Capsule Decorating: Home Decor Must Haves feat. H&M Home

“This post is in partnership with H&M Home because I love em & know you’ll love em too!”

— xo...Albie

I'm a creature of habit, especially when it comes to shopping, which is precisely why a at the top of the year I decided to create a capsule wardrobe for myself - I was no longer going to be working from home as an entrepreneur and was truly tired of staring at a full closet yet saying, "I have nothing to wear". Why was this happening? Because I had a BUNCH of pieces that didn't play well together. I was purchasing in a vacuum, instead of thinking of my wardrobe holistically, so getting dressed each day became this daunting, arduous task for no. damn. reason!

The way I shop for my closet now is, for quite some time, how I've shopped for my home - capsule shopping. Yes, I've created a decorating capsule.

I've made the mistake of purchasing items in a vacuum, having tunnel vision on the specific room/season/sale/etc. only to have an item that didn't translate well over time. After spending years shopping for myself and other people, I learned that I needed to have my core items - staple pieces that could always evolve with my style - that could comfortable mix & match year round, in different rooms.

While it's fun to walk up and down the aisles of my favorite decor stores - back in 2019 when that was a thing - that's how you end up with a bunch of pieces that just don't play well together. Then what? You get bored with it...you hardly use it...just like when you're haphazardly shopping for clothing. I dunno about you, but especially now with delayed deliveries and social distancing protocols, I'd rather not need to shop for individual pieces with every season or mood change - no one has time (or money) for that! I'd rather shop my home.

When I was prepping my closet, I took 4 steps - I took inventory of what I currently owned, I purged and did a massive pare down, I did some window shopping for ideas, and lastly, I put together different looks or combinations that represented my ideal capsule.

I am the same way with my home...

what do I already have

what do I need to get rid of

what would I like to buy & why

what do I want my home to look like

Just like my apparel, going through this process revealed that I have a type - a hygge-inspired type - so that armed me with the discernment to shop only the things that would fit into the dreamscape I'd created in my mind.

P.S. if you want more insights on creating your own dreamscape, I talk all about it in my book.

What this also revealed was that I preferred a steady rotation of staple pieces versus haphazardly buying all the pretty things. This is also why I have a set of retailers I shop for all my decor needs, with H&M Home being a constant for everything from bedding to accessories. The H&M Home assortment never disappoints, especially as it relates to meeting my aesthetic needs… my hygge needs.

This makes capsule shopping and shopping my home exceptionally easy. For me, this makes the pieces timeless — without breaking the bank — and easy to coordinate with anything else that make come into the design.

So what are my home decor must haves that make up my decorating capsule?

Baskets

Decorating with baskets is such as easy way to be both stylish and functional. From hiding storing the kids toys to having a placer extra blankets, it's an effortless solution for wrangling your things white infusing every space with style.

Picture Frames

Be it a tabletop frame or a frame on the wall, there are no better ways to memorialize a moment and/or personalize your space than with a frame. I've framed photographs - duh! - but also cards from friends, my daughter's artwork, inspirational post its, and just really pretty wallpaper. The best part is that it's a decor update that requires zero commitment - you can switch out your frames every week if the mood strikes you.

Pillow Covers

Fun fact: I have over a dozen pillow covers of different sizes and styles that I rotate between the living room, our bedroom, and our daughter's room. I switch em out depending on the season, but also on whatever vibe I'm looking to create at that moment. Pillow covers, specifically, require very little effort or storage so I love having a healthy inventory on hand.

Quick Shop My H&M Home Favorites for the Labor Day 20% Sale

Planters & Vases

Now you'd think for someone with a black thumb, this wouldn't be on my short list, but to be honest, nothing dresses up faux greenery better than a fancy schmancy vase and/or planter. Who shows adornment is only reserved for real plants & flowers? Not this girl. I believe in elevating the presentation to tell a complete design story.

Plants & Flowers

Faux everything for me, to be honest, but I do appreciate the literal life that greenery brings to any space. We've had a go at growing our own herbs on the balcony, so I can safely say that real or fake, there's nothing like the freshness of plants and flowers as decor; and unless they have literal roots in the ground, you can rotate them around your home just as you would with other decorative accents.

Trays

I give trays the same consideration as baskets - the perfect intersection of styling and solving. Like baskets, trays are an extremely effective catchall that can also be eye candy, be it on your coffee table, dining room sideboard, or bathroom vanity.

Books

Vertically stacked or horizontally aligned, books are an underrated styling option because they don't have to be relegated to the bookshelf. Tabletops, mantles, pantries...your house, your rules! What I love about styling with books is that, like the pieces you choose to frame, they can tell a story (no pun intended) or simply be a great infusion of color.

While I don't know that anyone is ever standing in the middle of the room thinking, "my house has nothing to wear", I do know that quite a few people tend to buy things for their home without any intention or direction.

The result?

They bought the thing - it was pretty, it was on sale, their fav influencer has it...whatever the reason - so they find some place to put it but then wake up one day wondering why their home never feels "pulled together" or "complete". Dress your home like you would dress yourself…

What story are you telling?
What vibe are you looking to create?

Answer those questions and let them be your guiding "North Star" when purchasing; and for all the things that don't make the cut - text them to your friends so you can live vicariously through them, LOL.