When Decorating Is Overwhelming

When it comes to decorating your home it can no doubt be an overwhelming process. Even for those of us who love it. To be honest, I currently feel like I'm sitting in the overwhelmed boat. Since buying our first house I have been so excited (that might be an understatement) to decorate and really make it our own. It's great knowing we don't have to get permission to paint & can basically do whatever we want to the place and no one will say "boo" (as long as it's in the budget, right honey?).

But, now that the opportunity is here, I have so many ideas floating around in my head of things we can/should/could do that it can be hard to know where to start. As great as it would be to do all the ideas and all the things all at the same time, that's just not going to happen. And let's face it, it's not realistic. Needless to say, narrowing things down and being decisive has proven to be a bit more challenging than I originally thought it would be.

If you're feeling overwhelmed when it comes to decorating your home here are a few things to consider:

1. Take a step back - If you're like me and you get excited at the prospect of changing things and making things pretty (with a million ideas floating around in your head), take a step back into reality and realize that not everything is going to happen at once. Unless you've got a money tree out back,...changes, decor, and reno's (if you're doing them) all take time. So be OK with, and ready for, a process and make peace with the fact that all your ideas etc. aren't going to happen at once.

2. Make a list - Once you've entered back into reality, start by making a list. Write down what you're wanting to do around your house. Whether it's long or relatively short, a list will help. List the room(s) that you're hoping to tackle and then underneath write down what needs to be done in each. Even if they're minor things, write it down. I'm talking ideas, furniture upgrades, curtains, rugs, paint, lighting, right down to if you need a toilet paper holder. Seriously. Getting it all on paper will help you see the bigger picture and help you see the tasks ahead of you.

3. Narrow down what you really love - Decide what you want your home to feel like and the look(s) you really love. In a world where we're bombarded by ideas & pretty 24/7 (via Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook etc.) it can be hard to make decisions, especially when it comes to decorating. I know that I can find myself liking a multitude of styles as there are so many pretty things out there. But, in the end, it all comes down to the vibe and feel you want your home to have and what style best permeates that. Again, write these things down. Brainstorm. If you need to, bookmark & pull from resources (magazines, Pinterest, blogs etc.) to help you out. It doesn't mean you have to stick with one style, you can pull from a couple if you like (a lot of times mixing styles works!). But, it'll be so much easier to decorate your home if you really hone in on what you like.

4. Start where you can (aka: make a plan) - Once you've decided what needs to get done and the overall vibe you're going for, look back at your list. Look at the things that you can do now and start where you can. If you need/want to, write out a timeline (to keep you accountable) of when you'd like to see certain things get checked off. However, don't get discouraged with a timeline either. Realize that sometimes, finding the perfect piece for a space doesn't happen until you find the perfect piece. Budget is also important. This means certain things may take longer to save for etc. but, in the end you'll be glad you waited until you could make things work. Work away at things when you can and be OK with the process.

5. Decorate your home for you - For the most part, decorating shouldn't be about anyone else other than you & your family. It's definitely nice to think of others coming into your home and how you can best welcome people and show hospitality. However, you and your family are the ones that live in your home 100% of the time, not everyone else. So decorate accordingly. Do what works for you. Make it comfortable for you. Make it about what you like. It's about creating a space you want to live in.

When it comes to decorating your home, if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed (kind of like I am right now), I hope some of these tips help you out like they have me. Just take a step back and remember that your home should be a place of rest, comfort, and a place you want to be. Because if that's not home, I don't know what is.