Homemaking isn’t just about chores and keeping things running. It’s about shaping the space where your family lives, grows, and makes memories. Think about the smell of bread baking, the sound of kids laughing in the next room, or the way everyone automatically gathers in the kitchen when something good is on the stove. That’s the heart of a home.
Sometimes we get so caught up in getting things done that we forget the little touches that make daily life feel lighter and more enjoyable. Adding a little whimsy to the everyday can bring so much joy—not just for your family, but for you, too.
Since the kitchen is where so much of family life happens, it’s a natural place to start. Today, I’m sharing simple ways you can bring a Whimsy to your homemaking, starting in the heart of the home: the kitchen. We’ll explore how to make even mundane things like doing the dishes or tidying up feel special.
This is part one of our series on whimsical homemaking, tomorrow in part two I’ll talk about adding Whimsy to everyday homemaking moments. But for now, let’s cozy up and chat about infusing your kitchen with charm and delight.
Whimsical Homemaking Hack #1. Thrift Special Dishes For Each Family Member
A fun family outing can be as simple as going to a thrift store. Let everyone pick a plate, mug, and bowl that they love. It doesn’t have to match the rest of your dishes—in fact, the mix-and-match look makes the table more interesting. Kids especially enjoy having a dish that feels like it’s “theirs.” Over time, these dishes will carry memories with them. You can even use special paint or markers made for plates to paint their name and the date on the bottom of the dish so you’ll always remember.
2. Make Snack Time Special
Afternoon snacks usually happen in a rush, but they don’t have to. Try putting fruit, cheese, or crackers in teacups instead of paper plates. Like this…
Or you could try mini planters like this. You could even play a short audiobook or read aloud a few pages from a story while everyone eats. It doesn’t take much effort, but it makes a regular part of the day feel intentional.
Whimsical Homemaking Hack #3. Try A Dinner Bell
Instead of calling everyone to dinner by shouting down the hall, use a bell. A simple handheld bell works just fine. It might sound old-fashioned, but that’s what makes it memorable. Before long, the sound of that bell will be tied to family meals in everyone’s mind. If you really want to get fancy you can source an antique bell like the one below to hang in your kitchen and use as your dinner bell!
4. Change Up How You Serve Meals
One of my favorite ways to add a little whimsy in the kitchen is to serve dinner (like mashed potato’s, macaroni and cheese, etc.) in margarita glasses or other unusual containers! Kids especially love when dinner comes in a different form than they expect. It makes a simple meal feel like something extra fun.
Whimsical Homemaking Hack #5 Ban the “Big Light”
Idk about you but overhead lighting drives me absolutely nuts. Adding a small lamp on the counter, a strand of string lights, or even just lighting a few candles changes the whole atmosphere. You can even use vintage “fairy lamps” that house a little tea candle and are so cute.
Softer lighting makes meals feel calmer and cozier, even if it’s just a normal weeknight! I’ve been loving the posts I’ve been seeing on Instagram about having a kitchen lamp, and if my kitchen were bigger I’d have one for sure!
6. Special Grocery Shopping & Cooking Playlists
Background music has a way of setting the mood. Try a French playlist while you grocery shop, (I don’t know if you’ve seen Something’s Gotta Give, but this always reminds me of that!) or keep a fun “family favorites” list ready for dinnertime and demand that everyone dance it out with you. You can even match music to the meal—Italian songs for pasta, Mexican music for taco night, and so on.
7. Add Small Touches To Everyday Food
Okay, I love this one. You can buy cute butter molds that make it into cute shapes, and use it on toast in the morning with breakfast.
Or try serving it as a candle at the table (yes, that’s a real thing) and you can dip some sourdough bread into it!
Another small touch is appetizers! Like bread and oil when you are going to serve pasta is super simple but makes things feel more whimsical.
8. Get Creative With Bread
Speaking of bread, if you bake bread, try shaping it differently once in a while. Bread bowls for soup night, making it into a pumpkin shape during fall, a braided loaf for on occasion.
You can also score pretty patterns, use flour stencils, or even paint your bread before baking.
Whimsical Homemaking Hack #9: Display Your Treats
Instead of tucking your baked goods away in a tin, set them out on a cake stand or platter. It makes the kitchen feel inviting, and the food looks nicer when it’s out in the open. Even store-bought cookies look more appealing this way!
Instead of baking your muffins or sweet breads in cupcake tins or loaves you can buy silicone shaped baking trays and
10. Set the Table on Weeknights
Candles and cute napkins (cloth or paper!) aren’t just for holidays. Use them on an ordinary night, too. You can even add a small, playful touch like writing names on a dry pasta noodle to use as a place card. It takes minutes, but it makes the table feel cared for.
11. Hang Up Family Recipes
Recipes carry family history. Instead of keeping them tucked in a box, write or print a few on nice paper, frame them, and hang them in the kitchen. Not only is it useful, but it adds a personal touch that connects your cooking to family stories.
Whimsical Homemaking Hack #12: Match Meals And Outfits
This one is just for fun. Try matching your clothes to the meal—wearing red for spaghetti night, or green when you serve salad. It’s a playful twist and you can go as silly or as subtle as you want with it!
13. Make Fancy Ice Cubes
Ice cubes don’t have to be plain. Freeze berries, mint leaves, or lemon slices into the cubes. Drop them into a pitcher of water, or into pretty glassware and you’ve got some whimsy! Having a pitcher of water with pretty ice in it in the center of the table to refill glasses is such a fun way to add whimsy in and of itself because it feels like a picnic or like eating out.
14. Repurpose Old Kitchen Items
Old kitchen tools can find new life. Turn a colander into a planter, a grater into a towel holder, or turn jam jars into soap dispensers or coffee cups. It gives character to your kitchen and keeps useful things out of storage.
15. Paper Tablecloths For Drawing
Cover the table with kraft paper and leave crayons or markers out during meals or snack times. Kids can doodle while they eat, and adults often end up joining in too. It’s easy cleanup and a fun way to spend time together.
Whimsical Homemaking Hack #16: Try “Cook With A Book”
Switch up family movie night with a book. Use a small projector or just gather around while one person reads aloud after dinner. Something else you can do, is have one of your kiddos read it aloud to you while you cook dinner in the kitchen. There was many a night where I’d sit at the kitchen counter and read to my mom while she cooked and we loved it!
Making Evening Cleanup Whimsical
After dinner, the last thing you want to do is face a sink full of dishes and messy counters. Cleanup can feel like it ruins the cozy mood of the evening.
And when you’re already tired, it’s even harder. Instead of relaxing, you end up dragging yourself through chores, wishing they’d just do themselves.
That’s where my audio-guided cleaning routines come in. With the Domestic Dreams Evening Cleaning Routine ft. Suspense! Radio Show, you can put on your headphones, follow simple step-by-step prompts, and let a classic mystery story keep you company. In just 30 minutes, you’ll clear the clutter, load the dishwasher, and reset the kitchen for tomorrow—without feeling like you’re doing it alone. By the time the episode ends, your kitchen will be clean and you’ll be ready to call it a night.
In the end…
Whimsy isn’t about fancy decorating, or big adventures. It’s really about small, thoughtful choices that make everyday life feel a little more…well whimsical! The kitchen is where so many memories are made, so why not make it a place that feels extra joyful?
These ideas are just a starting point. Stay tuned for tomorrow when I’ll share ways to add whimsy to everyday homemaking moments outside of the kitchen!