Skip to Content

Being Content

So today we are going to have some #realtalk. This is a DIY and home decor blog. Sort of. That’s how it started out when I started painting furniture 3 years ago. I was excited about a new skill, a creative side of me that I didn’t really know existed, and wanted to share it. And be a famous blogger. I like to dream big…whatevs…

I have a confession. I literally only have 3 things hanging on the walls in my home. A mirror that was actually hung up for a sponsored post for Christmas decor (the Christmas stuff is gone, the mirror remains), and a whale picture and book shelves in Graham’s room.

whale

We have lived here since April, people! I’m pretty sure most normal people have a lot more decor figured out after living somewhere for nearly a year. And then there’s that little fact that I’m trying to be a famous home decor blogger. #fail

But here’s the thing, having a perfectly decorated house won’t make me happy. I mean maybe if it made me famous, but even then still probably not really. We have painted walls and trim, replaced all the carpet, painted furniture and acquired some cool pieces like my headboard. And yes, that stuff does make me happy in a way, but it’s not really the source of my contentment, ya know?

It’s like being a baby (I think). When Graham is in a good mood, he loves everything. His toys, strangers, paper, everything. But when he’s cranky, I can give him the newspaper to play with or the coolest toy (those might be the same thing to him), but he’s not going to like any of them. Thankfully I assume that if you’re reading this you’re not an infant and have a little more control over your emotions.

So I’m here to today to tell you that you can be content without a beautiful house. You can be content with blank walls and unfinished projects. They really don’t even bother me that much – unless I think about the expectations put on me as a blogger, but I get over it.

master dresser

For me personally, it’s mainly about money. First off, I don’t have enough to run out and make my home perfect. But even if I did, could I truly find things I love to fill my entire home up with in a day, a month, or a year? Also – I’m a pretty big Dave Ramsey fan. We currently have no student loans (and I graduated 4 years ago with $26k of them), no car payments (my husband bought a brand new truck 3 years ago – face palm) and no credit card or other personal debt. We work hard to avoid those things.

When we replaced our carpet last fall, we took out a $3k loan. We put every penny toward it until it was paid off in a few months. When I buy a new car in the near future, I will likely need a loan and we will put every penny toward that until it is paid off. Those pennies? They come from the home decor fund and the clothes fund and the everything-else-I-always-want fund.

Lately I’ve really been working on simplifying even more before I completely decorate my house. Even with all my blank walls and empty rooms (yes we have those too), we have way too much stuff. I’m slowly (really slowly) going through and organizing and donating and throwing away all the stuff so I can fill my home with things that matter. Maybe that’s home decor, or maybe that’s people – either way, it’s going to be decor and people I love.

I get that money is actually just as materialistic as home decor. Money isn’t everything. And I also understand that there is nothing wrong with enjoying your home. But when you’re risking your financial stability to live in a home you can’t afford, do you really get to enjoy it anyway?

So all this to say I might be adding some new subjects to the blog. I want to be more open about money, in everything but also in regards to decorating. I want to share my blank walls and my developing decor. I don’t know that home decor is actually my “thing.” I’ve learned a lot about it since starting this blog and I’ll continue to decorate and share my own home with you. But at the end of the day, I’ll be much happier if I can inspire you to be content with what you have and save money than if I can help you decorate your home to reflect your perfect Pinterest boards. If somehow I can pull off both, then we’ll really be winning.

Author

Cindy * GoodHaus Design

Saturday 5th of March 2016

Kala, this is probably my favorite post you've ever written. Good, good stuff. xo