inspiration vs. envy

image via Apartment Therapy. 

image via Apartment Therapy

One of the joys of our current techie age is that we have the ability to always be connected. The ideas, images, and inspiration at our fingertips is endless and boundless. This can be incredibly inspiring and also dangerous. Pinterest, Instagram accounts, and countless blogs have us drooling and dreaming of all the beautiful images we scroll through. 

As professional organizers, we spend a lot of our time in clients homes. We get to see the style, design, and taste of each unique client. We've been blown away by traditional southern charm, mid-mod eclectic decor, and everything in between. Your home is a collection of the things you love, memories made, and pieces you need for function and practicality. 

image via Design Sponge. 

image via Design Sponge

We're going to let you in on a little secret.... we struggle with the strong temptation to envy others homes, to compare our things, and to wish for something other than our own. 

It is such a balance to enjoy beautiful inspiration while also loving the state of our own homes as they are right now. It's fun to dream up new decor ideas, color schemes and arrangements of furniture. We've come to find, follow and love a handful of incredible interior design and home decor businesses online. 

Here's your warning; before clicking any of the links below... be prepared. Don't get sucked in! Your real life house, street and neighbors are the real deal - they are better than any staged and styled image. Remember we are real people, with real stories, and real budgets and real limitations. If your home doesn't look like an Anthropologie magazine - it's ok & join the club.

DESIGN SPONGE.

APARTMENT THERAPY.

SCHOOLHOUSE ELECTRIC. 

image via Schoolhouse Electric. 

However, we do love these sites. They are packed full of images of creative combinations of styles and tastes. Most rooms and homes that give us all the heart-eyes have a few components that we can recreate in our spaces. Look for patterns you like, colors that inspire you, shapes of furniture that fit your taste, room layouts that would be suitable for your space, and details that you can bring to life on your own. 

Happy browsing! Here's a little tip: set a timer on your phone for a reasonable amount of time to spend looking through images and blog posts, so you don't miss out on the real life happening around you.