Posted by: Kristi
Name of Book: At Home with Madame Chic: Becoming a Connoisseur of Daily Life
Author: Jennifer L. Scott
Why I decided to read this book: I was first introduced to Jennifer Scott through a Ted Talk video on YouTube that Money Saving Mom posted. I found her Ted Talk to be intriguing and made a note to look up her book (although not an ideal system but one that works well for me, I often take screenshots on my iPad of books I want to read when I come across them, which is usually via a blog or Facebook post. Then when I’m headed to the library and need a new book, I check my photo reel for reminders of books I’d like to read). When I searched for Jennifer Scott’s book, I didn’t realize she had two books in print. I had intended to check out her first book, Lessons from Madame Chic
Who do I recommend to read this book: Although the book is not exclusive to this audience, I think a woman whose primary role is running her home and serving her family would find the most inspiration. Before having children and working full-time, I don’t think I would have found as much inspiration as I do now that I am a full-time stay at home mom and homemaker.
My biggest take away from the book: Simply put, find joy in the mundane.
From what I can tell, Jennifer Scott and I have two different worldviews regarding life, but her book’s message still resonated with me. She uses terms like finding “inner peace” and being “chic,” while I would replace those results with finding joy, grace, and contentment.
Some of my favorite reminders from At Home with Madame Chic:
1. Take time to think through what you’re doing in the day and appreciate the mundane activity in your day. Don’t stress about the future.
2. Plan breakfast the night before.
3. Wake up and be thankful.
4. Keep your clutter hotspots clear.
5. When feeling discontent in your home, remember your first walk-through or how excited you were before moving in. Focus on the features that you were drawn to and remember how great your place really is.
6. The more you love it, the more you’ll want to take care of it.
My favorite aspect about this book: I feel that the culture I live in often pushes that homemaking and child rearing aren’t enough as a full-time role for a woman..that those activities need to be accompanied by something else. I found it so refreshing to read a book that celebrates the day to day activities of a homemaker. There was no push for a woman to hold the same role as a man or to compare her ability to a man. It was just simply a celebration of the mundane tasks that accompany the life of a woman who runs a house and has children.