Editor’s Note: This was originally published on RISMedia’s blog, Housecall. See what else is cookin’ now at blog.rismedia.com:
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Nowadays, life is pretty delayed. While baby boomers love to take every opportunity to call millennials lazy, the truth of the matter is that we spend more time focusing on education, have more student debt than ever and spend a good deal of our 20s traveling or living in larger cities. All of this delays the home-buying process, and in many cases, first-time homebuyers reach their 30s before they reach homeowner status.
And that’s OK. (You do you!)
However, once you sign the dotted line and move into your first home, there are certain decorating choices and items one must leave behind. Kiss that apartment (and your 20s) goodbye with these tips:
Abide by Ted Mosby’s Murtaugh List: All Posters Must Be Framed
Image Credit: Pexels
Music fan? Film buff? Don’t worry—you don’t have to eschew all those cult movie posters and concert art you’ve been collecting over the years. But you know what? You do need to frame them. Spending a little extra money to frame the art you love the most will help add character to a room. Match the frame to the wall color or the piece’s color scheme to really liven it up and make it distinguished. Because tacks ain’t nothin’ but tacky!
But Those Beer Posters…
Those have got to go. Your dorm days have long passed, so hang it up. Or don’t, rather.
Futons.
Image Credit: GIPHY
Temporary Furniture, i.e., Yaffa Blocks
Image Credit: Amazon
Yaffa Blocks had a time and place in all of our lives. When living in cramped quarters, temporary furniture that could help you store your belongings vertically was a real space saver. Now that you’re in a larger locale, you can certainly do better. If your budget is tight in the beginning, check Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for some used furniture and toss your old plastic blocks to the side. You won’t miss them. Promise.
Ditch the Kitsch
Image Credit: Pixabay
While there’s certainly no accounting for taste, make sure to adorn your home with pieces that are age and space appropriate. That doesn’t mean you have to toss all your fun toys or that you aren’t allowed to let your freak flag fly. Choose the appropriate spots in your house for things like bobbleheads and geeky collectible lunch boxes (yes, I own these #Guilty), but chuck dish towels embroidered with the days of the week, hand-painted or decoupage boxes and corny aprons. At the very least, spread them out throughout the house so each piece makes a bigger (and hopefully ironic) statement.
Fake Plants and Flowers
Image Credit: GIPHY
A Shot or Beer Glass Collection
If you have a full-on bar in your home, display them with pride! They’re practical and you’ll actually get use out of them. If you’re just trying to show guests that you got drunk in Vegas once like every other Basic Becky in the world, skip it. There are far better ways to create a focal point or start a conversation.
Bean Bag Chairs and Inflatable Furniture
If one of these exists in your home, hopefully you have a five-year-old running around. If not, you probably are the five-year-old.
There’s nothing wrong with buying your first home in your 30s. Just make sure to heed these tips so your new pad will remain collectedly cool.
Nick Caruso is RISMedia’s senior editor. Email him your real estate news ideas at nick@rismedia.com.
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