07/03/2025
House Beautiful's slow decorating tip #3 - Shop with intention!
There is so much stuff at our fingertips with online shopping now, and financing options are easier to find than ever. It can be tempting to buy something brand new "just for the meantime" to fill an empty space in your home. Resist the urge! You have other options!
- If you do buy new, get something with a good return policy so you can bring it back if it doesn't work out.
- For things like artwork or decor that don't affect the function of your space, know that blank walls are okay while you find and purchase stuff that's really meaningful to you. You don't have to waste your hard-earned dollars on things you don't care about - especially not soulless wall art!
- Furniture, storage, and other more necessary pieces can be intentional choices even if you aren't willing to wait to buy. Shop small and local, buy high quality, or choose eco-friendly.
- Try choosing used if you need functionality, but haven't found the perfect solution yet. Thrifting or FB Marketplace are great ways to test something out in your home without paying full price! You can even borrow from a friend if you just want a trial run on size or function. This saves you so much money, and minimizes guilt if you decide to switch gears later on as your needs evolve.
I needed something in our entry to organize mail, receipts, our Fair Play cards, etc. I found this vintage option online but wasn't sure about the size. I planned for it to be a semi-temporary solution, so I felt good about paying less for it while keeping stuff out of the landfill. But once it got here, it worked so well for what we needed! Shopping intentionally paid off big time. So I decided to hang onto it, and painted it a color I like.
Painting vintage items always gets people worked up, but I like how this turned out π
Do you prefer the painted (green) or unpainted? Are you doing any intentional shopping lately?