Illustration: Andrea Mongia
Have you ever walked into a time capsule—you know that home that you have known since you were a kid? The furniture, carpet, wall color– they are all the same and have been for as long as you remember. Perhaps it’s comforting to know that some things never change, but the question is, is your home a time capsule?
Maybe, like me, instead of living in a time capsule, you find yourself rearranging and redecorating the house during your lunch break, in the evenings, or on the weekends. You have a quiet moment and you just can’t help but let your imagination take over. You could be just sitting in your favorite room, when suddenly the ideas start coming. They come at you so fast that you can’t help but create and you start moving furniture.
The energy this simple act affords you is well worth forfeiting other important things, including your nap, because the entire afternoon is filled with pure creativity and inspiration—colors, linens, furniture layouts—everything that could help you to make the dream a reality.
Sometimes you may have to sit on your inspiration until your budget can afford the dream. This can be frustrating but you’re not alone. Be sure to chronicle your ideas just in case you forget. Then look for things you can change that fit your budget and save up for essential pieces.
Either way, whether you can implement right away or a little at a time, “re-nesting” can be very therapeutic. In fact, recently the Wall Street Journal dubbed this habit as healthy and something that should be highly encouraged. (Check out this fascinating article that highlights the health benefits of changing it up: Why You Should Redecorate Until You Kick the Bucket )
The danger really is if we are too busy to dream, update, or rearrange to fit the growing needs of our changing families. For example, take a look around your home. Are your linens becoming threadbare? When was the last time you bought pillows for your bed or throw pillows for your couch? Are your blankets in good shape or ready to be retired to the dog’s bed?
More importantly, does your home reflect who you are now or does it better reflect who you were 20, 30, or 40 years ago? You have grown and changed over the years—perhaps from wife to mother to empty nester—but you don’t want your decor to be stuck in the same decade as your CD or iTunes collection.
So if redecorating comes naturally to you then, by all means—nest on. But if you would love an update but have no idea where to start, then enlist the help of a talented friend. Or better yet, bring in a professional.
Your life has changed….YOU have changed….so make your home reflect who you are now. After all, a place where nothing changes is called a museum. If this is you, and you’re happy with status quo, perhaps you could consider charging admission.