Whether you are weighing up on investing in new décor such as brand new roller shades or are debating on how many indoor plants are needed to make your home look like a rustic cottage core fantasy, decorating a house can feel like a daunting task.
Having your own place to call home is a huge milestone and you have every right to feel incredibly proud of your achievement. If this is your first rodeo in having your own personal space and you have free reign to decorate it as you wish, the two most likely outcomes are either purchasing far too many things in your excitement or having a case of option paralysis.
In either case, many people feel a lot of pressure when deciding how to decorate their new property to make it feel more homely, especially if they want to showcase their personality or regularly host other people. With opinions, tips, and directions coming from all directions, here are some things to consider before making a trip to IKEA:
What Is Your Budget?
While it may be tempting to go on a shopping spree with reckless abandon, the fact of the matter is that you likely have limited resources for spending. Owning a home now means that you also have to worry about utility bills, rent and other monthly expenses. Although decorating your space is important, it is also (if not even more) important to ensure that all other essential expenses can be covered and to still have a little bit left over for savings or for emergencies.
Before getting into your car and driving to the nearest furniture store, it is a good idea to draw up a list of things that you need (in order of immediate importance) and to designate a budget for decorating. For example, while you may be tempted to clear out the entire shelf of throw pillows and candles because they’re on sale, you may find that you’ve forgotten to buy a bedside table or pots and pans for your kitchen and will have to wait for your next pay-check before you can purchase them.
Additionally, by having a budget, this gives you a better idea of what sort of price range you’re looking at and where to source your furniture from. If you’re not working with a large budget, it may be worth considering buying your larger items second hand or even asking around your social circle if anyone can hook you up with a good deal. Furthermore, if you’re someone good with your hands, you can even consider DIY-ing some of the smaller decorative items which often not only saves you money, but also adds a personal flair to your living space.
How Long Are You Staying Here?
The amount of effort and the type of furniture you spend on decorating a living space varies depending on how permanent that living situation is. For example, if you’re renting an apartment and know that your career requires you to move fairly often, it may not be a good idea to buy lots of bulky furniture and install lots of permanent fixtures (if your landlord even allows it). For one thing, it’ll be difficult to take them with you once you move again or in the worst-case scenario, you’ll have to leave them behind and start anew once you get to your new place.
Although needing to move can happen just about any time due to sudden career changes, natural disasters or personal reasons, it’s always a good idea to have an idea of what your life might entail for the next few years. If you know you’re the sort of person that doesn’t like to stay in one place too long or that your job requires you to relocate every now and then, then you may wish to find a place that is already fully furnished to take the stress out of constantly having to redecorate the place. On the other hand, if you have a feeling that wherever you are is ‘it’ and that you will most likely settle down for a long while, then it’s safer to take a more personalised approach to your decorating.
Furthermore, if you’re renting, it’s a good idea to get acquainted with the lease and to clarify with your landlord what sort of changes you are allowed to make to the space. Try to stick to non- permanent decorations such as adhesives or wallpaper rather than nails and paint since some landlords are quite particular that the space should be as close as possible to its original appearance before you move out.
Decorating your space is a big deal and goes a long way in expressing your sense of aesthetics. Your home should be somewhere that you can escape to once the hustle and bustle of the day is over and how you choose to decorate it plays a big role in how your mood is affected by your living space. However, it never hurts to be responsible and to check and double check what you need and can afford before committing to a plan.