It can be tricky to move into a new house and try to decorate with items from the previous one. On average, I have moved into a new home approximately ten times over the past eight years, so I have lots of experience with decorating different places with the same items. Of course, I have accumulated a lot over this time span, acquiring new decor with each place and either getting rid of old things I have no room for, or storing them. Here are a few things I have learned along the way.
Don’t try to find a place for absolutely everything
I have noticed that, often when people move from one house to another, they will try to make a place for absolutely everything. This is okay, if you actually have an appropriate place for each item. Sometimes, however, you just need to put some of those things into storage. Begin by taking your existing decor and finding appropriate spaces for each thing, hanging pictures only where they fit, both physically and visually. Consider style, color, proportion and balance.
Store or give away what doesn’t work in the new home
There will likely be a few–or possibly a lot of–things that don’t have a “place” in your new home. Either store these items for the next house, or get rid of them. Have a garage sale or give them away. Even though my new house is much larger than the previous, I have found that there are many pictures and accessories that have to be kept in storage for now. This is, in large part, because the house we bought is much older than our previous rental. A lot of our more modern decorative items just don’t have places in an older house. Also, we just don’t have space for a lot of the smaller accessories without cluttering the shelves, counters and mantel.
Don’t worry about leaving blank spaces for the time being
You might find that you have empty spots in your new house and feel that you need to fill them immediately. Don’t worry about it–if you don’t have anything to put there, anything that looks like it belongs there, then don’t put anything there at all. For now, anyway. Shop for new decor when the budget allows. I have found some very nice items at thrift stores, but you have to keep an eye out for decorations that you have the right place for within your home.
More from Tonya:
Choosing decorative tile for the kitchen
Choosing the perfect paint color for your home
Interior decorating on a budget: Find great deals on home decor