The computer is on, coffee is at my side, phone is in hand and credit card is out.
The websites are up: Ikea, Amazon, Wayfair, Marketplace and more.
It is time to begin The Home Redecoration Project.
If those words cause your anxiety levels to rise, then we are kindred spirits.
It all seems like fun and games as the online search begins, but COVID-19 has made this process more difficult.
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Brick and mortar stores are a challenge to get to, making online resources the desired option.
Day one flies by and excitement mounts.
Day six rolls around as things appear to come together.
Then, things start to shift and it’s clear, I am in over my head because by day 23 the eyes and mind are a blur, and by day 30 the nightmares start to creep in.
The pent-up rage begins to show, the online obsession has taken its hold and the once calm project reveals its monster form.
I realize this is a bleak picture I paint, and there is always good along with the bad, but as I redecorate my home, frustration seems to prevail.
My husband and I moved last November, which meant time to refresh our space.
What we didn’t count on were the challenges we would face in this new virtual world of ordering.
Society has shifted, and this can take some adjustment.
You order things without ever seeing them, except for a picture online. Companies cancel half the orders you make due to stock shortages or price jumps.
Shipping is sporadic, if at all and then when an item finally arrives it looks nothing like what you thought you ordered from the picture.
Although, it’s not all bad and there are positives to online ordering. Everything is brought right to your door, no need to drive to the store.
There a a treasure trove of used gems just waiting to be found, no salespeople pressuring you to make impulse purchases and if it all gets to be too much, you just turn off the computer, walk away and fill up your coffee cup.
When you start a redecoration project, planning and research can be what bring the creativity and inspiration out.
For example, I had no idea I even liked minimalistic design until we read Cozy Minimalist Home, by Myquillyn Smith.
We also grabbed some popular homemaking magazines like Style at Home, House and Home and House Beautiful.
Once we got into the stacks, we couldn’t contain ourselves. The books on redecorating were unending with unique styles to fit everyone’s taste.
Though the journey has been grueling, it has also brought us newness and life.
If you think, maybe it’s time to redecorate, then be prepared.
It may bring you peace, joy, even a little fun, but it may also take you on a rocky road.
Whichever way your path leads or whatever rollercoaster of emotions you experience take solace in the glory of the marvelous space you create.
As for our story, though dramatic, much was learned and there is a happy ending in sight.
Carly Tanasichuk is an assistant community librarian at the Summerland Library.
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