How to Zhuzh Professionally

Zhuzh "...to make (or an act, addition, or quality that makes) something more stylish, lively, or attractive" is a word that emerged from Polari, a language of the British performing arts community in the 20th century.

Zhuzhing is a job now. I know this because I found myself employed as a zhuzher - a dream job a year ago I didn't think to even dream up. That said, I do come from people that zhuzh and I was a zhuzher even as a child, so maybe this was the plan all along.

When I was a kid and my parents would go out for the evening, I would clean the house, rearrange the furniture, cut the artificial flowers to look better in a lower vase, hide the clutter, and light candles. Not kidding! I am the youngest of four and so I always had a sibling babysitter, meaning I wasn't watched too closely since no money was exchanged for their efforts. So, I busied myself with the above. My parents would return and be charmed, shocked, and also irritated by my edits. My dad would spend the next day looking for the items I noted as clutter and had stashed away. As I got older and became a babysitter for neighborhood kids, I would do the same at other people's houses after the kids were in bed for the night. I guarantee it charmed, shocked, and also irritated those parents as I was not there the next day to help search for the items I deemed clutter.

Several decades later, I now find myself with years of experience in interiors, botanicals, home decor design, and home staging. I like to say that I'm in the business of houses. I sell real estate and manage several short term rentals that I have had a hand in decorating for the purpose of optimal guest experiences. I curate guest stays to feel personal, touched with the beauty of Midcoast Maine hospitality as my magic wand. I document these touches and so word has gotten around. You can't believe the value that a guest sees when they feel you rolled out the charm carpet just for them.

My newest gig is at the gorgeous Three Sisters Farm in Friendship, Maine. This rambling farmhouse has made the work easy for me as it is stuffed with antiques, vignettes everywhere you turn, rolling grounds with swaying hydrangeas and rose hips along the property edges. A massive barn door with a wide plank swing opens to a magical sun lit field. Each stay is about a week long with multi-generational families and small group retreats as guests. To welcome them, I fill the fridge with fresh eggs and cream, local sourdough pancake mix is delivered, and vases are filled with flowers. Vintage napkins have been collected in baskets, linen hand towels are ready in the half bath, fresh soap and shaving brush is set out in the primary bath, and a hand-written note with a s'more kit waits for the guests in the dining room. Big ceramic bowls are filled with apples and pumpkins sit in sneaky corners, while all of the lamps are on with expectation of their arrival.

My hope is that in this sometimes impersonal world, I have made a way to give a personal warm welcome to each guest. That is zhuzhing, folks, and I'm making it a profession.