PROJECT HOME: TIPS FROM AN OVERWHELMED NESTER

While moving into a new place can be SO exciting, one thing to remember is that it isn't always easy to "have everything together" right away. It's easy to get discouraged after the high of moving, pinning like a mad-woman, and seeing other peoples' homes come together so nicely. I've often found myself loosing my umph to continue nesting because of budgeting restrictions, time, and lack of energy.

When Jon and I moved into our house, we significantly up-sized from our condo in Atlanta. We hardly had enough furniture to fill the condo, so when we moved into the house we found ourselves with a lot of empty rooms. While that's OK and to be expected, it can be easy to just want all of the pieces to already be together and have an endless budget to execute your ideas immediately. But let's face the truth, people: sometimes we are blessed with hand-me-down furniture and amazing finds from second-hand shops...and sometimes we are not. Buying new furniture is EXPENSIVE! You can definitely find great prices, but if you are wanting to invest in great pieces, it takes time.

After buying a home, a lot of people find themselves in a slight money flow issue, add a baby on the way to that and you're looking at tightening up your budget on all sides to allow room for home stuff and baby stuff. I've often found myself bursting with ideas and excitement over decorating our home, but more often find my energy can't keep up with my mind and neither can my budget. ;) So here's the thing to realize. It's OK to take time nesting your home. Don't compare your home to other homes on Pinterest, use it for ideas but don't feel discouraged and bummed that your space doesn't look like that right now. Some people are NOT naturally gifted at decorating, I'm one of those people, so it's OK to ask for help and advice and study the pages of decorating books in order to learn. Your home is about the people, the memories, and the heart. It's not all about the decor. Not everyone has a massive home budget, so it's OK if it takes you time to nest. Enjoy the process and the progress! Here are a couple of additional tips for enjoying the process:

1// Do Stick with a Budget - Even though it can be tempting at times to go overboard and over-spend, be OK with taking your time and remaining within your means/budget. This process can also help you really take your time picking out items you love rather than settling quickly.

2// Beware of Pinterest - Pinterest is an incredible inspiration space, but don't let it put you in a funk or make you feel like you're constantly comparing your space to spaces on Pinterest. "Comparison is the thief of Joy." Revel in your space and make it yours. :)

3// Pace Yourself - It's easy to want to get every room done all at once, but that can be overwhelming. I've often found it helpful to think about one room at a time or make a list of priority projects and stay focused. This has really helped me prioritize spaces and projects and makes approaching home decorating less overwhelming.

4// It's OK to Ask for Help - Remember, not everyone is gifted in decorating and being full of grand ideas. If you need suggestions or assistance, ask a friend who's good at decorating to give you some advice. Decorating books are also super helpful! If you need help with projects, put together a project day and ask friends/family to lend a hand. :)

Do you have any additional tips for non-decorators and overwhelmed home-nesters? Please share!! Happy nesting, friends. Keep your chin up.

Photo Illustration by Carrie May.