UPDATE: All new featured RV tours will be posted on my other website, Wanderful RV Interiors. Existing tours will slowly be moved to the new website, and anything already moved will automatically redirect.
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Welcome to my new series, “Happy Holistic Home,” where I’ll share tips, or highlight products I’m crushing on that can help you create a more healthy, mindful home.
This will include anything better for our environment or ourselves, whether mentally, physically, or spiritually. Today I’m sharing some tips included in my eBook, The Nomad’s Guide to Decorating.
Next week, I’ll be sharing some incredibly luxurious, eco-friendly bedding from companies I can stand behind along with bedtime rituals for more peaceful sleep, but today I’m sharing 10 questions to ask before buying home decor.
I hope this post helps guide or gently remind you to make more mindful decisions when it comes to buying items for your home, though it can be used for just about any purchase you make.
As consumers, we have a voice, and our purchasing decisions are a vote for what we want and value. The more we expect better and safer products for ourselves and the planet, whether based on materials, origin, or sustainability, the more accessible these products will become. I’ve seen a massive shift in the last 5 years!
Here are some questions to ask yourself before making a purchase. While you may choose to buy or incorporate items that don’t check every single box, asking yourself these questions can shift your perspective on what to look for in the future and help you make more intentional decisions moving forward.
10 Questions to ask before buying home decor
Everyone’s threshold is different so remember that you make your own rules.
In fact, you may choose only 2-3 of the questions above to focus on or make your own list of criteria to consider before making a purchase. And while there may be times when challenges such as accessibility or time restraints arise, awareness can help you prioritize your purchases and understand the “why” behind your decisions.
Progress over Perfection
This process is about progress, not perfection. It’s about being mindful of our shopping habits and not letting consumerism, comparison, or FOMO (fear of missing out) take over. Thankfully, it’s easier when space is limited, which is why RVing had such an impact on how I shop and decorate.
Yet, I’ll be the first to admit the idea of buying better products nearly paralyzed me from making decisions during our RV renovation and practically sucked the joy out of decorating. I became so consumed with making the “right” purchase that if something didn’t check all the boxes, I felt like I failed.
I had lost sight of the reason I was decorating in the first place – for joy.
This process taught me a valuable lesson:
Don’t let society dictate what you think you need to buy to feel good enough because you already are. It’s one thing to buy something because you want to, it’s another because you think it’s expected of you.
And if you find yourself overwhelmed with making the “perfect” purchase, whatever that means, give yourself grace and let it go. It won’t serve you, your family, or your space to have guilt, shame, or resentment around anything you do or don’t purchase. Instead, understand what’s important to you in this season of life.
Once I permitted myself to make “imperfect” purchases, it was as though a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I was able to enjoy our home and decorating even more.
Return it
If you buy something and it either doesn’t work or makes you feel guilty because you don’t love it as much as you thought, return it. (If having the option to return something is important to you, make sure it’s on your list!)
I used to be embarrassed to return things because it made me feel like I failed, but I now see each return as an opportunity to learn something about myself, my style, or decorating in general. Not to mention it’s one less thing I have to store.
Yes, as humans we can all do better, but we don’t need to do it at the expense of our mental health. So embrace any steps you make in the right direction, even if it’s a baby step you make just a couple of times a year.
Are there any questions you ask before buying decor for your home? Tell us about it in the comments below.
I AM SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR WEBSITE ! I JUST PURCHASED A 2010 HEARTLAND RV AND MY STYLE IS MOUNTIAN ROMANTIC CABIN .I AM DOING LOTS OF RESEARCH BEFORE I GET STARTED ! MY MAIN CONCERN IS IF I choose to paint cabinets ugh ! Thankyou for all the tips and fantastic pictures and ideas !!!