it takes a heap of living to make a house a home
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: it takes a heap o' livin' to make a house a home
A house is simply a physical structure and does not count as a home until significant events in the inhabitants' lives have occurred there over a substantial period of time, and they have developed an emotional bond to the house and its immediate environs.
một ngôi nhà chỉ trở thành nơi ở khi đã có nhiều sự kiện quan trọng xảy ra trong cuộc sống của cư dân
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “it takes a heap of living to make a house a home” mean?
A house is simply a physical structure and does not count as a home until significant events in the inhabitants' lives have occurred there over a substantial period of time, and they have developed an emotional bond to the house and its immediate environs.
Is “it takes a heap of living to make a house a home” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.