Adding Pretty to Your Home

As you probably know, I’m not an expert on home decor, so this is not about color schemes and modern trends.  Instead, it’s about adding little things to your home that make you smile all throughout your day.

So here’s the truth. I used to be such a practical person. The type that never got rid of anything that could still be “put to good use.”… the kind that picked the black dress instead of the hot pink because it would “go with so much more.”   I was the girl that thought “It might not be as pretty, but it costs less, so it will do.”

My, my, my, was I missing out on a lot of delightful things!

It started with a green plate. I picked up this plate at Goodwill on half-off day. It was adorable, and my most favorite shade of rainforest green. Flipping it over I saw the price tag—50 cents. “Well, I can handle that.”  And that’s where it all started.

I found myself using my little green plate almost every morning at breakfast.  Mamas often eat after all the kids are fed, and their husband is out the door to work, and so was the case with me. Everyone would scatter from the table to different parts of the house, and I would be left with a mess to clean up. But after the mess was taken care of, I’d pop my bagel in the toaster, grab that little green plate, a cold mug of milk, and enjoy my own breakfast at the vacated table.  The green plate made me smile every morning I used it.

Unfortunately, one day I dropped my plate, and it broke right in half. I didn’t feel like a very practical, no-nonsense person as I swept it up and put it in the trash. I felt ridiculous for being so sad about breaking a 50 cent plate.   But it got me thinking…

Maybe I could add more happy into my home, by putting more pretty into my home.

Maybe I could add more happy into my home, by putting more pretty into my home. Things that meant a lot to me.  Why not have pretty mugs for my milk or coffee instead of the plain ones I owned?  Why not replace my little green plate with something else that made me smile?

So, that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.  Following the KonMari decluttering principles throughout my house, and getting rid of things that didn’t make me smile, but were just there because they were still in good condition and I might “need them again sometime,” helped to create room for things that I really loved.

I didn’t fill up my house with things, and I didn’t spend a lot of money. I simply kept my eye out for things that made me feel happy, or peaceful, or content. When choosing a rug for my entryway, I bought the one that was $2 more and WAY cuter, because having something that I can appreciate whenever I see it, is worth $2 to me.

So blah, blah, blah, that’s my story… and now, if you’re not into storytime, here are some ideas for adding pretty to your home…

Keep in mind that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Not everyone would find that a little green plate brings a smile of pleasure to their day. You have to pick things YOU love.  To give you some ideas though, here are things that I’ve done to add a little sunshine to my life at home…

1 Fresh Flowers

Occasionally I will buy myself fresh flowers. Rick buys me flowers sometimes too, but there’s just something that makes a practical girl feel all whimsy and spontaneous when she grabs a bouquet of tulips “just because.”

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2 Printables

You know all those adorable quotes that are on Pinterest? So many are FREE printables, and you can get them printed for pennies at Walgreens or Costco. Then you can frame them, or pin them to a pin board, or just magnet it to the fridge. Get on Pinterest and find something that is pretty, or inspires you!   The Printable above is an example of what I’m talking about, and can be found at MantraBand.

3 Pretty Mugs

My sister got me the mug pictured above for Christmas this year. I love it because because sometimes mornings can be a bit daunting when you’re a mom of three little ones. The message and the flowers make me thankful for a God that cares about even the small things I have to face today, and He gives me strength.

You can view this mug (and the others like it) here: Matthew 19:26 mug,  “Give me Jesus”,  Philippians 4:13 , Matthew 12:21

4 Paper Straws

Patterned paper straws make me feel fancy!  I like to get them out of the clearance bin at Michael’s…but you can also find some really beautiful straws on Amazon.  Like this Charmed peach, mint green, and gold set.

5 Mama Treats

Mama treats are the treat you keep up in the top of the cupboard for the crazy days. For me it used to be chocolate chips. The only problem with that is, on the really crazy days I might end up eating half a bag of chocolate chips…not good!  If you have access to a Trader Joe’s and if you like dark mint chocolate, you should really check out these honey mints.  They are only 3 ingredients, and have no sugar in them. And they’re wrapped in a little mint green foil wrapper, so that’s cute too! If dark chocolate is not your thing, find something else that you can tuck away for a fun little treat.

As a side note, some people will think this is frivolous and maybe even wasteful. But for me, adding some pretty things to my home, makes me happier to be in my home.  All the blog articles about making sure you take time for “self care” and “Me time” are great— but you know, some weeks are just crazy, and you end up wiping noses (and other things), cleaning up dozens of toys, folding laundry, and all that other mom stuff. For me, it’s just nice to have pretty things that brighten up those days. The days I can’t necessarily hop in the tub for a long bubble bath, or paint my nails, because, I just can’t.  Even on the crazy days, I can still be surrounded by lovely things in my home that remind me to smile.

If you’re a “Practical Pam”, you should at least try this, because you might discover that you love it!

Do you have things in your home just because they make you smile? Comment below and tell me about what brings you joy!