So You Think Spending Money on Home Decor is Silly?
I used to think that!
Here’s my Story
I used to feel guilty about spending money on home decor. So, I just didn’t do it. I’d shop, pick a piece up, think about it and put it back down. My budget for improving my home was near $0 for a lot of years.
Being a practical person, I resisted decorating my house because spending money to make my surroundings prettier felt like an indulgence. It felt like a waste of money. Especially when there were so many other more critical issues, in my own life and the world.
Then one day, it happened. Time, opportunity and a changed mind all converged.
I had recently retired so I had some time. I looked around my house, and I realized I was just plain tired of disliking where I lived. Especially since I was going to be spending more time there.
For that reason, my husband and I started to change the situation. And, we began to spend money on home decor, on our home in general.
The change began in the room you see above, our dining room.
It started with the distressed farmhouse table & chair set and the bar (see sources below), both of which I fell in love with. That sounds crazy, but it’s the only word for it. I kinda had to have them. You KNOW what I’m talking about.
From there we continued our home improvement journey and swept through our entire house in less than a year.
As we improved our house…
Something Extraordinary Happened
Can you guess what it was?
OUR EVERYDAY LIVES GOT BETTER. A lot better.
Every room in our home, post-renovation, now brings me joy. I walk around and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, and yes, I love looking at all the “things.” That’s because everything has meaning to us as a family.
But there’s more…
It’s not just that everything is lovely (which it is, at least to me). And filled with things (yes things) that we cherish.
Here’s the bottom line.
As we made improvements throughout our home, we ruthlessly de-cluttered, re-organized and created the perfect place for everything. I was Marie Kondo-ing before I knew what it meant. The result was that lots of everyday tasks became easier to accomplish. Everything from picking out clothes in the morning to putting away the groceries were simpler to do and took less time.
I became a believer that spending money on home decor, on “things,” isn’t wasteful when they’re the right things. I even added a section to my House Tour that speaks specifically to all the life improvements that happened when we renovated every single room.
Now, I do have a budget for home improvement. When I shop and pick things up, I still say no quite often and put them back. But I do that now, not out of guilt, but because I only buy things that I love.
I have lots of company in my new thinking, that spending money on home decor is not just an indulgence.
Here’s just one…
Book Excerpt
This is an excerpt from Sara Tasker’s book, Hashtag Authentic (a special thanks to Steffi at Moda Misfit for passing along this gem of a book):
“It’s common for interior design to be regarded as silly or trivial, yet our living spaces can have a tremendous impact on how we live and feel in the day-to-day. Styling a beautiful shelf, arranging a wall of magazine clippings and prints or picking a simple bunch of flowers for the kitchen table can all impact on mindset, mood and motivation in small but significant ways.
It isn’t silly to care about the small things around us and the details of our home. Sometimes they’re our best defense for resilience in a difficult, painful and too often ugly world.”
There are Others
You’re here, I’m betting you’re one! I also spend significant time in the Instagram home decor community. Given the discussions that I see there every day, I can tell you that there are lots of other people who feel the same.
Improving your home is not an indulgence, and can even lead to better things.
So, if you ever find yourself feeling silly about spending money on home decor (a reasonable amount, I guess I should add lol), remember something. You’re making your little world a better place for you and your family. Transforming your surroundings into your favorite place on earth can do a lot more than give you something nice to look at.
With that in mind, what are you waiting for? Go pretty up that house already, guilt-free!
Shopping Links
- The bar in the picture is the Ludlow Trunk from Pottery Barn. Please note that this is an affiliate link. Affiliate links provided for your convenience, you are not charged one penny more by purchasing a product through an affiliate link though I may make a commission on the sale. Please read my disclosure for more information.”
- The dining room table is from Jordan’s Furniture in Nashua, NH.
- For more info on our dining room remodel and all other shopping links, click here.
For more information
- My House Tour – watch for my notations on all the life improvements we experienced when we fixed up our house
- Show Me the Money, or How to Pay for Home Improvement Projects
- How to Decorate Like a Pro with Little or No Money
- 10 Helpful Tips for a More Successful Shopping Experience
How about you?
How do you feel about spending money on home decor? Have any improvements you’ve made in your home improved your overall life? If you have a story I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
This is exactly what I’m talking about! Spending money on the very place you find rest and reprieve in is an investment in mental health and happiness. Love this piece, Gail!
Thanks so much Marissa, the benefits of an improved space certainly surprised me, but they are very real!
Thank you for writing this article! I was shopping on Amazon this morning for kitchen decor, and I just couldn’t purchase anything that didn’t serve a purpose. We’ve never bought anything just for decoration in our home. I was trying to figure out why I feel this way, and I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I realized that it was because I feel guilty! And then I found your article. It helped me realize I can afford to spend a little on decoration because I really think it’ll make me happier. Thank you!
Alex Yay! Your comment is exactly what drove me to write this post. I’m with you!
I think one of my biggest issues is making purchases because they look awesome in the store, and getting home to find they are not right. I have been impulsive and impractical when buying home decor – especially after moving into a new home a few weeks back… Reading this is helping me reset – I am going to stop and ask myself “what purpose will this serve” before I make any purchases going forward. Thanks!
Rachel, so happy this helped you re-set, you made my day. Decorating your home can be a puzzle, it’s something I have only grown more comfortable with over (much!) time. The problem with things looking awesome in the store may be because you need more of an overall plan for your space, check out the article I wrote on finding your design style. I do know for sure that, long term, I only enjoy having things around me that I absolutely adore or use a lot (preferably both). Anything less feels like a compromise. That helps me pull the plug on something when I really want it and put it back when I realize I don’t. The best of luck with your new space, that’s exciting! Thanks so much for stopping by.