‘My house really doesn’t always look as tidy as it does on Instagram’

In On the stage every other week let’s talk about motherhood with an influencer. This time we speak to Greet van der Veen, known for her interior blog Style and Sugar† She is mother of Nore (3).

Introduce

• Greet van der Veen (30)
• Relationship: lives with Maurice
• Children: Nore (3)
• Instagram: @styleandsugar
• Number of followers: 48,600

You are an influencer: how did that come about?

“That started in our previous home, a 1930s DIY house. I thought it would be nice to share some updates about the renovation every now and then. First on a blog, later also on Instagram. And that caught on: I quickly had 25,000 followers. Since we live in a new house in Zwolle, things have gone even faster. I think people find it interesting to see how you can furnish a new house in an attractive way. My living style has changed over the years: first it was Scandinavian with a lot of white and now we also have dark furniture and a lot of wood at home. I have been working full-time as an influencer and interior consultant for a year now. That takes some getting used to, you know. Before I never had any obligations in the evening, but now I often answer messages and emails when Nore is in bed.”

What characterizes you as a mother?

“I am energetic and like to do fun things together, such as drawing, dancing or being crazy. I like everything about motherhood except the lack of sleep. That remains important. Beforehand I had no idea what it’s like to be a mother, but it suits me well. I was 28 when I got Nore, quite young. Still, I knew I was ready, as far as I can of course. My boyfriend and I had already thought about parenting during my pregnancy, but that phase is actually only now beginning. As a three-year-old who likes to push the boundaries, Nore sometimes needs some rules and handles.”

What do you think is the biggest challenge of motherhood?

“I can be very concerned that Nore eats few vegetables. When we are somewhere, I find it annoying to see that other children do finish their plates without a fight. That makes me insecure. Not because I failed, because we’ve tried almost everything, but I’d love to see it differently. We are now in contact with the consultation bureau to look for a solution. When I feel bad about this, I always think: if I’m concerned about this, we’re very well off. There are much worse things in the world than a child who eats few vegetables.”

Do you ever get negative reactions on social media?

“Sometimes, and that’s a reason for me to share little of Nore. When she was little we did a campaign with her. She was wearing a hairband, which looked great on her, but people still felt the need to call her an Easter egg. Such hurtful comments really do something to me. After that, I did not image Nore for a while or only from the back. My account is about interior, but I am more than that. Motherhood is much bigger for me than sharing our house, so I like to write about that too. In addition, I am very proud of her, so I prefer to show her every day, but to avoid hurtful reactions and for her privacy, I do so in moderation.”

You are an interior consultant: does your house always look tidy?

“My followers often ask: how do you do that, a tidy house with a child? But it really doesn’t always look like it does on my Instagram feed. I have two large wicker toy baskets that are still okay to look at. And the cupboards under the TV are also filled with toys from left to right. When they come over for a photo shoot, I spend all evening tidying up and cleaning. Fortunately, Nore herself helps too. She now knows exactly: when I’m done with something, I have to clean it up before I grab something else.”

Great news: you will soon have your own section in Kek Mama. Tell!

“Correct! There was still a living section missing in Kek Mama with inspiration and shopping tips for the nursery. In the section I show you how you can furnish a room with paint, wallpaper and fun products. That’s what I looked forward to when I was pregnant. On the day of the positive pregnancy test, I was already looking at baby rooms on Pinterest, haha. After the birth of Nore, I thought: why did I choose this terrible wallpaper? So two weeks after giving birth, we changed it. If I’m not happy with something, I want to change it right away, even if sometimes there isn’t time.” You can find the Greet section in the latest Kek Mama: in the store from May 31.

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