Welcome to Decorating Diva, where every week we share fresh, fun ways to update your home and spice up your living space! January is a month full of fresh starts. We vow to better our bodies, save money and eat more vegetables. But this year, we suggest including your home among everything you want to improve. With that in mind we put together some resolutions devoted to getting – and keeping – every room looking great all year.
For a better idea of what to do more (or less) of when it comes to home decor, we turned to Rachel Hollis, lifestyle expert, Celebrations.com expert and founder of Los Angeles-based event planning firm Chic Events. She shared a few of her top resolutions to make this year to create a better space. “A new year always makes us evaluate our lives,” she says. “It’s the perfect time to reinvent yourself and start the New Year off excited about the prospects of what’s to come.”
Banish clutter
Are you running out of room for all the “stuff” that seems to accumulate year after year? If so, make this the year you take a more minimalist approach. “The start of the New Year is the perfect time to sort out your mess,” Hollis says. “Clutter makes me feel harried and overwhelmed, so I’m all about a clean, well-organized space.” She suggests thinking of the age-old saying, “a place for everything and everything in its place” and using that as a mantra this month. “From your closet to your desk at work, this is the best resolution you can keep.”
Embrace your space
Hollis calls her home “the nest” because she thinks of her home as a safe haven and a place of refuge. Because of that, she spends most weekends working on the house — taking care of it, restyling a room, finding the perfect throw pillows, etc. You spend enough time there, so you might as well put some love into your space. Take stock of your home this month and really make an effort to get it to a point where you’re satisfied with everything you see. “If you don’t absolutely love every room in your home, now is the time to change that,” she says. “A new coat of paint or even just rearranging the furniture can beautify the space and your life.”
Dare to be yourself
With her first house, Hollis says she decorated the way she thought she was “supposed to.” But with experience, she’s gained the confidence to embrace her personality and infuse it into her home. “My living room has jade green walls and the den has a cowhide rug. These things might not suit everyone’s tastes but they suit ours, and that’s all that matters,” she says. As you start this New Year, ask yourself whether your home reflects your personality. If the answer is no, look to incorporate more of yourself into your design. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Use colors you love; try an accent wall if you don’t want to paint the entire room.
- Accessorize with pieces that represent your culture or background.
- Show off any collections you have. Love porcelain tea cups? Find a way to display them in a stylish way.
- Use family or travel photos as a way to give your home some personality.
Treat yourself
Start the New Year off on a positive note by finding a way to do something decorative that also makes you feel good. For Hollis, that’s making sure she has fresh flowers on her desk. “I actually started doing this a couple of months ago and will carry it into the New Year. I love fresh florals on my desk at work,” she says. Sometimes she just uses clippings from her yard, sometimes she splurges and buys something from a florist, but every morning when she comes in, seeing the flowers make her feel good. “Even if the desk is cluttered and my inbox is overflowing, there’s still a little piece of “pretty” there, brightening the space. It makes me feel fancy because it’s a luxury.” Make this the year to decorate with your happiness in mind.
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