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The 2 biggest enemies of home decorating are clutter and indecision.
Too much stuff, even nice stuff, will keep your home from being lovely. The second is being stifled by indecision and overthinking it so you end up doing nothing. You leave things in boxes or don’t hang anything on the walls at all.
Do either or both of these things sound like you? If yes, WELCOME! You’ve come to the right place.
My name is Buffie.
Yes, it is my real name. You can read about me here. I am here to help you decorate a lovely home once and for all.
Maybe you don’t know where to start. You are overwhelmed, or afraid to make another bad choice. Do you believe you don’t have the money to decorate a beautiful home? I am here to encourage you. Let’s move past these obstacles that are keeping you stuck. This time will be different. You CAN do this!
My 7-step system works every time.
No matter your budget, no matter the size of your home, no matter your style, this system works every time, and it’s actually a lot of fun!
You CAN have a lovely home.
Your family will thank you.
Your friends will think you hired a decorator!
The opposite of being overwhelmed is to take action.
So NOW is the time for you to take some ACTION. Buy a pretty bouquet of flowers for inspiration and keep them near you during the process. This is my favorite white ceramic pitcher for flowers. Then, let’s put on some great music and get this decorating party started!
Do these 7 steps ASAP!
1. Focus on what you CAN see.
Save the drawers, cupboards and closets for a rainy or wintry day. Those slow down the decorating process. We are decorating. Save organizing for another day.
Take BEFORE photos of all your rooms. You will thank me later on this step. The living room before and after below is from one of my dearest friends I was honored to help decorate. We both appreciate seeing the change in this room.
2. Edit the smallest room FIRST, moving as fast as you can.
The definition of “edit” is to improve, polish & re-script. Let’s script the story we want your home to tell. What message do you want it to communicate to your family and friends? Lovely, warm, inviting, cozy, clean and organized?
Be like Marie Kondo in the way that she organizes. In this editing process, you are only to keep what brings you joy and is truly lovely. That is what will make you and others fall in love with your home. Keep in mind that even a functional item, like a toaster, can be lovely because it brings a joyful usefulness to your family.
If something belongs elsewhere in your home, place it in the proper room. This process should take 1-2 hours max! We need to build momentum and get fast results.
This is my favorite book on editing your home – The Home Edit. These Nashville girls transformed my pantry and inspired me to live a more organized life.
Now make 5 piles:
- Throw Away – no value.
- Give Away – has value but not worth the trouble to sell.
- Sell – has value, to sell later on Facebook Marketplace or other.
- Useful – doesn’t work in this space, let’s find a place to store it for later.
- Not Sure – You’re not 100% sure you’re ready to part with this. You can always revisit this pile later to see if it can work somewhere in your home once you’ve decorated. This can be a great pile to “shop your own home” as you are looking for pieces later on, such as a great vase, candle or mirror.
Store your piles in a spare bedroom, basement or another space that is not used for living. Don’t worry about the piles right now. Get them out of sight. We will make peace with your piles in Step 7.
This is a fun step to do with your spouse, kids or a girlfriend. They can be helpful in organizing the piles. Make sure your helper is not a hoarder. They will hinder the process! Move quickly through your home and make quick decisions. That’s why a girlfriend is sometimes the best choice because she’s not attached to your stuff.
3. Move on to the next smallest room until all rooms are edited.
Edit every room that is a functional room for the family (don’t edit rooms we’re not decorating like the attic, the basement if it’s used only for storage, the garage, outside buildings, etc). Steps 1-3 should not take more than a week. I prefer you accomplish this in a weekend.
Note: Step 3 can be skipped if you want to go ahead and begin decorating the first edited room as soon as possible. If you prefer to edit, then decorate each room one-by-one. This works too and builds great momentum.
4. B minus (B-) work is better than indecision.
I’m paraphrasing a quote from Brooke Castillo. In other words, it doesn’t have to be perfect to be lovely. Keep in mind, decorating your home is a process.
We have to start where we are financially within our current season of life. As we have the money, we can upgrade the things that need upgrading. Let’s do the best we can with what we’ve been blessed with right now, and I promise it will be lovely!
5. Get a QUICK WIN!
You’ve gotten this far. The clutter has been separated from the lovely.
Now let’s decorate something!!
I like to start small so you build confidence and momentum – the foyer, a bathroom, the front porch or even the coffee table.
Follow this easy guide for a QUICK DECORATING WIN:
6. Go through my Decorating Guides quickly.
Do the steps you can now. Skip the steps you want to come back to when you have more time or money. Make a Wish List by room for the items you would like to replace or buy as your budget allows.
I want you to complete all 7 steps in each guide with the resources you have now.
Your home will feel light, airy and beautiful!
Send me your before & after photos!
Don’t wait to be rich to start decorating…
When my husband and I first married, we had a tiny apartment and no money. We were still in college. So for nightstands, I used cardboard boxes and covered them with pink ruffle tablecloths. They did the job until we could afford something better.
My point is to focus on what you DO have, and the items you need will come over time.
Don’t wait to have a million dollars to begin decorating.
I will say it again. Your home can be lovely now!
Your family will be SOOO HAPPY!
Your friends will think you hired a decorator!!
7. Make peace with your piles.
Once you have had a decorating win or two, go back to the piles you made and be like Elsa and let it go. Say, “Thank you for serving our family, now it’s time to go bless someone else!”
Donate the stuff you want to give away.
Store the stuff that needs storing.
Sell the stuff that needs selling and use the money to buy something on your Wish List.
Revisit your Not Sure pile and ask yourself:
- Is it lovely?
- Does it bring me joy?
- Will I need this in the future?
If you answer “no” to all of these questions, get rid of it. It’s clutter.
Clutter is the opposite of the lovely home.
Let’s Review!
- Focus on what you CAN see.
- Edit the smallest room FIRST quickly by using the 5 Pile System.
- Move on to the next smallest room until all rooms are edited.
- B minus (B-) work is better than indecision.
- Get a QUICK WIN! Momentum is key.
- Go through my Decorating Guides quickly.
- Make peace with your piles. Let it go.
I hope this guide is helpful. Your goal is to build momentum. Don’t wait until everything is perfect in your life. Don’t wait until you feel rich. Your kids will be grown, and you’ll have deep regret if you put off decorating a lovely home.
Your home can be lovely now. Start today! Don’t wait. Your family is worth pushing through any of the obstacles. Just think of the parties you can have with family and friends!
This is a beautiful process to go through with your daughter(s) as you train her. I’m honored to be your decorating coach and new #bff. Let’s do this together!
I can’t wait to see your success!
What’s Next?
7 Steps to a Lovely Home
May your home be filled with all things beautiful and lovely, especially the people you love most.
I’m here for YOU!
Much love & joy,
Get my Decorating Guides:
How to Set a Lovely Table in 7 Joyful Steps
7 Tips Ina Garten Taught Me About Throwing a Fabulous Dinner Party
I’m interested in the foyer
Hi Pamela! How to Decorate Your Foyer is coming soon. I will keep you posted. Great to hear from you! -Buffie