Meet Melissa “mel” Cabrera

We were lucky to catch up with Melissa “mel” Cabrera recently and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa “Mel”, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

This is a really great question because there are some days where I simply don’t know! Other days I am flooded with different ideas for content and I have to grab my notes app and quickly jot it down! But, when I log onto my social media and see that my bio usually states, content or digital creator, I don’t see myself as just that. The reason I don’t see myself as just that is because I genuinely love hosting friends and family, so I see my followers as that, friends, whom I’m hosting via my videos online! Because of that mindset, I see “content” differently. Not as a, let me push content to chase an algorithm, nor do I see creating content as a chore. On the contrary, everything and anything around me is potential content. It could be a simple iced latte recipe or running to TJ Maxx for seasonal items! I create content to find a solution in my home and if it helps someone online, then great! If it’s just for stimulation from the ASMR I do by tapping my nails on items, even better! So, even before I step outside of my home or run down the street for errands, my literal surroundings keeps my creativity alive. I just notice every detail around my home and create just that!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

For those who don’t know me, my name is Melissa, but my close friends and family call me, “Mel”! I started content creating back in 2021 when I had a small “treats” business which included making chocolate covered strawberries, cake pops, and more. I was forced to close my small business last year in May 2023 because unfortunately I woke up to water damage all over my house and to the dreadful realization that my home flooded! It ruined furniture, walls, flooring and unfortunately, my small “treats” business. I started recording everything. I recorded all the damage and the grueling, long process of remodeling an entire home. I have never been in this situation and there were many days where I wanted to give up. But, I kept recording, patiently waiting for that transformation, which finally came in December of 2023, a week before Christmas! Standing in my home that Christmas, I was extremely grateful for everything I had and that’s when I decided to start @HomewithMel_. I was proud of everything that my partner Oscar and I were able to accomplish. That Christmas was the most special to us and no amount of gifts could have made us feel complete if it wasn’t living in a loving home. That warmth, that love I felt in that moment is what I wanted to share with my new friends online! Since December, my social media has grown, (especially on TikTok), my videos have gone viral and I am excited to collaborate with future brands! It’s been a humbling, eye opening experience and I am grateful for having gone through so much loss, since it taught me to truly appreciate everything I have and I hope that comes across to everyone I meet on social media or in person! So stay tuned for more, especially with the holidays coming up!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The most important thing I’ve learned from my experience last year, was always remembering my, “why”? When faced with unexpected challenges, I would try to remember why we were here and why certain things happen for a reason. It reminded me to push for my end goal, which was moving back into my home. Knowing my, “why” also made long days worth getting up in the morning and made those long months worth waiting for. I also learned to be emotionally and mentally stronger, even though there were some sleepless nights, as my partner and I lived in an Airbnb for months until the house was halfway done. Building a strong, emotional and mental intelligence is the biggest skill set anyone can have. It builds fortitude and character which I needed a lot of dealing with contractors needing answers or plumbers delaying work and so forth. Of course you’d have your mental breakdowns, a good cry, but it goes back to your “why” and that was my motivating factor for tapping into my emotional and mental intelligence. The last skill set I would recommend, is venting. Whether it’s to friends, family, a therapist, just open up. Don’t bottle it inside! Having a strong support system of people who genuinely care for you, will get you through that tough journey!

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

There are three wonderful people that have helped me overcome tough challenges and that is my boyfriend Oscar Neyra and our amazing friends Matt Soto and Karl Cruz. Had it not been for these three amazing human beings, I truly don’t know how I would have gotten through last year. It goes back to having a good support system and our friends truly taught us how to laugh through tough times. Matt and Karl opened their doors to Oscar and I when we desperately longed for stability. They made us feel like family and made us forget what we were going through, even if it was just for an hour or two. But most importantly, the warmth their home had, I craved and longed for. I vividly remember having dinner one night in their home, as their dogs Pico and Murphy roamed around us hoping food would fall off our plate and as Matt and Karl were making Oscar and I laugh over dinner, I was overwhelmed with tears. It was happy tears because I realized that good human beings exist and that friends can treat you better than your own family. But overall, that warmth they had in their home is what I longed for m and it drove me to the finish line! While crossing to the finish line, our friends also taught us wit and how to let negative sh*t slide off your back! Those qualities they carried, I needed that as a reminder to push through tough times and I am forever grateful for them. But of course, I could not have crossed the finish line without my loving partner, Oscar. He continues to be my rock and I cannot thank him enough for getting us both out of such a difficult journey we experienced last year. We both pushed each other and definitely grew as partners. Having someone that believes in you and encourages you to always strive for better, has been another motivating factor to continue to grow and evolve and for that, I will always be grateful for a partner like Oscar. If you’re lucky enough to have someone by your side to guide you, let you vent and let you be you, even when everything around you is falling apart, don’t let them go! Having a solid relationship like that can get you through anything and without my support system I don’t think I’d be where I am now. I hope this gives insight on what’s to come and I cannot wait to have more followers join me in this new journey…being at home with me, Mel.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @homewithmel_
• Facebook: Home with Mel
• Youtube: @homewithmel_
• Other: TikTok: @Homewithmel_

  Email: [email protected]