The Honest Truth of being a Vintage Homemaker 

Hi friends! Lest anyone misunderstand, I am doing fine xo. If you want to know a little more about executive dysfunction and PDA, this comment is for you Executive dysfunction incudes: problems with starting, organizing, planning, or completing tasks + trouble listening or paying attention + short-term memory issues + inability to multitask or balance tasks. In my everyday life, this means that without a set routine I can often wander around doing little tasks all day without actually completing anything. Think "if you give a mouse a cookie" only going in a circle around the house. I need to wash the dishes - but oh, the rag needs washed! I'll go start the wash, but oh, the dryer is full and the washer is full so I need to change those over. I'll empty the dryer onto the couch, but omg there are toys all over the living room floor, I'll pick them up. I need a bin tho so I'll go get one from the kids' room. The kids' room is messy too, though, so maybe I should get that trash off their floor. But the trash can is full, I gotta empty that. But we have no more garbage bags, oh wait I never did the dishes! BUT OH.. the rag is dirty. AND SO ON FOREVER LOL. Cleaning routines lay out the entire method for me, so that I don't have to exert the mental energy of figuring it out myself, and face a complete freeze looking at all of the things that have to be done. Did I mention another part of executive dysfunction is triggering a frozen mode when there are too many tasks to be completed? Cuz that's also a thing. Pathological demand avoidance means if it feels like a demand or there are too MANY demands, fight/flight/freeze is triggered and I cannot do ANYTHING. There are so many complexities surrounding my own spicy brain, but those are a few that affect my day to day life. Sharing routines is my way to get around them - because content creation is fun! None of these things can be overcome by "trying harder" or "making habits". Are you aware that often people who are neurodivergent literally cannot form a habit? (habit = a mindless completion of a task you've repeated over and over that exerts no mental energy. Like... breathing. In ND people, any and every repeated task takes mental energy EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.) Lastly, an interruption of set routine vastly inhibits the ability to get things done. It's as if I'm a video game being constantly reset mid-game, and having to start all over again in order to regain the focus to get things done. Imagine, then, being a spicy-brain-mom with littles. My routines are CONSTANTLY interrupted! (and that's ok!) This is just a little peek into what daily life is like for me. I hope y'all find it interesting or helpful, especially if you've only just stumbled upon my videos and really want to know why under my table is SO MESSY Oh also I have five kids, in case you were unaware. And before you ask, yes they do chores. However, organizing and delegating tasks takes a massive amount of mental energy that, for me, is even more taxing than just doing some things myself. So before you suggest my kids should help, don't. They do what I need and want them to do, and I do what I want to do. End of story. OK LOVE YOU BYEEEE

The whole reason I subscribed is because you and your house are NOT like the perfect model show homes. There are tons of channels like that but your channel stands alone. We moved away from the city to the country and I can’t tell you how much stress was alleviated from no longer having the pressure of keeping up with the Joneses and consumerism. It takes a strong character to stand strong against the critics and hold firm to your values and beliefs. Don’t lose faith. Your love of family, home, and yourself hold more importance than the material things. All the noise of those critics in the end is empty, vacuous, and meaningless.

"Mess is morally neutral and the crumbs on my floor does not mean I'm a bad mother." This video made me literally cry. I am also a neurodivergent stay at home mom with a lot of kids and I really needed to hear your video today. Thank you.❤

Girl, I am 45, married, childless, have a house with plenty of space, make 6 figures, and have no one but me and my husband to care for and my house is still a bloody overwhelming mess at times because life is just so busy and chaotic and I have a chronic mental illness that just kind of laughs at any med we throw at it. I currently have a sinkful of dishes, no clean forks, 3 baskets of laundry to fold and put away, and I can't see my dining room table because it's covered with a bunch of mail and other miscellaneous stuff that needs to be put away. I cannot even imagine what it would be like if I had little humans to deal with. You're doing just fine :)

I have a picture on my bedroom wall, that i fell in love with after my first son was born. (He is now 37). ' Quiet down cobwebs, dust - go to sleep . I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep'. I had the same kind of home you do. (I still do - grandchildren now). 4 children in 5 years. Lots of laughs, some tears, Lego, Barbies, crayons, etc. Loved it. They did, too! Keep doing what you're doing, the way that you want. Try to stay strong ( and if you can't - call a friend or family member and vent - it can help a bit.). Sorry that I was so long-winded.

Most important thing is spending time with your little ones , the house work will always be there . Little ones grow up so fast .❤

I am a 51 year old minimalist/library assistant/grandma and I have to say your mess doesnt bother me at all. I was the exact same person about 25 years ago! Seasons come and seasons go, as you get older you learn to let go of a lot of those comforts. I come here to your channel often because I love the vintage flair and I also love seeing the sweet connection you have with your little ones! Keep keeping it real, I promise you are doing a great job as long as you keep picking up those babies and giving those great big nurturing hugs❤️

This was a such an important video to make! I am so sorry people are so rude, mean, and thoughtless! Your channel is EXACTLY what mothers need (especially if they love a vintage lifestyle). I wish your videos had been around when my son was little. I felt so bad about the job I was doing, but just couldn’t manage to accomplish anymore. Your channel takes reality and offers some inspiration and tricks to improve it. Thank you for putting your reality on RU-vid. Please don’t stop. We need you.

My house is also not like the ones shown online. It’s small, needs work, and is messy with kids and pets. But someone once said that in a few quick years, you’ll miss the mess. And it’s true. When kids are grown and gone, you’ll look back at these times lovingly. I love your videos!! ❤️❤️thanks for the encouragement!!

I feel this in my bones! Soon after my husband and I moved into this house (smaller than what we had, but a much bigger yard and shop area) we started to remodel, and then the world stopped because he was diagnosed with cancer. Everything is in a state of mess that I find hard to cope with, but am far to physically and mentally exhausted from caring for him to deal with at the end of the day. Cabinets in various stage of being replaced, boxes of our things still unpacked, the furniture all moved to one side of the house so we could paint and replace appliances. Dishes stack up constantly, and my poor husband is weak as a kitten from the radiation and chemo, and I'm exhausted from driving 3 hours, to get him there and back. I love your channel, it keeps me from going crazy

I came to your channel because RU-vid showed me one of your cleaning videos where I saw a house like mine. It was real, with more than a couple crumbs and some dishes out of place. With cupboards that aren’t brand new or drab chic, but have character and some scuffs. It was the first time EVER viewing a cleaning video that seemed real, not overly staged or the kind that make me feel worse about my house. I’ve been here ever since and I am so thankful to you for making this content. There are plenty of us out here who want something real and like us. I’m so sorry that people are such jerks. Please keep being you (and, selfishly, I also want you to keep making the content you make). ✨

I love your channel even more after this. The main thing I admire so much about you is how real you keep it. Being a mother is hard. Homemaking is real, demanding work. All the while still trying to be your own person and show your children that life doesn’t stop after you have kids. You do such a wonderful job at all of it. Homes inevitably get messy when you’re living in them lol. I feel like that is a give in. Being someone who also struggles with depression and very bad anxiety, I understand how much your mind can get in your own way when trying so hard to do every day things. I love your home, style and attitude. You are lovely and so is your channel. If people can’t relate, perhaps they should make room for those of us who do and who appreciate you. 💕

I don't know where to begin. First, of all, I LOVE your channel BECAUSE you are honest and real about what is going on in your life. I sure wish I had been able to find some souce of encouragement such as yourself to help me get through my days as a young mother. I felt such a failure because I could not keep my house clean, stay on top of the laundry, etc. Besides that, you're fun! Second, I just cannot understand how people can leave mean, rude or negative remarks. Henry James - Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.❤

I subscribed because you are REAL. You are honest and vulnerable and it's so refreshing. Thank you for sharing your struggles with us! I am neurodivergent too and your channel helps me to feel less alone. ❤

the fact that you're showing the cleaning tips in real time is what i love most - the vintage routines are just added interest. 🥰 and it's also nice to see how someone works through "the grind" that has the same ADD issues...❤️❤️❤️

No need to explain to people who will never understand bc they have never been in your shoes. Your videos are real and you have purpose. Don't give up because your values are higher than theirs. XOXO 💋

You are doing just fine. You are loved and valued. I so appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. AND, you have an adorable family and home. 🌻🍄

I love watching your channel precisely because I so relate to your neurodivergence and how it affects your day to day. What you share is so helpful. And I love your house just the way it is. Can’t imagine why people are so critical or why they think everyone has to be a minimalist!

This is exactly what i love most about your channel! I’m a Homeschooling mom of five, a homesteader, part time tutor and music teacher, and I have an autoimmune disease. I LOVE vintage/antiques, sewing, fashion, reading, gardening, and history. Your channel, more than any other that has those topics, encourages me and I can actually relate to your content. There is beauty and something good in the little things, even if they seem not good enough to others or ourselves. Keep going, the world, and women need to see and hear this message.

Don't let those people mess with you. I admire your dedication to creating and posting your content and I've found the cleaning routines very helpful for me and I'm in my 7th decade! Your home is full of love and joy, that cones from You. You lead your children and husband to find joy and comfort in the home. You are doing a great job.

My mother gave me the best advice when I had my own babies. ‘Don’t spend your life worrying about the housework.’ It’s so true. We really need to just live and not set such high expectations on ourselves.

This is why I love your channel. Its real. I also have ADHD and love in CHAOS. However, I am a good person. I would much rather be me than someone who is tidy but cruel to others who are not. Please don't ever stop these videos, it's so helpful for do many of us. It takes us feel seen. Pristine, I hope that you are feeling loved, because you are x

It's so hard to be vulnerable, and I can't imagine how hard it is to be vulnerable again and again to an audience - thank you for sharing with us the parts of your life that you do, and always proud of the progress that you've made, and shared along the way.

You are a voice of reason in a sea of unattainable standards. Being present for ourselves and our families is the most important thing. Thank you for your content! ❤

You're doing great! Your house has character and your vintage routines are a good reminder that we needn't reinvent this wheel, we can add in the conveniences that electricity brings to hometending, but those old routines and approaches work. You're an inspiration to so many other people, especially others of us who are neurodivergent. Thank you for being you and for sharing yourself and your life. Your videos never fail to bring light and joy to my life.

Thank you for this video. I relate to you in almost every way. I also have adhd, have lots of kids, have a house with no storage, and have lots of stuff in a tiny house. I have people tell me all the time I need to get rid of things or I need to clean more. I do struggle to keep things clean but the thing is I do clean it just don't stay clean. I clean almost everyday and I have children and a husband who comes right behind me and gets it dirty. Yes my mental health does go down hill because of it sometimes. So thank you for your video. Thank for letting me know I am not a bad mom for not always picking everything up as soon as it gets on the floor. Thank you for making me not feeling like a bad mom for not always doing the dishes. Thank you for not making me not feeling like a bad mom for not always getting all the laundry done. Being a stay at home mom is not easy. I wish you all the blessings in the world. ❤

Your approach to homemaking is so refreshing! It can get tiring and discouraging to constantly see perfect homes, perfectly dressed (in perfect vintage or reproduction clothing) and groomed (perfect makeup and hair) homeowners, with their perfect children talk about how to keep a house and make a home. On one hand, it can be inspirational, but on the other hand, it's not realistic. I live alone, and my apartment has never looked perfect since I moved in; I still have a bookcase in the corner waiting to be put together (to be fair, when it arrived, all the pre-drilled holes for the pegs and screws were the wrong size, and I don't have the tools to fix it and build the darn thing!), piles of books and half-done sewing projects all over, etc. And I don't have kids who live here with me! You are doing just fine, paying attention to the most important thing: your own health and your family!

Kristina, There is a huge difference between a house and a home. You have created a home. I have only commented a few times over the years. I watch you silently and love what a beautiful person that you are. You are authentic and that means so much. My brain understands yours. If someone isn’t neurodivergent they have no concept of what it’s like. Your commentary in this video made me want to stand up and applaud!!! The people that matter watch and support you. We understand and appreciate your realness. Thank you. Continued Blessings and Support. ~Love&Light♥️Carli

Well said, Kristina. You can only be yourself. And in reality, it is hard for most of us in your phase of life to keep a clean and orderly home. Unfortunately, there are always going to be the haters, the unkind comments from people who just have nothing better to do. I love that your channel is growing, and the fact that it is should tell you a lot. People enjoy you and your content. Most people!😊

Keep on trucking GF! You are doing fine . Don't let a few thoughtless people get you down. Some don't intend to be mean, others it is fully intentional. You will triumph in the end.

I’m a sahm and homeschooling parent. I’m going through a rough patch right now and relate to your struggles so much. I appreciate you sharing and being so authentic.

Thank you for sharing this, and please keep doing You. I will never understand people who insist making horrible comments on videos that are obviously not for them. There is an immeasurable amount of content on RU-vid alone: move along and find the channels that are for you, no need to pass rude, useless judgement!!

Your content resonates with the adhd moms in the thick of it. What a beautiful message of hope. We are here, cheering you on because there is space for you on this platform representing the women who are doing their best with the circumstances they have been given ❤

I watch this channel SPECIFICALLY because it is not excessively curated. It’s how busy people live. I come from a long line of poverty (my ancestors came from coal mining camps on my maternal side and sharecropping on my paternal side), and I personally grew up in a very poverty-stricken urban neighborhood made up primarily of first-generation immigrants. I guess maybe because of that, I absolutely love seeing people scrape together and create a full, expressive, personality-rich life for themselves despite assorted challenges. My favorite aesthetic ever is old photographs from the Great Depression of poor people who have decorated their shacks and made themselves pretty clothes, quilts, etc. It makes them so human and relatable. My partner grew up in an upper class community overseas, and when we first started dating, I was so nervous to introduce him to my family and upbringing (despite being fiercely proud of them) because I knew it would be so much more rough and low-class than anything he was used to. But he was undeterred, and over the years we’ve been together (coming up on our 14th anniversary now) and the years he’s spent mingling in my neck of the woods, he has told me that he strictly prefers the sorts of communities I hail from to the sorts of communities he hails from. He enjoys the authenticity, empathy, resourcefulness, and artistry of people who struggle and who are not ashamed of that struggle. It has made him more adventurous himself and made him feel safe prioritizing self-fulfillment and human connection, rather than status like so many of his peers (who are now starting to hit mid-life crises and wondering why they are still miserable and lonely despite doing everything “right”). I certainly don’t mean to say that you live like you’re scraping through the Great Depression (a couple decades off!), but the honesty of your content gives me fuzzy, childlike feelings and makes me cozy-peaceful-safe, like my grandma’s warm bear hug and a hot chocolate in a strawberry jam jar on a snowy day.

Every time I see your videos, I think: "I wish I could stop by and visit here. It looks like such a fun, loving place with great parents and great kids and so many interesting items to see and things to do!" (But I'm in Detroit, so it would be a bit of a trip...) You're doing a wonderful job, Kristina!

As the mother of 6 children, on the other side of it all. My youngest will be 22 in May, oldest 40 (yikes) in April. I am here to tell you that the MOST important thing, is to love those children and keep them alive. Everything else is details. NO ONE will remember the mess in the kitchen or the crumbs on the floor. Children are young once and the most important part is to make them feel loved and cared for. A clean house is next to impossible with multiple small children around. As they get older it does get easier (but even with a couple of 20 something year olds there are still messes!) My house is now cleaner and less cluttered, I still have some messy closets and a ridiculous garage but I am slowly catching up on life and the absolute overwhelm, being out numbered and nonstop "fight or flight" mode I was in for years on end. Take each day, one at a time and enjoy the little things. A clean house is nice, but terribly overrated some days!

I’m not neurodivergent but I always appreciate real life and all that comes with it. I often find myself in a real life situation where we clean up the house because that’s where we live, love and be.

Thank you for saying what I needed to hear 25 years ago. The feelings of inadequacy are still there, and I've been an empty nester of 3 for 5 years. And there are still crumbs on my floor. Thank you for showing real life and not the illusion of the perfectly curated life. There is no way I could live with that kind of pressure, and honestly, I don't want to.

You are such a unique lady! I really enjoy seeing you live what you love, thank you for sharing. You are also a great storyteller with such a gentle voice!💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐

You do make me feel less alone. I’m only a minute in but had to pause to comment. As a fellow neurospicy stay at home mamma with a slightly battered (saying that with immense love) vintage home (1930s semi detached brick in northern England) I FEEL YOU. I also feel immensely seen by this channel, comforted by a friend and like I have a partner in my general mess. Your vintage cleaning routine videos with their structure, honesty and grace are why I subscribed and why I’m here. I appreciate you, your beautiful home, the sweetness of your family and all that you do. THANK YOU 💖 *edit: I meant to say, we’re also low income and your budget makeover videos helped me so much and inspired me to make small changes, that we could manage and afford, and to not wait until we could do everything before loving, appreciating and decorating our home. 🥰

When I get frustrated with my less than perfect vintage kitchen, I remind myself that it is a "Working Kitchen". It holds all the things I need to cook and budget and that working kitchen allows me to stay home and care for my family. It works hard right alongside me.

You are amazing! Five kids, neurodivergent, add, and still producing wonderful videos etc. You run your home like a HOME. Love is first and foremost. I hear you when you say it’s hard and mentally it takes a toll. I don’t know what you deal with emotionally and mentally….but from someone who looks so forward to your videos and watches them on repeat at times…..I (and many others) see and feel your love for your family and your gift of creating. Thank you for showing REAL life. You are doing so good!!!! (And I LOVE your house. Everything in it is loved and wanted, and no one should judge you for that!) ❤

My kids are grown and I am so much worse at cleaning my house than when they were all here. I have been diagnosed with ADHD and the more we learn about it the more I realize that having someone else around helps me do better with chores. Now that I am widowed there really isn't anyone here to inspire me so I go where my friends are. I volunteer at a museum, help at my church, am involved with a theater group and we are currently in a performance cycle. I also hold offices with my local, district, and state American Legion Auxiliary. I get a lot done in a week, but dishes, laundry, and cleaning the toilet are about it for the cleaning I do. At home I find something to watch (RU-vid) while I knit, sew, or do other crafts. I make a lot of Christmas gifts and birthday gifts (4 daughters, lots of sons-in-law, 10 grandkids, friends) and I have done lots of hand-sewing on costumes, oh, and there is a craft fair coming up! My grandma was born with "make do and mend" skills - or so it seemed - so I was taught to look for the potential in everything so my house is crammed full of things with potential to become something creatively useful if I would just take the time.... Like you, people have long told me that I have too much stuff. Odd they never say that to store owners or libraries. I am changing. I am releasing things of my husband's that I don't know how to use especially if it makes me sad to see it and remember what all he would be fixing were he still here. But this is not the instant process people seem to think it should be. God gave me lots of talents and helped me gain many skills and I am glad He taught you to say that "mess is morally neutral" because that helps me with the parts of life where I have so few skills.

I like your honesty and I love all of your cool vintage things , it's a realistic house with kids and humans who live in it

I love your channel and how real you are!! I struggle with depression and anxiety and this has been such an inspiration and comfort for me too as our home is far from perfect. Thank you for all that you do. 💛🙏

Oh sweetie, you have your hands full and you are doing great. When I was a kid our house was usually a mess but we had fun. My home had kids and fun. I tried too hard to keep it perfect and regret every moment I didn’t play with my kids. I am 76 and my house is not perfect but I enjoy my life. Don’t worry so much. I love your house and your family.

I value your channel for all of the reasons you have listed and more. I am 41 and was diagnosed neurodivergent last year. I now have four children, with a 10 year gap between the baby and the child that used to be my youngest and after parenting for almost 16 years, I can say that your channel would have saved me many hours of tears and self-loathing. What you do is beautiful. Please keep doing it if it is not detrimental to you.

I love your kitchen! It brings back some cherished memories of my grandma's kitchen. Any esthetic that doesn't allow for individualism is just a fad. I love minimizing my possessions to make life simpler for me. It should not be for the purpose of copying a trendy style of big houses painted white, (unless someone loves that style.) I enjoy your channel and your style of decorating. I envy your sewing talent too.

Thank you for posting your cleaning routines and being open with your struggles. I grew up in a small and very-lived in home, and never quite learned how to clean or keep up with chores. Watching your videos - your lifestyle that resembles my childhood - has helped me figure out how to tackle my own house

I enjoy your channel, I love watching you clean and organize and make things. I even think your voice is awesome lol it’s not annoying I enjoy listening to it. Please do not let these trolls who say negative things stop you from filming. I’m sure it’s only 5% of the viewers maybe 10% and remember you can never please everyone and they can always choose to Unfollow you. You have 45K who follow you for a reason so, keep your head up!❤

You are looking good i have struggled all my life to keep a house and I find you inspiring

We all have those times. Sometimes things go haywire. Other people don't live in your shoes so don't let others make you feel bad

You have made me feel like a real wife and mother. I have always felt like I’m on the outside looking in and invisible. Wow, the knowledge that it’s okay and NORMAL to not live in a museum is astounding.

You are original, authentic, honest, kind, creative, and I find it a joy to watch your channel. Your treasures are lovely and you have exactly as many as is correct for yiu. Sending hugs and metta. ❤️

Your channel means so much to me. What ever you choose to do at the end of the day, I am so glad to have this corner of the internet to come to for as long as it's here.

I’m with you Kristina! ❤ I’ve never been diagnosed with neurodivergence, but I’m definitely an anxious person, who also struggles with depression who was raised to do things perfectly (or it’s not good enough) and I really struggle with “homemaking” and keeping up and up to the standards expected of me by my parents (which is ridiculous because I’m a mum of 3 and will be 41 in June)! I have been decluttering my house for over 10 years 😂 I definitely need to declutter for my sanity but I always re-accumulate which is something I’m trying to change. We are all different and I love your vintage style! ❤ Thank you for being real and vulnerable with us xx

I really enjoy your channel and I think a lived in home is more welcoming than a museum. By the way, I love your kitchen! It’s so pretty ❤

I think you are wonderful and I love everything about your channel. Thank you for doing what you do.

I absolutely loooove your videos!! You are a real mom and a real person! You are so right on this! Thank you for sharing with us! I really enjoy your videos! And as a housewife myself with 3 children I relate to you so much! And I rather see the real than the fake!🥰

Don’t quit. You’re doing a great job. ❤

You’re doing a great job friend! We women all go thru similar circumstances and need to encourage and lift one another up. We got this!

I love watching ur cleaning videos bcs I am of a certain age (old enough to b ur mom 😊). Watching u motivates me during my retirement age. I have 2 kids (in their 20s now) & I had a constant mess I worked full time & barely made the rent in my tiny place. I wish u were around then it would had been so nice to see someone like me. Tho it's just my hubby & me I still struggle with mess bcs life is messy & fun & stressful. Just wanted to tell u I ❤ u & if no one can handle this turn it off.

Please don’t quit. You have the most awesome important job. Being a mom and housewife. Our society tries to put that down. Sending a prayer to you and your beautiful family.

🙋‍♀️❤️. I think YOU are doing a great job! Your home and your family are awesome! Be of good cheer. Spring will light up our days again!

I am in my 50s, 7 years ago I finally moved into the first house I consider my final home (untill I need to scale down becourse of age😅). All other homes has been "temporary" and usualy I have had to much stuff. Now that I have room for most of it I am gratefull I lived with the disadvanteges and still have everything that means something to me. And now after 7 years ALLMOST everything has found their place and I am slowly getting sorted what I prioritize to have in my life. I could not have done that before, and I am glad I did not try. No one can deside how much stuff an other person needs or wants. Still watching your content for YOU!❤

Bravo! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your channel! I have ADD, 3 kids, lots of animals, and my house will not stay clean. And that's not failure, that's life! And it's a beautiful life. The kids are happy and fed and have a cozy bed to sleep in every night. Thank you for keeping it real and giving us a platform so we feel less alone on this journey.

I don't have any suggestions for you Kristina. I watch because I enjoy it. I am 85 and have lived through the decades that are now called vintage, the decades of my mother and grandmother and even great grandmothers routines. We are a long lived family. Shame on those who attempt to tell you how to live, it ain't easy however you do it.

Kristina, you are doing a GREAT job! I love your channel because you are Real.😊

Lovely video! As a creator myself I often wonder why some viewers feel the need to judge, criticise and offer unsolicited, unwelcome and extremely unhelpful advice. I tend to believe it's people who are deeply unhappy with their own lives and feel powerless to do anything about it. So instead of working on themselves, they try and fix other people's lives, even if they don't need fixing. I hope you stay true to who you are as a creator. And don't let them get you down! ❤

With Love, Kristina, Your are seen, valid, heard, supported, loved, and needed! Deeply needed. I am 33 childless (8yrs of unsuccessful infertility treatment) disabled, neurodivergent, ptsd, depression and anxious woman. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE your channel. 🤗🤗 You help me get through my depressive/disabled episodes. You help me celebrate my creative maximalist and wonderfully vintage joy/interest/loves! Your videos are REAL world, Real life, and delightfully wholesome, cozy, and safe. In a world full of intense images, flashing lights, violence, and overstimulation your channel is a much needed oasis of 🍓 vintage goodness😊 You bring authenticity to a realm of fake influencers,social media, and hollywoodized colorless trends. So please please please know, Your light shines through your videos! Your an absolute joy, rapture, happiness to watch and learn from. Sending lots of love, light, physical health, mental health, peace, and some solitude time your way my dear! 🤗🤗🍓🍓🙏🙏❤❤

You are amazing! I just love your style. My husband always said that when our kids were small that we could have a messy and full house, and when the kids grew up, and they did, then we would have a clean house. Homes are made for comfort and love.

I really found this video comforting. I'm a homemaker and swing back and forth between a clean and kept up house, to a big mess. I have three kids and two big indoor dogs...things get messy fast... and I don't want to spend every second of my life cleaning. I have kids to cuddle with and read a book to, dogs to walk, tea parties with imaginary friends to attend. Making quality memories with each of my babies comes first.

I like that you encourage other people! You're so good. And the critics should note that anytime a child comes for a hug, they get one. And a chat. And kisses. What a marvelous mom you are.

You are doing a great job! ❤

Dear Kristina, Sorry about the insensitive people - sometimes I think they're really talking to themselves, or just spouting out the last bit of advice that helped them, without thinking it through. Anyway, taking them with huge grains of salt helps. So let me tell you what I love about your videos: I love how you often make yourself beautiful, even though there may be no other adults around to appreciate it. I've taken to doing that when I think of it - it's a nice boost to really like what I see when I look in the mirror; it makes me feel good. I love your "crowded" look, especially those full bookshelves. You are an excellent organizer. I have always prided myself on being able to fit many things efficiently in a small space (why waste space?). And I hate when people tell me to throw things out. They are telling me to throw out my history, things that I love, things that are useful (maybe not right now, but I refuse to waste an item that I know I will need in future because of someone else's idea of "order". I love your voice. It's a joy to listen to. I love how you repond to your children - the way you pick them up, and how they respond to you. It tells me your love is strong. I love your calmness. We might not be calm all the time, but it is a crime to kick oneself for inconstant perfection. It's taken me many decades (I'm 67) to recognize perfection as simply not a thing, to be able to laugh at my mistakes, to smile, say, "Oops", and go about fixing things if they need to be fixed. In the meantime, I get a mug of coffee, put my feet up, and breathe. I love your gorgeous colors, I love your unique style, I could go on, but this note is getting super long. My point is that you are bringing sense and order and companionship to me (and considering how many subscribers you have) to many others. So far as your own household, I think it's marvelous. I think that those who want to change it, want to make things better for you - despite that good intention, we all have to find our own way, and that's just how it is - a lot of people don't realize that. So, thanks Kristina. I'm loving your videos. With Love, Cathy

I'm so sorry people were being less than kind and so judgmental. Your videos about being so open about struggling with being a homemaker and keeping a clean house really mean a lot to me, because I struggle too, and I'm sure they do to a lot of other people. People just suck in general, it's a sad fact. I think your content is so important. I've seen videos of homemakers wanting their minimalist houses to look "like no one lives there" and you are like a breath of fresh air. I love your home, it looks so cozy with well-loved second hand things and full of kids running around and laughing and playing in the background. That to me is what a home should be like. I love your videos and I hope you never stop making content. When you have kids or pets, nothing is ever going to be clean all the time. Housework is just perpetually trying to keep it from getting "bad" lol. Sometimes all you can do is the bare minimum to survive, and that's OK.

Thank you so very very much you have no idea how much I needed to hear this today. Much love from Australia 🇦🇺🐨

I raised three children with a hair salon business in my home. Because of financial reasons, we never ever ate out. I cooked all the meals and basically did all of the household duties with the exception of vacuuming. I also homeschooled for three years. You just do the best you can. I think the important thing is that your children feel loved. When they grow up they’re not going think about how perfect your house looked. They’ll remember how you made them feel. You’re a very good mother and you’re a good housekeeper too! Don’t worry about the naysayers. What counts is what your family thinks about you and no one else. There were many days I cry all day. I never felt like I was doing enough. But now, many many years later, I’m proud of the mother that I was. Now my house is clean most of the time and I miss the mess of having children. Sending you a hug Christina.

I am 58 yrs. old, have had my kids and they are grown. I have a routine but enjoy your channel as I think and believe you are never too old to learn something new that might change something and make it easier or just something new. I also love vintage and would love to do more (decor and dress) so I enjoy watching how you incorporate it into your home and life. I had no idea regarding all that you struggle with, and these are new to me. thank you for your willingness to share and make others aware. I think I came by my cleaning and organizing just as part of who I am, but my mom did keep a nice house. I say i think it is a natural thing for me as I would always organize my Grandmother's ''junk drawer" every summer we would go and stay for the summer. Anyway, I think those who criticize need to mind their own business and look up the word jurisdiction. When I would see my house messy, dishes overflowing, kids stuff everywhere, dirt etc... on the floors. I thank God for a house/home that I can clean, dirt on the floors, cause I have a floor, dirty clothes, at least we have clothes. Dirty dishes means you had food to feed your family and so on and so forth. You are doing a great job and anyone who looks back can see you are making progress. Not everyone wants to be a minimalist nor should they. I say I am a mediumist. HAHA. I have over the years reduced and curated my home, but I sill have stuff and I enjoy my things. Again, do what you can and the routines are very interesting. I had no idea some where so detailed. Again, you are doing a great job. Hang in there. Blessings.

My life has been chaotic for 29 years (since I had my oldest child). I love having a clean house but it’s so hard sometimes. I am nearing the end of being a SAHM as my youngest are 17 & 18. There isn’t as much chaos as there once was, although now there are grandchildren. I definitely am the type who will clean my whole house when I know company is coming. That actually helps me. FWIW my husband and daughters and I live in a warehouse with six cats so there is always a lot of dust and hair and until the other day I washed our dishes in a laundry tub. You got this mama. You are doing great.

I truly love you. It is not strange to a mom of 3 and married to a Neurodivergent and he has the same things he struggles with. My children do have the same struggle. I am not ASD OR ADHD. But the 4 people I love the most have all these. You make me feel alive and real and I am so thankful for you sharing your messes and your recipes from vintage cookbooks. You make me look at what's around me that I value and that its ok to not like what everyone else does. I love all my ASD ADHA Babies. I love trends and vintage and I value my Children's fixations. Life is beautiful and I am thankful you share the beauty you see so I can appreciate and see what I have is beautiful again. God made you beautiful and you encourage me by everything you share. I am boohooing this is the best Video you have ever made!

When I look at your home, I see a lovely, happy, loving space where the children are well cared for and loved unconditionally. I see 2 parents who are in sinc with their family as their priority. So what if there are dishes in the sink and toys all over and laundry piling up. Welcome to real life. And that's what I love about your channel - it's real and honest. You aren't trying to be anything other than what you truly are. That is so rare these days, whether on social media or in real life. I am filled with wonder how you manage anything with 5 children and all that entails on a daily basis. You and your husband should be congratulated on what a great job you're doing, rather than being criticized for having too much stuff (and it's great stuff!!). I too am a neurodivergent maximalist. I get a lot of grief, mainly from family as I'm pretty much a hermit, but so what. You're very brave, and I admire you so very much.

As a 44 year old and a late diagnosis of ADHD as well I completely understand every single word you talked about. One of the biggest reasons why i subscribed to you was because i relate to you so much. I adore everything about you and what you share on your channel. You are encouraging, and you are doing a great job. Thank You so much.

I see you posted and I click so fast xD The reason I love your channel is because your home is like mine; older, smaller, a bit quirky and you're a vintage-lover with pets (and kids, my first is on the way!!). You show the real deal and it's really satisfying to watch; people are always telling me to get rid of things but I'm just not a minimalist. I did recently stop going to the thrifts as much and have decluttered quite a bit to make way for our new arrival, but it's because those items stopped bringing me joy and were stressing me out. You should do what makes you happy regardless of how other people view it. Your kids always look so happy and loved in your videos and your husband always looks so lovingly at you when you show him!! That's all that matters

I'm so happy I found our channel recently. It's comforting to see other people struggle, and your aesthetic is lovely. Your look and your home are adorable, and your content manages to inspiring be and relatable. Keep going, girl, because you're doing great! I was raised by and have worked as a professional housekeeper, and I promise you, most people, especially with young children, have homes like just like yours. My house also gets cluttered and messy even with my background and no kids. Life is a struggle for everyone. God bless you and your family!

The whole reason I watch this channel is because you’re real. Please don’t ever change. We’re all here with you.

Thank you for this beautiful and supportive video. It makes me so sad that anyone would watch your content expecting you to be anyone but who you are in your gorgeous, cozy, creative home that is full of love. Our family of five lives in a two bedroom apartment. You can bet that even at its cleanest our home is bursting at the seams!Not all homes work the same way or look the same way and thank goodness for that! Thanks for the variety you offer! ❤

Thank you for showing how life is REAL and what it looks like. These showroom videos others put out is what brings more stress, imo, for those that watch said videos.

My kids are all older teens and up now. My house is still kind of messy because I homeschool and work part time and we live here. We appreciate coziness and having a fun evening whether the dishes need done or not. When all my kids were at home and young, my house was a blooming mess a lot of the time. I was usually overwhelmed. I have always been glad social media wasn't added to the pressure I felt to get my act together. I didn't know then (15 to 20 years ago) that I have a lot of anxiety all the time (I thought I worried too much). I didn't know that I was an off the chart empath and that everyone else's feelings were keeping me on alert, especially trying to please people who disapproved of what I did and how I did it (I thought I was responsible for how they felt). I hope you realize, Kristina, that you are helping the moms who are where I was then. Now I am almost 50 and able to sort my feelings better. I can "shut off" voices in a way that I just couldn't in my 20s and even 30s. Maybe I am getting old and cranky lol. But I would have benefited from hearing someone say that I was a lot more than my sink full of dishes, and it would have been a big plus to hear it said by someone in red lipstick and a chiffon scarf :)

Oh my gosh, I had no idea we had so much in common. I saw your 40s and 50s routines videos and I was a little afraid that they would be upsetting or perfectionistic or misogynistic, and I was surprised at how peaceful and interesting they were. And chill and just "normal." I resonate with wanting to have a routine to help me. I also have small children. We homeschool. A perfect house is such an unrealistic idea for that phase of life. As to normal... I am not diagnosed yet but one of my children has ADHD and the other PDA. I am pretty sure I have both. I guess I recognize a neurokin when I see one! I constantly struggle with the mess. I appreciate everything you said so much. Mess is morally neutral and you are doing a GREAT JOB!

That's why I love your channel because you show the real parts of your life and you don't follow a trend or show the fake parts of your lifestyle. Growing up my mom had 3 of us children and we owned a lot of stuff. She always had bookcases full of books for us to read and I was always very artistic, and she encouraged that side of me. We also had so many classic Disney vhs movies. She loved vintage lifestyle as well, and I love it too. I'm going to get tested for adhd coz people have pointed it out to me without me even thinking that there is a possibility that I might have it. I appreciate your honesty on your channel it is very inspiring. I am not married and don't have any children, but someday I will. Vintage lifestyle is so magical and creative to me. Don't stop being yourself in a world that is very fake. -Lia 🖤🖤

You're doin' it, babe❤️. Love from CO

Your fine- this is LIFE! It is obvious you cleaned your home. When your toddlers leave toys in kitchen because they are now in another room playing with different toys- have then come get the toys they left in the kitchen. It's a start to help you. Nothing wrong with having them learn to pick up after themselves. Your doing just fine and as your children age you will have it down to a science- but YOUR science for your home! This is the first time have seen you- I see NOTHING wrong! Don't know how many are in your family or anything about you. You worked at a great pace. You would be shocked as to how many judge you and either don't have any children or maybe like me one or two. OR they have maids ! BTW: 42 year marriage, 2 children, now grown adults with children of their own.

Honey, what I see in your perfectly imperfect home, is cupcakes, cookbooks, and picking up your baby for a hug. (maybe a nap?) You're a beautiful, loving mother, making beautiful, loving memories for your children. I'm 69 years old, so I speak from experience.

Kristina, you're such a role model for me. And I'm much older than you. When I was a young mother my house was a mess too. I had a schedule and I tried to keep to it, but, well, you know how that goes. Now my kids are grown and on their own and I still struggle with keeping my floors swept or vacuumed, the house dusted etc. I've been going to paint my bathroom since 2020. Yesterday I finally started just cleaning the walls and peeling off the loose paint from... well from life. I'm hoping if I just do a little bit every day then I'll finally finish and have the (vintage) bathroom I've always wanted. Looking at it in its current state has been demoralizing, so I really appreciate hearing you say that mess isn't a moral statement. I love your content. I love that you're a real person and not pretending. And who needs minimalism? Not me! I have a ton of stuff that I love and I'm not getting rid of it. I love the chaotic mess of your house before you have it all spic and span. It makes me feel calmer about my own messes.

Wow!! That is all I can say to this video. It’s raw, it’s real & it’s the reason I watch your channel. Keep being YOU!! You are unique & perfect just as you are 🤗🤗🤗🤗

I have followed you since you were single and just a blogger. You are different and I'm here for it. The generic don't like it and it's on them. blessings and keep thriving because you are an inspiration to those of us hoping to have an entire brood one day!!!

This video was a warm hug. Those of us who love your content love it because you are real, and you welcome us into the warmth of your home.

I have one child and when she was little it was impossible to keep things clean. Thank you for sharing real life and real struggles ❤you do a lot.

I love your channel. I'm probably not your typical audience since my husband and I have chosen not to have children, instead we have 5 pets lol! But we also live in a small house, are lower income, and have ADD along with other mental health issues. Our house is a disaster because between my mental health issues and my physical disability (the reason I am a sahw) I'm just not able to do everything I'd like to around the house. I like the way in which you take things on, your honesty about yourself and your life, your calming voice, your plus sized vintage hobbit style, how much you care about your family, etc. It makes me feel better and to feel like I'm not alone in my struggles. The people who are rude to you about your home, your family, your weight, or anything else must have forgotten the old saying "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all".