Let it be known that when it comes to decorating, sometimes, good enough is enough!!

I was reminded of this concept as I sat in the ever-darkening evening light on Saturday frantically trying to compare various shades of white so that I could pick just the perfect white for my baseboards and door casings that will soon be installed.  This was of course after I had dragged the family around for an hour from paint store to paint store so that I could pick up swatches from each major brand of paint because of course, each one had a different set of whites from which to choose!  Kelly Moore’s Swiss Coffee? Or maybe Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee? What about Simply White or White Dove?  Decorator’s White looks nice, too and the name sounds promising, doesn’t it?!

Kill-the-White-Trim

 

Each white has a different undertone and would give a different look and feel depending on what I chose so I had to make the right choice!  As I sat in the dying light holding up one paint swatch after another, it hit me….this wasn’t fun.  And worse yet, the stress I felt was of my own creation.  Up until that day, I had always been happy with Kelly Moore’s Swiss Coffee and the way it looked in my home.  So if I was happy, what compelled me to think I needed to look at ALL the whites and make sure it was just the perfect one for me?  I liked Swiss Coffee and sometimes, isn’t good enough good enough?!?!

When I was little, my dad brought home a training video his work had provided about the differences between men and women in business.  I don’t remember the story exactly but the premise goes something like this:

Kill the Little Black Dress

A husband and wife go shopping for a black dress the wife needs to wear to an event.  At the first store, they immediately find a black dress that fits perfectly and looks nice on her.  The husband {foolishly} thinks their shopping trip is over!  They came, they saw, they conquered, right?  Wrong!  The wife likes the black dress but wonders if it’s the perfect dress.  Might there be another dress out there that is better than the one she found?  So she continues searching for hours at various stores trying on dress after dress to find just the perfect choice.  For the husband, his mission was to Kill the Little Black Dress.  For the wife, she needed to see all the choices available and compare each one before making a final decision.

And this was exactly what I was doing Saturday night…  I was comparing all the shades of white when really, I should have just Killed the White Trim!  I love decorating but even I have my limits.  Yes, often times my limit is dictated by budget, sometimes space, but one limit that is often overlooked is just the basic idea that sometimes, good enough is enough!!  When it comes to your home, it doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be trendy, it doesn’t have to look like a magazine, it just has to feel like you.

{via Elle Decor}
{via Elle Decor}

 

With the internet and sites like Pinterest, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and perhaps a bit envious.  Never before have we been able to so easily see what others have! And because I feel a bit hypocritical since I always show you pretty pictures of my home, let me be honest.  I have kids, a dog, a cat, and birds.  My house is NEVER clean except for when I’m photographing.  And even then, only the room I’m photographing is clean!  I don’t live in a magazine.  I live in a home with my family and our home is our sanctuary, sometimes clean and pretty, but often messy and disorganized in the chaos of daily life with kids who have busy schedules.  And I wouldn’t change it for anything.  This is my reality…after all, why should a guest room sit pretty and empty when according to my daughter and her friends, it makes the perfect fort!

Guest-Bedroom-Fort

 

Just remember that decorating should be fun.  Be yourself, decorate with things YOU love and accept the fact that sometimes, good enough is enough.

 

Tidbits&Twine - Signature

 

 

 

 

 

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23 Comments

  1. This is amazing! So often I feel like I’m falling short when I read these blogs and see the beautiful pictures of a clean and perfectly designed home but I barely have time to keep all the people in the house fed, bathed and on their way that things fall on the back burner. It’s nice to see someone out there being honest about it! Thanks for sharing! :D

  2. Recently my grandkids were coming over so before they got here I built them a fort in the living room, they were surprised and so happy and my granddaughter said ” Oh grandma, you built me my dream home! The simplicity of a blanket and lace table cloth pinned to a easel brought magic and delight. Giggles galore while decorating the inside, but we made a big mess, well worth it and couldn’t have been more perfect mess.

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hi Dawn,

      What a wonderful thing you did for your grandkids and they were obviously so happy! I think that’s fantastic! Kids like a space where they can play and use their imagination and above all, feel comfortable being themselves. In my opinion, a house doesn’t have to be “perfect” to fulfill these needs. I’ll bet your grandkids ask you to make a fort again the next time they visit. ;)

  3. Husband was willing to go shopping for a black dress with wife?!! I’d be miserable and buy the first dress I tried on if my husband was pacing outside the fitting rooms. But really, this was a great post.

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Lol! I’m sure many people feel the same way! And as another reader pointed out, finding the perfect dress on the first try….well that’s just impossible! Haha! Glad you like the post. :) Kim

  4. I too did the same thing when choosing white paint for trim. It’s so difficult when you’re comparing white to white but if you put each white chip beside the wall paint color, I found that they all were white and they all were great. I chose one finally and it’s in every room of my house regardless of the wall color and works everywhere just fine. When I need to refresh, I choose the same white. It has worked well for me so why go through all of the stress of choosing all over again.

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hi Pat,

      I’m glad to hear I wasn’t the only one pulling my hair out over selecting a shade of white! I suppose if I didn’t already have one I liked, I’d go through the process of selecting, but you’re right, if you like it and it works well, why go through the stress all over again?! Make life simple when possible, right? :)

  5. I was recently diagnosed with lupus after countless visits to various doctors after I had a stroke and fell. I can no longer be a perfectionist when it comes to my home. II am so upset that I can’t redecorate for spring. Thank you for your great blog. The doctor’s tell me that I am lucky to be alive. I had planned to paint my kitchen this spring but good enough is enough. Thank you.

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hi Nancy,

      I am so sorry to hear of your recent health issues and hope you are recovering well. Nothing puts life into perspective more than a health scare. I’m sure you’re focusing on what’s important to you and if that means the house has to wait, then it waits! Please take care and I hope you are feeling better soon.

      All my best,
      Kim

  6. I love your blog, this entry reminds me of a great sign that I saw it read “Excuse the mess, we live here”, very apt!

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      That’s such an appropriate saying for my house! Love it!! I mean, I like decorating, but I have to *live* here and that means we sometimes {or maybe all the time} make messes! So glad you enjoyed this article! :) Kim

  7. Carol Faught says:

    Great article! However, the illustration of the little black dress is not very realistic; I mean, “At the first store, they immediately find a black dress that fits perfectly and looks nice on her.” Really? In my life, it’s more like, “at the 3rd or 4th store, after trying on 35 dresses”, or “it fits perfectly and looks nice but is WAY too expensive”, etc. :) Seriously, thank you for the point you made very well – so helpful to remind ourselves. NOTHING in this life will ever be perfect; only Jesus is perfect!

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hahahaha! You have a point! I suppose that example is a stretch. :) Personally, I hate clothes shopping so I think if I found something that fit on the first try, I’d pay and run as fast as I could to leave….and then I’d use the extra time to shop for home decor at HomeGoods. Lol!! Glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you for reading and taking the time to leave a comment. -Kim

  8. I love this, yes, thank you! Let the kids build forts I say! I love decor but I love to live too.

    ;)

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Thank you! Yes, while most of us prefer our homes to look nice, we have to be realistic and enjoy living in them. After all, that’s the point, isn’t it?! Here’s to building forts and making messes!! :) Kim

  9. Kim,
    This is such a great reminder for all of us. It’s easy to pick apart one’s home while perusing many of the beautiful homes available for viewing. I appreciate your point of view and the practical advice you so often share.
    Karen

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Thank you, Karen! :) Kim

  10. This was such a refreshing blog entry. Filled with honesty, great advice and a “picture worth a thousand words.” We all question our decorating decisions and some come with more confidence than others. Sometimes we wonder if a professional might pick otherwise. Sometimes I have relied on the consultant at the paint store only to realize her choice was NOT what I wanted and repaint the room the color I first selected. Good luck with your painting. And I hope your daughter and her friends have lots of fun in that awesome fort!!!

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hi Ruth Ann,

      What you said about having a professional help is so true! Unless he or she totally “gets” your vision and understands your taste, they might pick something that looks good but isn’t at all what you want. I’m sorry that you had that experience but hopefully, you’re happy with the color you chose when you repainted. And my daughter loved that fort and now asks if she can build one every time she has a friend sleep over. Lol! :)

  11. Deb Benvie says:

    Well said Kim! You nailed it!

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Thank you, Deb! :)

  12. Thank you. In my mind, I know what you say is true- that your house isn’t picture perfect everywhere at all times. How can it be with kids and pets? Stating the truth is one thing, but a picture is worth a thousand words. The next time I start getting stressed by the mess, I’m going to have two pictures in my mind…one of your pristine guest bedroom and one of your “lived in” guest bedroom. I can already feel my shoulders relax knowing that messes can get cleaned up and life is for living. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. {And your white paint journey resonates also…”why fix it if it ain’t broke?”}.
    Gratefully,
    Sara

    1. Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hi Sara,

      Thank you so much for your comment!! I was nervous about sharing that photo because I feel like readers expect to see my home a certain way, but perfection just isn’t my reality so I thought it best to give you an honest look of my home! Lol! Truly, my home reflects that life is worth living and having fun…for me, the dishes can wait but playing with my kids won’t, so I make my choices accordingly. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and too the time to leave such a thoughtful comment. :) Kim

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