Wendy’s Story and Inspiration

Kleynhuis, the company, was born with my idea of designing and promoting home products that are: 1) worth the real estate allocated to store them, and 2) worth the time spent using those products. Efficient kitchens need thoughtfully designed products, that are worthy of your limited storage space and valuable time.

I was raised in a Midwestern (USA) farming countryside where the values of faith, work ethic, saving, volunteering, stewarding, and community were lived and breathed. My great grandfather, John Klein, immigrated to the United States from Holland and settled in Northwest Iowa. Coincidentally, another John Klein lived in the same township. Their mail was constantly being mixed up, so he officially changed his last name to Kleyn (with a “y”) in order to avoid further confusion.

In Dutch, klein huis means “small house.” The name Kleynhuis gives homage to my Dutch heritage and the principle that no matter the size home you live in, it is never too small to offer hospitality, warmth, and grace to the people around you. Corrie Ten Boom is one of my personal heroes and in her books  The Hiding Place and  In My Father’s House, I’m inspired by how the Ten Boom family used their small Dutch home to bring Christian love, hope and life to children and families before and during Nazi-occupied Holland. In fact it is the Ten Boom home that is represented on my product packaging.

Storage Well-Used

There are a lot of products on the market that work wonderfully, but only get occasional use.  They must either find a home in already cluttered drawers or cupboards, or worse yet stay on the counter and take up valuable workspace. I love products and ideas that work efficiently in small spaces (like my house) because they will work in any size home.

Time Well-Spent

There are many options in today’s world that will save time; I want to promote ideas and products that encourage time well-spent and bring lasting satisfaction. It may save time to swing through the drive-through on your way home from work, but a few minutes spent in the kitchen would be healthier and tastier. It may save time to take the Interstate, but a scenic byway will allow you to breathe in the beauty of Creation while you travel. It may save time to read the Cliff Notes of a great novel, but the cost would be missing out on the intricacy of the language and the richness of the complete story. It may take extra time to chop fresh thyme from your garden and add it to your omelet in the morning, but it’s time well-spent when you take that first bite.

I brought those ideals to the world of yogurt-making. It may save time to buy a carton of yogurt, but taking the time to make your own is worth the effort for so many reasons, including: saving money, being able to choose the milk you use, and controlling the type and amount of sweetener you add. Also, making your own yogurt means fewer plastic containers are headed to a landfill or expensive recycling facility. While the concept of recycling is good, re-use is the ultimate way to conserve and steward the earth! Creating conservation habits and lifestyle choices can prevent throwing away trash and recycling plastics in the first place.

About Me

I live in my klein huis in a Minneapolis suburb with Paul, my wordsmith and ambiverted husband, and Chip, our spoiled and clever super-kitty. (Super? Yes. I’ve taught him how to do a few tricks. Check out Super Chip Tricks). Thank you for considering a Kleynhuis product and supporting our small business! We hope you love our products and we encourage you to enjoy the simple things in life.