Hi, I'm Claire. I live in Orangeburg, South Carolina, in a 1958 brick ranch with my husband Ben, our daughter Lila, and Pepper, a beagle who has opinions about every delivery truck on our street.
For eight years I worked as a library assistant in Columbia. I loved the quiet and the books and the regulars, but by the time Lila started school I was running on empty. In January 2025 I left, and our family slowly figured out what a calmer, cheaper, more homemade life could look like. This blog is where I write it down.
What you'll find here
- Cozy Home: small, affordable changes that make rooms feel warm and lived-in.
- Seasonal Living: the rhythm of a Southern year, from pollen season to pecan season.
- Kitchen & Hosting: simple recipes and easy ways to have people over.
- Home Comfort & Bills: keeping an old house comfortable through long summers, and what that actually costs.
- Organize & Clean: routines for people who don't love cleaning.
- Slow Living: reading, journaling and the small rituals that make ordinary days feel good.
A few honest notes
I'm not a contractor, financial advisor or insurance agent. When I share numbers from our bills or what we decided about our home, it's our experience, not advice for your situation.
Some posts contain affiliate links. If you buy or sign up through one, the blog may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more on the disclosure page.
I'd love to hear from you: claire@slowhomenotes.com.