The Art of Intentional Decorating 

A Cozy Guide to Using What You Own

Sometimes, in the world of social media, I think there is a push to “buy more.” While I do enjoy shopping for new pieces for my home from time to time and adding to my collections, I have recently taken a step back and tried to approach decorating my home a bit differently.

Do I share products from time to time, absolutely, but to be honest, I really don’t do it all that often. For a couple reasons. First, I share products that I genuinely love and use in my own home in hopes that the information might be beneficial to someone else. Second, and most importantly, I really believe that you can style a beautiful home by reusing what you already have in different ways and by making intentional choices about the pieces you do buy. 

As with most things in life, it’s all about balance. It is not necessarily about never buying anything new again, that isn’t practical advice. These are just a few of my ideas for curating a home with intention and spending a little less. 

My Thought Process 

Every time I go to make a new purchase, here is what goes through my head: 

• Do I already have something at home that I could reuse or upcycle to create this? 
• I have to store this somewhere. Do I have the space?
• How often will I use this? 

These are the things I consider before I buy, and often, I usually have what I need in my home. 

Refreshing your home for the changing of the seasons does not mean you have to spend money. These days I am really leaning into this idea of slowing down and using what I already have, moving things around, styling pieces in a new way, or making something by hand. I want to share a few of the ways I do this, and I hope it encourages you to try it too.

Shop Your Home First & Take Inventory 

Whenever I want to buy something new for my home, I start by taking inventory of what I have first. I want to make sure I don’t already have something that could work before I head to the store. If I try a few things and find they aren’t working, I will then look at making a purchase. 

I am not against buying things at all. I am a collector and I love a good find. But I try to make those purchases count by being more selective about what I bring home. When I am not buying all the time, the things I do add to my home feel so much more meaningful. I know they belong there and that I have a place for them. 

Move Things Around

I know this sounds simple, but rearranging is honestly one of my favorite free ways to refresh a space. I cannot tell you how many times I have moved things around in my home and suddenly loved a room that I had grown a little tired of.

It does not have to be big changes either. Swap some throw pillows from one room to another. Move a lamp to a different corner. Change out the prints in frames. You can download free artwork from the public domain and print it at home. These small things can change the whole feel of a space and they cost you nothing.

If you are stuck and not sure where to start, try pulling everything off of one shelf or surface and starting fresh. You will naturally reach for different combinations, and it forces you to be more thoughtful about what goes back up.

Ask Yourself If You Can Make It First

This one has become a little personal challenge for me. When I see something, I love at a store and would like to have it for my home, I try to stop and ask, do I have things I could use to recreate this?

A little paint goes a long way too. So does some twine or a piece of ribbon or even just a good cleaning on an older piece. I have repurposed baskets, refreshed old frames, and given things a second life that I might have otherwise deemed as “not my style anymore.” It does not have to be perfect either. Honestly the handmade, slightly imperfect things are what give a home that warm, lived-in feel that you really cannot buy at a store.

Bring Something In From Outside

One of my favorite ways to refresh my home costs absolutely nothing, and that is going outside and gathering.

This is something I think about a lot with my cut flower garden. The whole reason I wanted to start growing flowers was so I would always have something fresh and beautiful to bring inside. But even if you do not have a garden, there is so much outside just waiting to come in. Branches from the yard, a handful of greenery, even some interesting seed pods or dried things from a walk. 

Pull Out Your Textiles

Textiles are one of the easiest ways to shift the mood of a room and most of us have more than we realize. Go through your linen closet, your blanket basket, or even your wardrobe.

An old scarf can become a table runner. A quilt that has been tucked away all winter can come back out and become the star of the bedroom for spring. I think of my textiles as pieces that move around with me through the seasons. They do not live in one spot permanently. They travel through the home depending on what I need and how I am feeling about a space.  

I also use things like my sunhats, garden tote bag and jean jacket as accent pieces. I hang them on the peg rails near my door, so they are not only easily accessible, but they look pretty too! 

Give This a Try

Here is a little challenge. This week, pick just one space in your home and refresh it using only what you already own. Move things around, bring something in from outside, swap a textile, tuck something in from another room.

Then share it with me! I would love to see what you create. Hop on over to Instagram and send me a message! Because cozy does not come from what you buy. It comes from creativity. And I really do believe your home already has everything it needs to feel beautiful this season.

Sending warm & cozy wishes,