Sponsored post.
Three years ago, our family relocated to a new house. My husband and I moved into our previous home when we were young newlyweds, and the idea of being close to each other every day was great. Fast forward a few years, and with the addition of a couple of kids, a couple of dogs, and eventually a couple of guinea pigs, and let’s just say the close quarters were becoming less charming and more stressful. So, we followed the natural path of so many before us and upgraded to a bigger home.
Not only was our new house in a better neighborhood and school district, but it was about twice as big as our previous home. While that’s very much a blessing to a growing family, I found myself facing a bit of a problem. We didn’t have enough furniture to fill the dang thing! We stretched the items we had as best as we could and made sure that the main spaces were complete enough, then tried our best to use filler items to avoid having blank spaces.
Let’s face it: it would have been an absolute dream to fill my home with flashy new furniture direct from a pristine magazine setting. Stylish, classy, elegant… but the reality is that we were facing more expenses and a tighter budget with a newer, bigger home. The money wasn’t there to make my decorator dreams come true, so I put my plans of having a showcase home on hold.
Fast forward to the present day. While we’ve invested in new couches and beds, my home still has the old dated accessories going strong. They’re a bit more threadbare now. The colors are still mismatched, and we’re still in possession of some items that were hand-me-downs for college life. Don’t get me wrong. My home is full of memories, and we’re blessed to even have a home that we love and can raise our family. But is it too much to ask for a girl to get some new curtains and pillows? Some dishes that don’t have chips in them?
Time for a Change
For Christmas this year, I asked for one thing: money. That’s it. I needed a fund to get my house up to date and more in tune with my style and our family’s needs. Fortunately, my family listened, and I suddenly had a budget that opened some opportunities to upgrade and have some fun. I felt really good and ready and excited, and then my reality settled in… home goods are expensive. While I had a little fund there to work with, my naturally money-conscientious personality just couldn’t fathom blowing a ton of cash on things. I shared my thoughts with my mom, and she had a great solution for me: Collections Etc., an online and catalog-based store with everything I could want for great prices. It wasn’t a site I’d heard of before, so I hopped on my computer and started checking it out.
I was delighted by what I found. They had a wide selection of items I could use to replace my outdated stuff, plus dishes, outdoor décor, and even holiday items. I spent a bit of time perusing, and suddenly my cart was overflowing. Much to my surprise, however, my wallet wasn’t empty. Here are my favorite finds for my home. They’ve since arrived, and my house has never felt fresher.
Top Finds on Collections Etc.
Side Tables
Nestled among my beautiful new couches was a side table that I believe originated sometime in the last century. We’re probably the fourth or fifth owners of it, and the legs are scratched, and the top is marked. Needless to say, it didn’t fit in with the new décor. So when I saw this beautiful walnut side table, I jumped at the opportunity to get not just one but two of them. They fit perfectly in our living room, giving us a space to set our drinks (with coasters, of course!) and even display picture frames.
I spend a lot of time in my kitchen, so I wanted to give it a little more personality. I needed a few key pieces to make this happen, and I found multiple options on the website. Here’s what I selected.
Kitchen Curtains
My old curtains on the window over my sink had a terrible pattern on them that dated back to the 70s, and they needed to go. I found these beautiful short blackout panels with grommets that are easy to open while and offer privacy at night when I’m puttering around doing my evening tasks.
Rug
Does it ever seem like the dishes are never-ending to anyone else? Around my house, I certainly feel that way. My kids are at the age where they’ve started to take on part of the house chores, including washing dishes and emptying the dishwasher, but I still find myself standing in front of the sink on a frequent basis. That’s why having a comfortable and supportive rug was so important. I loved this design, and it fits the theme of my kitchen perfectly!
Bedspread
Our guest bedroom has been an ongoing project since we moved in, and while we’ve upgraded the bed, it still has an old comforter that works but doesn’t match anything else in the room. I had an idea of what I wanted to get in my mind, and when I saw this one, it was spot on. Now I’m proud to have company stay with us because it’s a nice, cozy space they can enjoy.
Pillows
In addition to the new side tables, I wanted to freshen up our living room with some new throw pillows. I love colorful items and anything that depicts nature, so when I saw these pillows, I knew they would match perfectly. That space feels homier now, and that’s especially nice because we spend so much time there as a family.
Personalized Blanket
Finally, the best way to make our house our home was to add a little something special. Collections Etc. has a wide variety of personalized items you can get for your home, from shirts to doormats. I fell in love with this personalized Sherpa fleece throw blanket with our family name. It’s become the family favorite on movie nights and is displayed proudly when not in use.
Conclusion
It’s hard to know what you want when it comes to decorating your home. Collections Etc. opened my eyes to the possibilities for my house, and I enjoyed getting some extras to make it feel more like home. I’ll continue to return to the site for holiday items and little style touches here and there because it’s fun to treat yourself to something new on occasion.
