The Sacrifice You Need to Make to get a Home you Love

Ugly. Outdated. Lacks Taste. Impersonal. Heartless. Are these the words that go through your mind when you think about your home? Do you cringe whenever someone asks you to play hostess for a family event or party? Do you worry about how others will perceive you based on the way your home looks? Do you crave a home that makes you smile instead of sigh when you walk through the front door?

The truth is, if the inside of your home doesn't reflect you, you'll never love your home. And you deserve a home you love! How your home makes you feel is vitally important to you and your family's well-being. Imagine coming home from work after a long, stressful day. Your feet are aching from being in high heels all day and all you want is to cozy up with a glass of wine in front of the TV. You walk in the front door and kick your heels off. But the tile floor is cold against your bare, raw, throbbing feet. The dim light in the kitchen isn't very welcoming either. You dig through your cabinets for a wine glass, stumble over your husband's shoes, and finally crash on the couch - right into the spot where that spring is sticking out. Now, you're irritated. Your husband comes to greet you and you let it all go. Anger, then tears, then exhaustion.

We've all been there. A flat tire, a wardrobe malfunction, a wrong place wrong time scenario, can take our mood from aggravated to furious. Your home shouldn't be one of those irritants in your life. Your home should be an oasis. Warm, soft carpet under foot. A place for everything and everything in its place. A luxurious couch you can sink into. A place to prop your feet up. Your home should be an oasis where you can relax after you've worked all those long hours at that mind-numbing job. Your home should be a place of pride where you can entertain instead of struggling to find somewhere to meet up with friends. Your home should be a place you love.

But decorating a home doesn't come easily or inexpensively. It takes time, money, and energy. It takes self-sacrifice and work. And you should make sacrifices to get a home you love. Just like you should take time off from work. Just like you should go on dates with your husband. Just like you should rest when you're sick. When we do these things, we are investing in ourselves and our future. When you take time off from work, you are investing in yourself and your mental health. When you spend time with your husband, you are investing in your marriage and family relationships. When you make sacrifices to get a home you love, you are investing in yourself and your family.

So what are the sacrifices you might need to make to get a home you love?

Sacrifice #1 Money: Hire an Interior Designer

If you have gobs of money that you're just swimming in or maybe just a little extra to spare, then the best, easiest, and fastest route to updating your home is to hire a Pro. An Interior Designer can save you the time, hassle, and frustration of trying to put colors, patterns, and furniture together to get a cohesive look in your home. If you lack the confidence and know-how to do-it-yourself, then its definitely worth it to lay out the cash to get it done right and save you some major headaches.

Sacrifice #2 Time: Decorate your Home Yourself

If you're decorating your home on a budget, but you're willing to put in a few man hours then a little DIY decorating might be best for you! You'll save money by playing Interior Designer yourself. But you'll have to sacrifice some of your off-hours to design and decorate your home yourself. Thankfully, websites like Pinterest, Houzz, and even HGTV have made this easier than ever. Just make sure you don't get stuck dreaming, researching and pinning on these sites and never take any action.

Looking for a jumpstart to get you going? Check out Design Bootcamp >

Sacrifice #3 Expectations: You're not going to get a magazine-worthy home

If you have a small budget and little time, don't expect your home to auto-magically transform into a Pinterest-perfect home. Lowering your expectations can save you frustration and stress when the outcome isn't what you envisioned. Start with small changes that make a big impact. This will build your confidence while you start to save money and set aside time to do larger projects.

Redecorate your home in just 8 minutes a day with little-to-no cost >

Sacrifice #4 Fear: Get over Decorating Paralysis

You might say that you don't have a creative bone in your body. You (and your home) lack vision. You don't know what your taste or style is. So your home remains bland, tasteless, without soul or personality. You're afraid of making the wrong decision so you make no decision. Its time to get over that fear! The only way you will learn what works and what doesn't, what you like and what you don't like is by trying things! So what if you make a mistake? At least you tried! You got out there and did something! And as you do more and more, you'll learn and get better.

Start by taking my Decorating Style Quiz to figure out your personal style. You'll then receive a style guide and some inspiration to get your decorating juices flowing!