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5 Ways to Boost Your Decorating Confidence

5 Ways to Boost Your Decorating Confidence | Because there's no good reason why we need to let intimidation hold us back any longer. It's time to make our houses homes!  And here are some actionable ways you can enjoy the process of discovering your inner decorator!  via thinkingcloset.com

Can I be honest with y’all for a moment?

Most days, I feel like a decorating dunce, haphazardly throwing together a few picture frames with outdated photos and random knick knacks atop a dusty surface, so that it looks like I tried.

Tea candles are my safety blanket.  Mason jars are my cliche.  And admittedly, I couldn’t pull together a Christmas house tour this year because the thought of getting even just our living room in decent enough shape to take photos just plain overwhelmed me.  Ain’t nobody got time to sweep the floors!

That’s me most days.

May the odds (of getting enough holiday decorating done in time to enjoy it for Christmas) be ever in your favor.
{source}

But some days, I start to shed my decorating insecurities.  Some days I catch a vision for what a space could be, and so I put on some motivational tunes and set to work to make it happen.  Some days I find actual enjoyment in arranging and styling and decorating.

And despite my Christmas-decorating slump, those “some days” of courageous decorating have become more and more frequent this past year.  And I look forward to them one day becoming my “most days.”

For anyone else who might be feeling intimidated by home decorating or motivated to make a change, I wanted to share 5 ways I have actually made progress this past year, which are also incidentally 5 practices I’ll continue to implement in the new year.

I give to you…

5 Ways to Boost Your Decorating Confidence

5 Ways to Boost Your Decorating Confidence | Because there's no good reason why we need to let intimidation hold us back any longer. It's time to make our houses homes!  And here are some actionable ways you can enjoy the process of discovering your inner decorator!  via thinkingcloset.com

1.  Throw the decorating rulebook out the window.

Actually, that was an inaccurate statement.  Because there is no rule book.  And that may drive all the type A rule-keepers out there a little batty (don’t worry – – I’m one of you!), but it’s the truth.

“But what about the latest trends?  What about what the experts say?  What about Pantone’s color of the year?”

Those are fine and dandy if they give you a spark of inspiration!  But don’t you dare feel locked in or limited by them.  I’ve said it before

Decorating is an art form.  And art thrives best when the artist is free of constrictions and can express herself honestly.  Even if that honesty goes against the “trends” or what the “experts” say or completely disregards Pantone’s “color of the year.”

The best artists always pushed the envelope, didn’t they?  Vincent Van Gogh.  Edgar Allan Poe.  Billie Holiday.  (To name a few of the greats.)

So, let me rid you of any decorating anxiety that might be creeping up right now and just say it plain and clear: you can’t do it wrong when it comes to decorating because there are no rules.

We can relax, and give our inner artists permission to play.

Wreck This Journal: Exercises in Creative Recklessness via thinkingcloset.com
{Wreck This Journal: A Perfectionist’s Nightmare}

2.  Stop over-thinking.  Start sketching.

I got this idea from my gal pal Thalita over at The Learner Observer (who happens to be an art teacher by day), but whenever I’m brainstorming how to decorate a space, I grab a paper and pen, and I sketch it out.  And we’re not talking about a masterpiece.  It’s rough.

The nice thing about sketching?  It’s quick!  If I have a rare eureka moment of inspiration, I can scribble a rough drawing much more quickly than I can move objects around in real life.  It also doesn’t allow too much time for my inner critic to pipe up with some sort of judgmental put-down.

A sketch is also noncommittal.  It allows for freedom to play.  I’m not signing any decorating contract here; I’m simply drawing out a possibility.  Sometimes in pencil even!  And many times on multiple sheets of people until I land on a version that I’m keen on.

When you stop over-analyzing and let your creative brain take the wheel, you might be surprised at the genius that spills out.  (And yes, you can quote me on that.)

Rough sketch plotting out my Rustic Vintage Spring Mantel via thinkingcloset.com
the sketch
Rustic Vintage Spring Mantel via thinkingcloset.com
the execution

3.  Eat the elephant one bite at a time.

You know that old proverb, don’t you?

How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.

When I first heard this quote in school, it grossed me out.  But once I understood it was a metaphor, it really hit home.  And it so aptly carries over into decorating.

Back in 2013, when Mark and I decided to our master bedroom needed a major overhaul, we did not tackle it all at once.  No, we tackled it one project at a time.  First a wardrobe.  Then, the bed.  Then, the night tables.  Then came the coastal decor.  And many months later, the roll-top desk.

It took us over a year from start to finish.  But that was the pace that worked for us.  And looking back, we can proudly say that we “ate an elephant!”

So, when you think about your next decorating endeavor, however small, break it down into bite-size chunks.  You can even map them out on a timeline so you have an end in sight.  Then, just focus on one step at a time.  And before you know it, you’ll be at the finish line, in disbelief at how far you have come.

Rustic Nautical Master Bedroom Makeover: A Dramatic Before & After! via thinkingcloset.com
Rustic Nautical Master Bedroom Makeover & How We Found Our Shared Style

4.  Don’t try to be Martha Stewart.  (She’s already taken.)  Be you!

Trust me, I know how tempting it can be to hop onto Pinterest, pin a bunch of pictures of gorgeous magazine-worthy homes, and then decide, “Mine will never look like that, so why try?”

But the comparison-game is a deadly one.  Not only will it rob you of any confidence you may have had, but it will feed you the lie that we’re in some sort of competition for “the best home.”  And any day now, Better Homes & Gardens is going to come to the winner’s door and proclaim, “You won!  Yours is the best!”  And they’ll hand that person a big fat check and confetti will shoot out of canons, and the winner will receive the Nobel Prize in Decorating.

It’s a fantastical scenario, no doubt.  It’s also a lie.

It’s not about having the best home.  Rather it’s about finding the best person to decorate your home.  And guess what?  That person isn’t Martha Stewart.  It’s you!

This is a lesson that I have learned from Jackie over at Teal & Lime.  Her blog’s tagline is, “Make it home, make it you.”  And every time she weaves that philosophy into another one of the posts she writes, my decorating confidence grows a few more inches tall.

Because no one knows your family culture better than you do.  No one knows the functionality of a space better than you do.  No one knows what makes your family or house guests feel at ease better than you do.

(Not even Martha Stewart.)

So, let’s stop trying to be Martha or Nate or Sabrina or someone we are not.  Because who we are is exactly who our home needs.

5 Ways to Boost Your Decorating Confidence | "So, let's stop trying to be Martha or Nate or Sabrina or someone we are not.  Because who we are is exactly who our home needs."

5.  Don’t do it alone.  Decorate in community.

Like any worthwhile endeavor, the journey is so much richer when you have travel companions.  And better yet, when you have trailblazers to help show you the way.  And that’s exactly what I have found in the *School of Decorating.

So, remember Jackie who I mentioned in #4?  Well, this past summer, she started a special place here in the interwebs called the School of Decorating, and it’s special because it’s just for people like you and me – – people ready for a boost of decorating confidence.

And after being an official SoD student for a month now, I have to say, it delivers.  The School of Decorating is this fantastic blend of instruction, engagement, and inspiration.  What does that look like exactly?

  • INSTRUCTION:  Video classes led by Jackie herself such as Creating a Cohesive Home with Color & 7 Simple Styling Secrets.  There’s a new class added every month!
  • ENGAGEMENT:  A private, active forum with student-initiated discussion topics; it’s a safe space to start some decorating brainstorming and ask those questions you might feel silly asking elsewhere.
  • INSPIRATION:  Video interviews with decorators who have inspirational stories to share from their own journey, as well as sneak peeks into their homes.

I don’t know about you, but I’m the kind of person who struggles to stay motivated when I feel like I’m running a race on my own.  I slow down.  I lose interest.  I start to believe the lies of my inner critic.

However, the second a teammate runs up alongside me on the left, and another on the right, I pick up my pace.  I wipe away the sweat.  I start to believe I can finish what I started.

Put me in a pack of runners all fervently working to build our decorating confidence and make our homes our own, well, then, I’m suddenly Wilma Rudolph, going after the gold, leaving my insecurities in the dust.

That’s what The School of Decorating has been for me.  And I know the same will be true for you.

To join the community, click HERE.  Or if you’d like to give the gift of a SoD membership to someone you love, click HERE.

The School of Decorating | A place of instruction, engagement, and inspiration for everyone. Because it turns out, you're the best person to decorate your home!

A Charge

Let’s not allow our decorating insecurities hold us back any longer.  Let’s turn our “some days” of decorating confidence into “most days.”  Let’s make our homes our own.  Who’s with me?

Special Video Interview

Oh, and before I wrap this post, there’s a teensy weensy piece of exciting news I wanted to share with you all.

Guess who had the grand opportunity to be Jackie’s latest interviewee over at the School of Decorating?  Yup!  It’s me!  And while the SoD video content is typically exclusive just to SoD members, Jackie is generously sharing a 7-minute snippet of the interview with the public.

So, you know what that means?  If you want to hear me chat with Jackie about my eBook, Thinking Outside the Gift Boxwell, then grab a cup of something warm and delicious, cuddle up with your comfiest throw, and head on over to watch the interview HERE.  There are lots of smiles to be had!

Thinking Outside the Gift Box | School of Decorating Interview with Lauren Lanker from ThinkingCloset.com

To close, I’ll leave you with some of my own words from the interview on the power of gift-giving:

"One of the gifts of giving is the joy it brings back to you." -Lauren Lanker, The Thinking Closet, Author of the eBook Thinking Outside the Gift Box: 21 Money-Saving & Meaningful Gift Ideas

Have a joy-filled weekend, co-travelers.

{I like to link up at these parties.}

*Full Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase after clicking through, The Thinking Closet may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Be rest assured that I only share about products and services that I use and love.  Thanks for helping to support this site!

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5 Comments

  1. This was so encouraging to read, Lauren! I am NOT a decorator, but I can mimic and copy and sometimes come up with something decent — my problem is the starting. I have done some sketches like you mention and that has certain helped, but when it comes time to paint or nail stuff to the wall, I get all nervous inside! I was seriously considering Jackie’s school the other day after I watched your interview…..hmmmm may need to ask my hubby for a Christmas present!

  2. Loved everything about this post!
    The five ways to boost decorating confidence are so on-target!

    Let’s talk more about how to freshen up an “old” style like mine, when we see each other!

  3. Jackie has some fantastic encouragement and advice to offer, as I’ve found through many of her webinars and worksheets! My decorating abilities have been long-evolving, ever since I moved into my first house 7 years ago. And I know they’ll continue as I become more comfortable with my own way of doing things.
    Also, I second the sketch-it-out tip! I frequently sketch out ideas, and it is so helpful! Even if the final look is nothing like the sketch, at least it gave me the opportunity to try out a few different ideas without spending hours arranging and re-arranging my decor!

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