Ever seen one of those shows on TV where awesome design artists come into a house, discover what the homeowners want, and then transform the home in 24 hours?
It’s cool, isn’t it? I love seeing the before & after pictures. I love watching the homeowners’ faces as they see their room transformed into something they never could have imagined. Further, I love sensing the stress of the design team while they work to make a transformation happen in just 24 hours.
But in reality, my decorating isn’t like that. I don’t transform rooms in 24 hours. The closest I have come to transforming a room in 24 hours was the time I took my guest room’s wall color from taupe to dark blue while my hubby was camping.
But it took me most of the day to paint the room. And here I am, 8 months later…still needing to buy a frame for some artwork.
Here’s another example. See this shelf?
I bought it at Ikea several (maybe 2?) months ago. It lived in my living room for the first months of it’s life. Then I put it up and stuck my rock mirror on it.
I found a picture of my hubby and me that was lying around without a home and I stuck that on there too.
Once, I even stuck this wreath form on the shelf because I didn’t have a great place to put it.
Last week, I bought a few jelly bean plants and decided they should live on the shelf.
And there we are…rock mirror, picture, & 2 jelly bean plants.
Am I satisfied with how this shelf looks?
No.
Do I have plans to change it?
Yep. Sure do.
But you know what? I don’t get paid to decorate my house. I get paid to be a mom.
Well, not really. But, you know, being a wife and mom are my main jobs. And because of that, decorating takes a backseat. It’s pretty far back actually. It’s behind my relationship with Jesus, being a wife, loving on my kids, cleaning, cooking, staying in shape (for said husband), involvement in my church… Come to think of it, it takes such a backseat, it might not even be in the same vehicle.
What am I saying?
First, don’t feel pressure to decorate your house like professionals do. Or your mom. Or your best friend. Or that lady you know from _______ who always seems to have time for everything. Make your house into a home for your family. Not anyone else’s.
Second, don’t stop living while you decorate your house.
I’ve had this shelf hanging up on my wall for a while. I don’t like the way it looks right now. I wouldn’t send it in to a magazine. I haven’t shown it to you until now…and there’s a reason for that. But I’ve still had people into my home. And I have managed not to invite them in while saying, “Oh yeah, just excuse this shelf. I know it looks bad. I would never actually leave it like this permanently!”
The fact of the matter is: I am not a 24 hour decorator. And I’m okay with that. No, actually, I guess I embrace it. How about you?
Linking to:
Serenity Now
Comments
26 responses to “Decorating Your Home: 2 Rules You Cannot Break”
What an awesome reminder Christa!! I think all too often, we as women/wives/mothers/etc think that every other woman/wife/mother has it all together, has all her laundry done, dishes done, house spotless, dusted, vacuumed, floors clean, happy children, happy husband, perfectly decorated house, amazing garden, beautiful flowers planted, perfect hair & makeup, had time for a nice long shower, etc., etc., etc., when in reality, life isn’t like that. Ten years from now it won’t matter if my walls were decorated perfectly or even if the dishes were done, but my kids and my husband will. Thanks for the reminder 🙂
Same with a kitchen whose cabinets are both brown and white because I haven’t finished painting them! Thanks for the encouragement and reminder that painting isn’t my most important job right now 🙂
Understand! I regret the relatively few times I had my friends back in CO over because of all the work it involved, and, I mean, I don’t even have curtains up yet, and they have such a nice kitchen and mine stinks, etc. And I too, tackle big projects when Dave goes out of town. I think half of my major projects have gotten done when he’s on a business trip!
Absolutely right, I understand truly. It’s been 10 month’s since we bought a house and I had my living room curtains up last week. I still have to buy some tables and lamps in Living room. I haven’t even started decorating bedrooms yet! I work full time, have a 18 months old and I cook everyday. Of course I can not just decorate my house for 24 hours. Some day I will be done and by that time we will outgrow this house and it will be time to start all over again in new house! But I still enjoy it and I love your blog, I am a regular visitor. Keep up good work.
Ralph and I used to stay up until the wee hours of the morning to finish a home improvment or decorating project. It took me many more years to realize that it wasn’t the most important thing and it was o.k. to leave it for another day, or week, or month. You are very wise in the way you have prioratized your time.
Debbie Colwell
This is a great reminder to be balanced. Sounds like you have your priorities set! Thank you for sharing.
YES! thank you. in our “world of blogs” where it *seems* like one blogger is just trying to show off/up somebody else in home decor, house managment, this deal, that deal etc and etc THIS post is refreshing… liked your backseat analogy…
Yes, thanks for the reminder! Lately I’ve been in a “get all the decorating exactly the way I want it before the baby comes” mood, but I’m realizing that it’s OK if it doesn’t all happen. 🙂
True. It’s easy to get in a “mood” (for lack of a better word!) like that before baby comes. And sometimes it’s helpful to have the extra motivation! But just make sure that YOU are all rested up as much as possible for little one enters the world. They won’t care what their nursery looks like, but they’ll know how their Mommy is feeling! 😀
teehee…well, sometimes I get a bit carried away with analogies, but…I think this one has some good truth to it. Thanks for the kind words.
Unfortunately, sometimes my plans don’t follow my priorities. But this is my goal! Thanks for the comment.
It’s because I have wise people (like you!) to learn from. 🙂
O goodness, Falu! You are busy. At this rate, I’d say you’re doing good to even HAVE curtains! 😉 Thanks for your encouragement.
haha! I’ve learned from experience not to start a good book right before he goes out of town. Otherwise I will finish it. Kids? What kids? Dinner? Oh yeah, sounds vaguely familiar… 😉
True that. Thanks for your encouragement!
Thanks, Cindy. It’s easier to compare now because we have all of social media to “help” us compare ourselves with other moms. God’s commands are all wise “But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” 2 Cor. 10:12
Well, I certainly like your two rules! But let’s talk about blogging … it has two sides. One side is that we learn so much, meet so many nice people, and actually make our homes look nicer for our family and friends. The other side is that is it a constant temptation to covet … I want nearly all of what I see “out there.” I pin 10 million covetous ideas onto Pinterest, ideas I never even think to look back at. Lately I’ve been trying to re-focus on the Lord, putting Him first … the world is always there to fight me on this, but I have my Sword and prayer and the all-power Lord God helping me. I think God wants us to enjoy His beauty and even wants to help us (within His will) to make our homes lovely … but not at the cost of our primary relationship with Him and those He’s given us to nurture. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll turn that into my Sunday Morning blog post – thanks Christa!!! 🙂
So true! I look forward to reading your Sunday morning post! 🙂
Great post, loved reading your words. I read this today at lunch and it’s been on my mind ever since. Loved your two rules- they hit close to home! Thanks for such a great reminder of where my true priorities lie. 🙂
So I think you are in my head… I just wrote on my future post ideas list this week – “comparing”. yep… that evil not make you not feel good about yourself thoughts and feelings that I know I struggle with a LOT! 🙂 Your post is right on. After almost 8 years in our house, I feel like I have 2.5 rooms out of 10 actually done or decorated…but you know what? I have had many other jobs – many out of the house and responsibilities in that time. And another thing, I am ME – NOT MSM, not any other blogger or DIYer and I don’t have the same budget or time or motivation as them 🙂 Trying to give myself some slack 🙂
Thank you for this post!!! I think women are the worst at comparing themselves. God made us for who we are and not someone else. The simplest truths from God’s Word are sometimes the hardest to grasp. Keep on blogging!
Glad it was a blessing. Thanks for your kind words!
I promise I’m not in your head! I just happen to be a female with the same sin problems as the next person. The good news is that I serve a God big enough to solve my problems!
so true. thanks for the encouragement, Alicia!
Christa, it cracked me up to find that you posted the update to your wall shelf today–I just finished painting those brown cabinets this weekend! 🙂 So I guess rule number three is, don’t settle for the half-finished project, even if it takes multiple months to get there. 🙂
funny timing!! good for you for finishing your cabinets!!! we must be on the same schedule or something. lol!