Are You a Type-B Homemaker?
- Allison Weeks
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
In this Homemaker Portrait episode, I’m joined by Kara Garis, an “in the trenches” homemaking mama and homeschooler. Kara and her husband, Jeff, have been married 17 years and are raising five kids (ages 14 down to 6) in central Oklahoma.
In the trenches of a life full of homeschool, church, ministry, soccer practices, violin lessons, and all the daily work that keeps a family fed, clothed, and cared for, Kara has learned something beautiful: home can be both ordinary and holy.
In this conversation:
Starting from scratch: what it’s like to become a homemaker without many practical skills—but how her parents' example of, “I can learn” and “don’t complain”, gave her a solid foundation to stand on
Type B strengths (and pitfalls): the gift of “we’ll figure it out” …and the reality that bathrooms do not clean themselves
Letting go of idealism: releasing the pressure to look like the “perfect Christian family” and embracing the life God actually gave you
A values-driven home: asking, “What kind of adults do we want our kids to become?” and then working backwards into a home culture that supports those goals
Kids who notice: training children to anticipate needs, participate in the work of home, and even help bless others (yes—sometimes that means a 14-year-old making lasagna for the church meal train)
Hospitality in a small home: why the size of your space doesn’t determine the warmth of your welcome
Media and attention: Kara shares why they stepped away from social media, and a practical tool that’s helped their family think more intentionally about screens
Comparison and contentment: a gentle, honest look at envy, “someday” thinking, and trusting God’s goodness in the limitations
One of my favorite threads in this episode is how Kara describes hospitality not as performance, but as proclaiming hope—a way of saying, you belong here, in a world that feels increasingly lonely and fractured. And if you’ve ever thought, “I don’t have enough space / margin / money to do hospitality,” Kara’s story will encourage you.
A question for you
Kara describes themself as very Type B—“we’ll figure it out”—and I’ll admit, as a more Type A planner, I found it both refreshing and challenging.
Which one are you?
Type A: “We will have a plan.”
Type B: “We’ll figure it out.”
Leave an A or a B in the comments (or send me a text/voicemail through the link in the episode description) and tell me how your type shows up in your homemaking—for better or for worse.
Listen to Kara's Story of Home
You can listen to the full episode in your podcast player or right here on the website.
Show Notes
Here are a few things we talked about in this episode that you may want to revisit:
Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work | Tim Keller — Kara’s “this is a worthy endeavor” moment for homemaking
The “Brick” phone tool Kara mentioned (a one-time purchase tool to help lock down phone use)
Ruggable rugs (washable rugs that can survive real family life)
Kara's Signature Dish: Lasagna
Allison's Grandma's Fig Muffins
