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Being an adult kind of just creeps up on us. Before we know it we’re 40-years old and expected to know things like ‘mortgage’ and ‘diabetes’. One thing that can fall behind while we grow up and grow old is the pride we hold in our home. When was the last time YOU fixed decor mistakes?
We’ve highlighted some of the biggest mistakes middled aged people are making once they hit 40. If a few of these look like your home, you might want to visit IKEA…
You Have A La-Z-Boy
Ok, so these are pretty comfortable chairs. You likely spent hours in the 90s and 00s sitting in these while eating, napping, watching TV, and more. But how does it look today? Probably not ideal.
Via: living.alot.comMake sure you replace your old boy’s chair with some sophisticated furniture. It’s time to invest in a nice sofa or dining room table – so go for it! You’ll be amazed by how much space these things are actually taking up.
Covering Your Tables
Dollies are a great way to keep your wooden or glass table clean, but they’re considered a little out of date today. Whereas once upon a time people would happily use them all day long, now they’re more likely to be seen at grandma’s house.
Via: living.alot.comIt’s worth keeping your surfaces exposed and maintain a tidy apartment through regular cleaning. That way, your home will look its best while also looking modern.
You Stick To Formalities
We know it’s nice to finally have an ‘adult’ living room with all your favorite furniture or library of books, but at what cost? It used to be rather fashionable to have one super formal room in your home, but now young people are favoring usability over luxury.
Via: living.alot.comTime to get rid of all the fancy cushions and pillows and invest in some chaise lounge chairs. When the grandkids come over, you’ll thank us!
Covering Sofa In Plastic
We’ve personally only seen this in the movies, but we know that people do it. It makes sense that you want your sofa or chair to last as long as possible, but this definitely isn’t the way to do it.
Via: living.alot.comIt looks, sounds, and feels absolutely terrible! You’ll have a lot more luck enjoying your furniture while being careful with any shoes or food in the area. Also, consider throwing a blanket over it if you want it protected – just no plastic!
Keeping Your Antiques On Display
Of course, having a bunch of collectibles or family heirlooms is something to be proud of. But do you want to risk having such valuable items on display all day?
Via: living.alot.comThey’re not the most pleasing things to have lying around the house, and it’s devastating to think of a young grandkid knocking something over. It’s far better to have one or two prized items on display, but keep the rest behind lock and key!
You Force Things To Match
We all like order over chaos. But someone who designs an entire room using only two colors is probably a serial killer. Don’t worry too much about whether the carpet matches the drapes, or if the sheets match the towels.
Via: living.alot.comNext time you buy a new item or choose to redecorate, consider how chic it can look if some of your items aren’t totally picked to complement each other. It’ll certainly be unique!
Having A Room ‘Off-Theme’
Similar to having a particularly formal room, it used to be trendy to have an ‘off-theme’ room in your home. This would normally be an office or spare bedroom that would incorporate bizarre or unique designs. Like your aunt, whose spare room looks like the mountains of Montana.
Via: living.alot.comOr your uncle’s beach town office so he can work by the sea. Nowadays, rooms in homes don’t have to abide by such strict rules and themes. Have fun with the design!
Toilet Rugs And Covers
When was the last time you saw one of these? These usually matching rugs and covers haven’t been properly used since the 1990s. And for good reason. These things seem weird nowadays and no one even thinks about them.
Via: living.alot.comYou will want to remove them as soon as you can as not to scare the little ones. Maybe keep the mat on the floor to help keep your feet warm and a bathroom looking modern, but let your toilet lid breathe!
You Don’t Organise Clutter
Like we said before: we all like order over chaos. It can be easy for small bits and bobs to gather over time, but before you know it that has turned into a massive mess. This means your home could become full of messy items that don’t belong there.
Via: living.alot.comTake a weekend and go through all the things you could live without and consider donating them to charity. Alternatively, sites like Pinterest have great storage solutions if you don’t want to let anything go.
Using Fake Plants
Fake plants are an obvious fraud that all your friends are too embarrassed to admit they spotted. They are a lazy attempt to bring some nature into your home and belong back in the 1990s. Once you enter middle age, you should invest in some proper plants.
Via: living.alot.comAside from looking better, they will also improve the air around you and add a nice smell. They only require a little water each day.
Displaying Pickle Jars
What started as a fun trend has quickly descended into chaos. Your few pickle jars above your fridge or cabinet are now older than your children. You need to start making room for more foods, more space, and more opportunities in your kitchen.
Via: living.alot.comEventually, old pickle jars lose their charm and you need to find a new way to store your foods. If you don’t want to get rid of them completely, then consider keeping them in the pantry cupboard where no one can see them.
You Stopped Refinished Your Oaks
When you moved into your house, the oak finishes looked amazing. Sadly, over time the look has faded. One of the reasons this happened is because you stopped shining them.
Via: living.alot.comIn fact, the look as a whole is quite vintage and wouldn’t be bad if it stayed in its time. Consider getting new finishes or changing to a new color: like dark cherry or red. New, bolder, colors are far more trendy than the old-fashioned wood look.
You Sleep In A Sleigh
Sleigh beds used to be a prestigious status symbol of wealth and class. Nowadays, they look and feel a little too big for a modern aesthetic. You might want to replace your bed with something a bit more sleek and elegant – nowadays some beds don’t even have frames.
Via: living.alot.comIt’s all about minimalism and you deserve the minimal. Treat yourself to a new design and see how the new feeling will improve your night’s sleep.
Keeping Retro Fixtures
Keeping your home up to date doesn’t mean just having a different Netflix show on in the background. Sometimes you’ll need to make physical changes to the fixtures of the house.
Via: living.alot.comNo more telling fixture in your home reveals its age like a wooden doorknob. Change things up a bit a see how the feng shui in the place will transform the energy. It’s amazing how the small details make such a big difference.
Heavy Fabrics To Protect Your Windows
These things are straight out of a portrait from the 1600s. The big drapes that hang over windows today are seen as medieval and completely out of place. Now: less is more and we embrace the sunlight as much as we can get it.
Via: living.alot.comTime to take them off their fitments and let the room breathe a little more. You’ll immediately see how much better you’ll feel. Most new homes aren’t even using curtains, but that might be out of millennial financial woes.
Keeping Old Wallpaper
That old flower wallpaper from the 1970s has absolutely no place in the 21st century. It’s nearly 2020! Over time, wallpaper collected smoke, dust, and generally fades in quality. That, and the fact that design trends change over time, too.
Via: living.alot.comWhat was trendy when you were young probably isn’t the same now you’re your parents’ age. Strip it down and replace it with something that can take your home into the 2030s! You won’t regret this one.
Big Bathroom Curtains
This one is similar to the previous slides but has the same effect. Those big curtains in your bathroom just take up space that can be dedicated to other things, like toiletries or decorations.
Via: living.alot.comWe understand you value your privacy in the bathroom, but this can be achieved with more subtle designs that fit in with today’s trends. You’ll feel much better after you change it up and give your bathroom a new lease of life.
Hoarding Gets Boring
Whether it’s moving house, changing up jobs, or having the kids move out – you’ll want a chance to go through some of your old things and really make sure you donate or sell anything you don’t use.
Via: living.alot.comIt can be completely disruptive and emotionally exhausting to hold on to things you don’t need. In the age of minimalism, your home will only look better with fewer things. You should dedicate a weekend a year to go through all your items and get rid of any unwanted possessions.
Remove Floral Furniture
It’s funny how trends come and go. Whereas floral clothing has penetrated the fashion industry with fantastic results, the same can’t be said for the home decor world.
Via: //theimagefixer.comFloral furniture is a big giveaway that your home was designed in the 1960s or ‘70s. Nowadays, floral clothing is worn in the street and even in offices but never used for your sofas. Fans of paisley will have to get used to it. Where did all the swingers go?
You Cover All Your Walls With Frames
Have you even heard of ‘less is more’? We get that you want to show off all the photos of loved ones and family members, but don’t overdo it. Many people make the mistake of nailing too many pictures to the wall of their living room, which can often leave it looking clustered or uneven.
It’s far better to purchase a digital frame with rotating images. Now, none of your grandkids are left out and there’s more space for art.
