In this post, I want to explain WHY it’s so important to have purpose behind your design decisions – and I also want to share my roll top desk makeover! When you implement purposeful design, you can save money, time, and create a meaningful home. Affiliate links are included in this post.
If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I’ve been feeling a kind of shift this last year. As someone whose JOB is literally to share home decor and DIY projects, it was feeling…well…fake.
I have made a big shift in the past year mentally, but haven’t been able to share it completely yet until this month! I have 3 blog posts planned for this month…and this is part one that will help explain my thought process going forward.
If you missed this fireplace makeover – you HAVE to check it out here!
Designing with purpose:
Last year around this time, we first talked about how we might not stay in our “forever house” forever. Then we began the house staging/selling process on our fixer upper, sold our house, moved out to our ranch in the country…and life has just changed a LOT in the last year.
I felt the need to simplify our lives in a BIG way. I felt bogged down by so much stuff. The clutter around our house was taking up real estate in my mind, and I really began to feel the weight of it. But it felt kind of weird to admit this as a home decor blogger – I mean, wasn’t it my JOB to buy new things for each season? To show people how to try new trends? Wasn’t it my job to keep looking for the “next thing” to use in our home?
I became kind of sick when I saw all of the excess we had. I was really convicted of those “little purchases” at Target and all the little packages coming from Amazon. When I really went through all of the STUFF we had in our basement and attic – I vowed to do better and change how I would approach decorating and design.
I’m working on being really intentional about what I’m putting in this new home. It’s actually been a pretty slow process, and for someone like me who can be really impatient, this is pretty hard! But it has been the best lesson in patience and I am finally enjoying the process of designing with purpose.
What does designing with purpose look like?
What does this mean to me? One big shift: – I am not just picking up items at the store anymore. I don’t go to Homegoods just to browse anymore. Now, I have a clear plan on what I want each room to look like, and I only go shopping when there is a need for a specific item. If I am tempted to buy something, I really think about it first.
I have a design formula that I really nailed down this past year, and I look for items to fill in gaps in my design formula before I purchase or add pieces to my room.
The rooms in our house have way less STUFF. It’s an ongoing process and something I think I’ll always be working on, but we are committed to living with less. Not just to have less, but to enjoy life more. I didn’t want to just be a “stuff manager” in my home. As a mom to three little kids, keeping my business afloat, doing DIY projects, and trying to eat well…I really didn’t want to have to make time to deal with our STUFF. It just isn’t worth my time!
WHY we are making a purposeful and peaceful home:
I can’t get into the whole story, because it’s not all my story to tell. But I dealt with postpartum anxiety after I had Heidi (I didn’t realize it until after I was done nursing her), my husband has dealt with anxiety since we were dating (have you read his book about this? I am so proud of him – it’s really been blessing a lot of people!) and we have a child that struggles pretty hard with anxiety.
At times, this can make our house anything but peaceful.
As an enneagram 9 (wing 1 if you’re interested) I have learned just how much a peaceful home environment means to me. When my home is peaceful, my family thrives.
It doesn’t mean my family is perfect – or that we’re all sitting around reading by candle light while listening to classical music! My house is often LOUD and it certainly gets messy – but the messes are easier to clean, because there are less THINGS to take care of.
As moms – we DO have control over our home environment.
I now have tools to use when things feel out of control and anything but peaceful.
When I can take my focus off of the THINGS, I can focus on the PEOPLE in this house much better.
When my home is like this, my family thrives. And when we all thrive, we can all be the best versions of ourselves, and be who God made us to be (just with less distractions).
Why my roll top desk makeover is in this post at all:
It really is the silliest and smallest example – but I searched for a few months to find the exact size desk I needed, with the exact storage space I needed. I checked Facebook Marketplace every single day for something that would work in this little corner of our bedroom.
I finally found it – and it was in budget, which means I didn’t pay more than we had planned for this little roll-top desk, and I knew I could finish it off inexpensively.
I sanded it down with my 4 year old daughter (and prayed she will remember things like this when she’s older so she knows SHE has the power to change her home someday). I stained it to take away the orange undertones and bought inexpensive hardware to help modernize the design a little more.
In the back of my desk drawer, I found a $20 Target gift card in my desk that SOMEHOW I never used, and bought that chair to go with my desk. I couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out. This desk holds my blow drier, curling iron, other hair tools, and makeup. I am unable to keep those things clean on a regular basis so it’s AMAZING to be able to just roll the top down! Hallelujah for smart design that fits our needs!
And then the pictures on top…just my way of finishing off our bedroom with something that brings me joy. In our bedroom especially – I want to have things in there that bring a smile to my face when I wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night. So – these cutie pictures of my little chubby-cheeked babies serve that purpose in my bedroom!
STAY TUNED for part 2 of where I’m going with this whole purposeful design thing next week…
Here’s sources for my bedroom desk picture:
Libby says
Hi Christina!
I have followed you on Instagram for a while and wanted to say that this really resonates with me, and I am excited for this shift. I have never been one to change my home decor with the seasons (other than Christmas decorations of course!). I am too busy to change the pillows on my couch to “spring” pillows, it takes a lot for me to justify purchasing year-round pillows anyways, and I don’t like extra stuff around my house that I have to store. A beautiful home is important to me, but I prefer design that focuses on finding forever pieces that you love so much you want them featured in your home all the time. It takes me a long time to decide to buy something for my home, I had a desk I knew I wanted in my Wayfair cart for probably over a year.
Anyways, I’m looking forward to what you have to show us!
Dawn Yeager says
I LOVE how your roll top desk turned out!!!!! I have one just like that but a tish bit bigger. Did you sand to the bare wood? What color/brand stain did you use????
I am really enjoying the direction of your “purposeful home”. For me I can’t believe I’m even saying this, but I too am tired of decorating each season!!!!!! I’m enjoying just changing pillow covers and decor blankets and maybe a frame or so and that’s it. I have a small home now and pretty much just to the room we watch TV in, and my entry way, as those areas and my kitchen, eating area are all open to each other.
Keep the direction you are moving!!!!!!! It is so freeing!!!!
Christina says
Yes I sanded it down to bare wood and then we used Minwax “Early American” stain (my favorite ever!!).
And I am SO glad to hear that I’m not alone – and I’m so glad to know you’re totally on board with the new direction!! Yay!!
Lauren Brock says
It’s always so refreshing to see you constantly growing and allowing your influence to change! Thanks for being so real!!
Christina says
THANK YOU Lauren! You’re the sweetest – and yes change can be uncomfortable but it is also necessary!
Maria Bartolomei says
Beautiful story, need to start thinking more like you!!! Love every word in your blog!!! Your amazing mom, human being!!!!
Christina says
well you are the sweetest Maria!! Thank you!!
Donna says
I still decorate for each season but it definitely does NOT look like Instagram decorating! Most people would laugh at it. We have a few things we use (most of which we have had for over 20 years!). Tiny little things that I have never tired of. If I ever do, I would not hesitate to pass them on. It matters that it makes your heart happy, whatever that may be. And it sounds as if you are seeking that.
Christina says
oh please don’t ever think people would laugh at your decorating – I find joy in bringing out little seasonal items too! But IG & blogs have made it such a BIG event – with each year having to accumulate more and more and go bigger and better. That’s the cycle I’m trying to break out of 🙂 And yes I agree with you!!
Jill H says
This is awesome and resonates with me in so many ways.. Our kids are grown. We have no grandkids yet. But the stuff I go through is for the next generations. Sorting and sorting of pictures and personals. Making a trunk for each kid. It is all so purposeful and leaves me with so much ease. I am enjoying following your journey.
Holly Larkins says
Did you add a clear coat or sealer to this after the stain?