🐾 How Living with Pets Changed the Way I Think About Home

From Furballs to Fern Wreckers: What My Pets Are Teaching Me About Life, Love, and Living Naturally.

When I was younger, we had dogs. They were dogs that I loved very much… sweet, silly, loyal companions who followed me around the yard and curled up by the couch like old friends. But a few years ago, I got my first dog of my own. And wow. I didn’t know it was possible to love a little ball of fluff that much.

Certain dogs just hit you differently. They bring joy. They bring comfort. And they bring a kind of humor that only dog people truly understand… like the sideways glance when you open the fridge, the proud parade of a stolen sock, or the way they instinctively show up when you need extra love.

More recently, we added a kitten to our family. I’ve never had a cat before, and wow, she is a lot. She’s in that chaotic kitten stage where everything is a toy, no shelf is safe, and all cords are apparently made to be chewed. She has single-handedly forced us to move every houseplant to higher ground.

I used to decorate freely. Now I decorate with strategy and height maps.

But here’s what I’m learning, slowly and joyfully:
A pet-friendly home is more than just logistics, it’s a living, breathing relationship.
It’s not just about avoiding broken pots or protecting the couch. It’s about creating a space where everyone—human, plant, or pawed creature—feels safe, seen, and connected. It’s about love in action.

🐾 Pets Are Teachers (Just Like Kids Are)

One thing I didn’t expect? How much having pets can feel like parenting. Not just in terms of responsibility (though there’s plenty of that), but in the emotional work of relationship-building.

Learning to communicate with pets is not much different than learning to understand small children. You start noticing patterns. You tune into subtle shifts in body language. You listen without needing words. You anticipate needs before they’re spoken, before the bark, the meow, or the sudden leap onto your warm laundry pile.

There’s a kind of emotional intelligence involved in natural pet care. One that reflects how we show up for the people in our lives too, with patience, curiosity, trust, and consistency.

🌿 Building a Natural Pet-Friendly Home

As our furry family has grown, so has our understanding of what home really means. It’s not just calm colors and cozy throws. It’s a rhythm that works for everyone under the roof: dogs, cats, plants, and people.

We’ve slowly adapted our routines and environment to support a more pet-friendly, low-tox lifestyle:

• Swapped fragile vases for unbreakable baskets
• Use only pet-safe cleaners and essential oils
• Lifted our favorite houseplants out of kitten range

These aren't just aesthetic choices. They’re small, everyday acts of care. The way we shape our space becomes a reflection of how we care for each other. In a home built on connection, everyone thrives.

And I’ll tell you what. There’s real joy in watching your dog stretch into a sun patch or finding your kitten curled up by the windowsill, watching the hummingbirds flutter. These little moments whisper, this house works for all of us.

🌧️ Rooted in the Mess, the Wild, and the Love

People often picture natural living as serene, styled, and perfect, like a Pinterest board. But real natural living? It’s muddy paw prints. A toppled fern. A chewed-up shoelace. A dog toy in the hallway. It’s laughter and chaos and connection, all tangled up.

When you choose to live intentionally with pets, your home shifts in unexpected ways. It’s not about perfection… it’s about presence. About embracing the life that happens while you’re busy trying to organize it.

So here’s to the pets who keep us humble, playful, and awake to the everyday magic. To the wildness they bring. The lessons they teach. The love they offer without conditions.

And here’s to the homes we build… not in spite of the mess, but because of it.

Because a real home grows through connection.
And that kind of love? It doesn’t always look picture-perfect.
But it’s the kind that roots deep and grows wild.

In the rain, we root. In the wild, we grow.

With love,
Margaux 🌧️

Midna, our fearless fern wrecker. Navi, our 6-pound fluffy little sun seeker. (These are my real-life animals—Aren’t they cute?)
They changed the rhythm of our home—and rooted themselves deep in our hearts.
Rooted in the rain, and wrapped in unconditional love. 🌧️