Dos and Don’ts of Decorating Your Home

I have had my fair share of homes over the years and my flat in London is the first one that I finally managed to “make my own”. Here’s what I learned from the experience.

Do:

• Spend money on the things you use every day. E.g. bedsheets, seating (your desk chair, your living room sofa, etc), a good coffee mug.
• Paint. It’s amazing how much a fresh coat of paint changes things. I know everyone says this but it’s true.
• Organise the space to maximise utility, not necessarily for aesthetics. Organise as if you are going to be stuck in it for a year (haha).
• Get some plants. It freshens up the space and it’s therapeutic to care for them.

Don’t:

• Buy more things than can comfortably fit. As someone who has moved many, many times, I always think about clutter and how seemingly small things eventually fill lots and lots of boxes.
• Do things yourself without ample planning. I did a few DIYs that ended up poorly or half done. There is a reason people get paid to do these things. Be realistic about your own abilities.
• Procrastinate on much needed items. Of course! I went without buying a rubbish bin for 3 months. Don’t ask why, I just convinced myself that I couldn’t spare the space in my small kitchen and so I hung a plastic bag on a cupboard pull. It was a mistake and I regret not buying the bin much sooner. What item are you procrastinating on?

I would just like to say that Dos and Donts lists are pointless because every do could be don’t if you just apply a negative and vice versa. Here I’ll show you: Don’t skimp on things you use every day. Do plan carefully before doing any DIY. See?