It’s that season again! The itch to get rid of the old, sweep up the remains, and grab some paint swatches is upon us. It begins on such an exciting note! We folded the magazine corners, we saw the TV show, and now we’re filled with gusto to make our home shine. As it should. And yet, we get so bogged down in the decorating process. We moms have too many spinning plates going to keep a line of thought straight, so let’s make it simple!
Plan what you want to do most. It could be painting the living room a fresh coat of color or simply replacing three dingy cushions. Be real. This summer, I’m limiting my goals to three—one for each month. These aren’t month-long projects, they could actually be done in an evening… two hours even. But my free evenings are few, and I hate the feeling I’ve failed… or worse, the haunting of having something half-done.
{Beware of feeling awesome for having ideas.}
Grab your swatches, clippings, pins, and put them in one place. It could be a board on Pinterest or an old-school folder. I like to keep it all handy on my phone. As I’ve mentioned in my Cleaning post, having all the tools in the right place is half the battle.
Purchase any needed supplies. Only get what you need, remember: we’re keeping it simple!
{Beware of feeling proud of your pile of “git ‘er done” stuff. It’s just more stuff until you put it to use!}
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the hardest part of this journey: actually getting the thing done. When is the big day? Mark it on your calendar as you would a dental appointment. And then schedule a follow-up appointment for half the time. It’s sad, but true: that dresser is probably going to need another coat; those extra door knobs may need returning; that rug may not work there at all! Expect snags. And if hangups don’t come, it’s a bonus slot of time!
{Beware of overlooking the next step after feeling so accomplished.}
You’re done, right?! Don’t stop there! I mean, don’t you hate it when people don’t notice your hard-earned work? Let’s not underestimate the power of finishing touches! Polishing that floor by the new rug or rearranging a few things really pushes your work over the edge from “nice” to “wow.” Heck, this is the step for those of us who can’t take on a single home project! Working with what you have—freshening it up, cleaning it and rearranging it may be all you need (or can handle) right now.
Oftentimes simplifying our heart’s desire into palpable next steps is our greatest roadblock. Decorating your home should not be a headache, it is a joy to make a home a home. Reduce your goals to the kind of instructions you’d give your children, and you’ll likely be able to hit that mark!
Let’s do this.
