The Porching Movement - Tabitha Dumas

Oh, yes. Bring on the ice tea, pretty potted flowers and charming rocking chairs! But the porching movement is also about slow, purposeful and fuss-free connection. It’s asking, “How are you doing? Really?” It’s opening up your porch or having the courage to visit someone else’s porch because you know people matter and we need time together to check in, compare notes, be encouraged and also just BE.

Maybe you invite the neighbor you normally only give a passing “Good morning!” to each day on your walk. Maybe you get your sorority sisters back together. Maybe you ask the friend who just lost her husband if she’d like to come by for coffee and a slice of cake.

Forget “entertaining.” This is simple come-as-you-are hospitality.

When was the last time you “hung out” with a few friends?? The busier we get, the more important it becomes to kick off our shoes and spend time with other ladies. We might serve on committees, regularly attend church or go to the occasional girls’ day out but we also need downtime and a chance to relax. I wrote about porching in 2017. Read it here.

Take the pressure off to clean the whole house or prepare a spread of food. Lemonade and trail mix will do the trick and all you really need is a few chairs and an hour or so of time.

For many years I participated in direct sales and it was largely for the camaraderie and the celebration of our successes. I really want to capture that feeling but without the selling.

The porching movement is an easy way to get people together without the time and trouble of a full-blown party or sit down dinner.

Ready to join in?

Steps:

Set a day and time (this helps hold you accountable) and include what you’ll be serving and any other pertinent details
Decide how many people (remember, it can be one friend or however many your space can hold)
Start inviting
Prepare your space (which could mean a quick sweep and a fluff of pillows, potting some new flowers, adding seating or whatever will make the space welcoming and comfortable)
Refreshments are optional but decide what you’ll be serving and let people know if they need to bring something
Prep any sort of ice breaker or activity you’re offering
Porch! (yes, it’s a verb)
If you post to social media, please tag me or use #theporchingmovement
Email or text me pictures of your gathering
Set a day and time for the next one

Check this out for lots of inspiration: Porching Pinterest board

Contact me if you’d like to host a porch gathering that includes my friends and cohorts. And stay tuned for opportunities to attend!

One of my 2023 goals is to sit on as many porches as possible! I’d love to visit yours!

I’ll also be hosting plenty of porching times myself in Gilbert, Arizona.

This is our porch all prepped for Thanksgiving 2022. The swing with no cover came with the house. The teal chair cushions were recently replaced and are from Homegoods. Most of the accessories and pillows were thrifted. It’s not fancy but we use it all the time, in all weather! I try to make it comfy and have plenty of surfaces to set down a drink. Flowers and lanterns are fun, too!