brew coffee, tackle a small project, or simply sit with your thoughts. What do you discover? 

You might find that the good life, as Stay at Home Instead suggested, starts right where you are. 

I used to think about staying home and saving the world, but now I also contemplate the wisdom of staying home and saving your self. Maybe they can be done simultaneously...

Home isn’t just a place - it’s a mindset. Embrace it, and you may never need to chase joy elsewhere.

Further Reading - to see a beautifully animated short film about the joys of staying home, see this post that we did last year.