Are Wedding Bathroom Baskets Necessary?

When my kids were little I went all out for almost every holiday. A few years ago I just got tired and decided to pull way way back. My son (now 14) said a few days ago “mom, you don’t do as much for holidays anymore “. My heart kind of sunk and I asked him if it bothered him. He said “oh no way, we still have tons of fun!” Sometimes we are needlessly guilted into overconsumerism.

As someone who hates visual clutter, all of these open storage pieces are an easy “no” for me. They can look pretty in photos where everything is impeccably styled, but no one lives in a perfectly curated, styled environment. Thank you for always making the distinction between the fantasy we see in photos and what’s functional in the real world.

I cannot express this strongly enough: you and I have vastly different tastes and I tend toward the traditional, the used, the scruffy, the antique, BUT: honestly I subscribed to this website, and I stay subscribed, because you are one of the most charming and articulate (and practical) communicators of taste I have even seen. I agree with most of your choices (as a spectator; remember I don’t have many of the products you talk about) but the thing that keeps me coming back is you yourself. Never change!

Your website and you as a person is such a breath of fresh air. I’m so glad you aren’t afraid to actually be completely honest and critical when talking about trends/fads and aren’t constantly promoting the idea that we all need to constantly buy to stay current with trends. You actually are some of the few designers I see on YouTube that encourages quality items/furniture and FUNCTIONAL LIVING SPACES. I swear I see so many people decorate for “aesthetics” nowadays and turn their spaces into what looks like a camera backdrop. It looks beautiful but it’s not functional!

We had a flood in the basement and lost quite a bit of stuff. In the end, it was a blessing in disguise because it made us really look at the things we lost and ask “Do we really need to replace it?” In the end we have learned to live with less. Especially now that retirement is a few years away, we are more mindful of not wanting to accumulate “stuff” – only to need to downsize again.

As a parent I get so much “mom guilt” for not having the mental headspace to decorate my entire house for every season like I see people do on social media. For ages I’ve been assuming it’s a failing on my part and trying to organize better so I can keep up with the seasons. But this article made me thin for just that extra second on WHY I want to do that – it turns out I really don’t, nor do I need to – THANK YOU!!!! xx

I hate clutter and when I see all these beautifully styled open shelving units, bar carts or open shelving in kitchens I think to myself, ” someone has to dust all that s$&t!” Not for me! I have also pared down my Xmas decor to something minimal. A small pencil Christmas tree and a wreath. I avoid going into HomeSense for that very reason!

I appreciate the distinction between “media decisions that sell products” and “people decisions that serve people” in your articles. I think that is one of the reasons why I (personally) dislike minimalism and simplistic designs in real homes… it feels like product placement rather than something that brings a person home imo. A lot of people, when getting a new home or renovating their space, try so hard to get the photogenic look without thinking about what they’re using, at least from my perspective.

“Seasonal Industrial Complex” “If you want to display your alcoholism….” Nick, you are a stitch. Every one of these talking points was spot on. Here’s my personal “don’t need.” Years ago we renovated the kitchen and when done there was a fairly large space in the center (it’s a big-ish kitchen) so we just got an IKEA stainless steel cart that sits in the center of the room and functions as an island. It is the perfect size for the space. Not too big, not too small. Over the years some people have said “you should build a little island in the center” and my thought is “why the hell should I?” It’s not needed. That cart has always been absolutely perfect in size and function and aesthetics.

We had the opposite problem with seating people. Moved into a small house in a new city that was perfectly sized for the two of us and our dog. Had a two seater and an armchair and that was all the space. We are now almost always the hosts for gatherings of our new friend group and when we moved again we had to make sure we could regularly seat 8 people 😂 Edit: Also I put my feet up almost constantly but I’m just gross and put my feet on the coffee table when we don’t have guests over lol

Nick, this was the best! Cracking up over the bar carts. Thank you for validating my stance on Holiday decorating. In the past I have actually felt bad about not being an organized holiday decorator. Like my families happiness depends on well labeled totes of gaudy glam, unpacked and packed at just the right seasonal transition. Whew!! Over that! Thank you Nick.

This is so eerie! I’m currently in a gut/ reno project for my living room. My husband and I debated on having a customised media console built (like as you described) and I had this gnawing feeling in the back of my mind saying “but what are you going to put on the shelves? The sea shell you collected from the Caribbean? Random objects?” And I quickly realised that it was going to be unnecessary (for our lifestyle) and create a distraction whilst perusal movies. So we’ve gone for a mild japandi feel instead. Everything is neatly stored behind a minimalist scandi tv bench. The main focus on the room is the sofa & lighting. So far it’s looking very polished but yet still inviting. Love your content as always! Love from Norway 🇳🇴

This year I decided not to do the whole-house seasonal change-overs. I am simplifying everything in my life that is under my control. I have always been a “sweat the small stuff” type of person and this change has been so freeing. I am pretty sure no one in my family has missed the decor changes or has even noticed.

This is my favorite article you have uploaded to date! For some reason, in this article you seemed very compassionate and empathetic toward the viewers. I love that you kept emphasizing that there was no need to worry about decorating homes to look like magazine pages! Best advice ever! Be yourself and be mindful!!

I love how you get us thinking about things we live with simply because we always have. I live in a small house and ironically things that aren’t necessary for others keep me going while must haves for them are a definite no. For example having end tables as opposed to a coffee table. A coffee table is the perfect height for our dog to knock everything off with her tail, it’s big enough for my husband to drop things on ‘for now’ and it’s in the middle of the walking space. The end tables are off to the side and more individual so they can be tidied faster, the dog doesn’t access them as easily and best of all if my husband wants to put his pants there ‘for now’ he’ll be stuck holding his drink in his lap. And the one end table is actually an old ottoman we were going to toss. What can I say, I’m a rebel. LOL.

The bar cart is something I consider seasonal. My bff has a huge house and hosts nearly every 2 weeks andshe uses the bar cart. Outside in the summer to reduce opening/closing the ac. When all our kids were little, the bar cart was in the kids basement area in the winter with snacks and waters while the adults were upstairs. But she’s the only person I’ve known who justified a bar cart in my world. 😂 I love your attack on them 😂😂

Re: both nightstands and ottomans: you can’t go wrong with simple stackable stools (like Aalto 60 or E60 if you can afford it, or some durable knockoff). They serve as seating at parties, ad hoc nightstand or side table, kitchen stool to reach the high cabinets, you can put a plant on one, or usually, just stack books on them. And store the extra in a neat stack. Four stools do wonders and don’t look too precious.

I love what you said about the ottomans and foot stools. I feel the same way. I really hate that people think they need a couch, loveseat and two chairs minimum because they are sold in stores as a set, (with at least 3 tables, too). The older I get the more I think my home needs to only reflect the way we live, not how other people think we should live.

😁 oh how I love you!!!!! YES to all of this! I especially loved your thoughts on seasonal decor. Everybody needs to settle down with the onslaught of trendy seasonal trash from Hobby Lobby!!! 😂 Because I grew up with a fun mom who decorated for all of the seasons, I thought I was supposed to do that, as well. It has taken me years to simplify and realize that simple, elegant seasonal changes suit me better ❤️

This is a fantastic article! Good decor and furnishings are a joy but unnecessary consumerism is bad for your wallet and the environment, plus it doesn’t add any extra happiness to an already nice home. ALSO, I laughed out loud when you joked about folks displaying their alcoholism. That was my dad all over! SO proud of his home bar! Well, I was telling my playmates on the playground at recess that my parents would divorce before they knew it themselves. Moral… we make ourselves far more transparent to others than we realize.

Omg Thank you for pointing out the holiday stuff!!! I swear I was feeling so “un” about it — unfun, untraditional, uninspired and just a jerk for not wanted to complete rearrange my house every few months!!! I love holidays but I feel tremendous stress about the work of the over-decorating and finding places to store the decor when not in use. I was really just blindly doing it for years and suffering. Now I feel such a lift of just not going all out and now I’m gonna scale way back and sell the excess. ❤ I’m not Macy’s, I don’t need to attract in foot traffic with holiday decorations!!!

Nick, I love your expertise and think you are hilarious! Well done for simply diving into the content of each section, instead of announcing the title and then diving into the content with the name as in a previous article. As a designer, you may consider using the term “curating” your space instead of “making do” or “editing”, which embraces the concept that selecting less gives us so many more choices and richness.

My unnecessary item is a coffee table. By coffee table, I mean the large, immovable low table you need to sneak around to sit on your couch, or streeeetch to put your coffee mug on. Instead I have two small lightweight tables, the same height as a coffee table. Because they’re light, I can move them out of the way of my exercise mat, scoot them right next to the couch, or tuck them to the sides to work as end tables. I like the look of a large open space in the middle of my living room, too. I don’t have traditional end tables either. Between the couch and a chair I have a rolling metal bin-cart; I use the top bin as a table and keep sewing or knitting projects or reading material below. On the other side, I have the “tech stand” I built — this holds my wifi router, external hard drive, and assorted hubs. There’s enough free space on top to park a mug and a small snack.

Thank you sooo much i needed to hear this, im repainting my home after my mother passed away a few months ago and im trying to add my touch but my mother was one to have ALOT going on from bright mix match paint colors to decorations for every season. I love how you said do what serves you and your family! Absolutely love this!

Totally agree with you on all of this! A lot of these seem like symptoms of aspirational living. Built-ins are definitely something I waffled about for years before finally deciding they were too much trouble. They take up wall space you could use for art, reduce the square footage of the room, and add unnecessary restrictions on where you can put your furniture. Another one that can be unnecessary is a separate dining table and breakfast table. It often makes more sense to have one table that can do both jobs or is convertible. I would also put a lot of different patio furniture pieces into this category; side tables, side chairs, plant stands, privacy screens, specialized pots, and etc can all be too much and unnecessary. Putting a bunch of stuff on the patio usually ends up looking more like clutter and less like a garden space. Going with bigger planters and putting more plants in each one gives a better illusion of a green garden than scattering small pots around the patio. It’s also less work than watering individual pots. Using fewer, larger pieces of furniture on a patio generally feels like a cleaner space in the end too.

I loved your imitation of a bar cart. So funny, Nick. Love your ideas, too. I’m trying to downsize and get rid of UDJ (useless decorative junk), so had to severely curtail the seasonal decorations. I buy a nice aromatic wreath each Christmas from my friend’s child’s school fundraiser, and that’s about it.

My grandparents have a beautiful built-in in their late 80s home. It’s nice because they have lots of family photos on it, some collector pieces, and some fun things. I don’t have a layout that would work with it, so I use other types of shelves and display cases. I find something like a display case or hutch much better because then you don’t have to constantly be dusting it off.

Recent subscriber here. I love your practical approach to decorating. Also love that you always throw in the caveat of if you love it, keep it, and don’t take this too seriously because we’re here to have fun. I agree with you on some points, but some I don’t. You would think my house is one big nightmare, but it works for us. I’m posting this from my reclining sofa. But my husband and I are older and have health issues, so we love it. I also have an electric fireplace and some animal print in my living area. Our home is comfy and works for us, so we’re content. If you’re ever over for dinner, please don’t judge us until you’ve left. lol. Thanks so much for your entertaining and informative articles.

I agree with every point you made, especially the seasonal decor! I used to buy into that hype when I first moved out but then I realized it wasn’t really my thing, especially when I just don’t have the storage space for all of it! A little something during Christmas (my fave holiday) is enough for me.

THANK YOU. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 as a 40-something woman in rural Ohio, US, I am surrounded by (poorly done) farm house decor and the thought that we need to accessorize for seasons/holidays. Ugh. I realize it’s some people’s design style, but in most cases people have no clue and just follow the masses (insert Home Goods). Listen I don’t really have much of a clue either but I do know what I DON’T want… flowers, recliners, open shelves/built-Ins — no thank you! I am happy with my minimal, functional decor that focuses on the few items that are important to me, like my own artwork. Love you!

This was excellent. I agree with you about all the items you mentioned. Especially about side tables, feeling obliged to have seating for when you have 32 people over (which, if it happens at all, is a rare occasion). In 2021, I took a hard look at how we really live and use the space. Four people live here, and I counted 9 desks and about 7 end tables, 3 dining tables, and 8 dresser/bureaus, and multiple storage bins, trunks and cube shelves. Absolutely ridiculous amount of furniture which we had collected over the years (beware estate sales). The house was like a warehouse, and I was struggling to fit all these pieces in the space we have (which is large, but not that large). To vacuum, dust, mop, took forever because I had to move things to reach other things I had to clean. I realized most of these pieces were empty or were just becoming a place to pile things. Not really being used for the purpose for which they were made. I massively purged and it made quite a difference. Lighter, more space, everything in proportion to the room size (and much easier to clean.) Thanks again for your website, which I really enjoy.

Yeah, one thing I learned in Covid times was that it is possible (and wonderful) to skip all of the holidays stuff. I love my family and friends but need no decor for those times of year. It all goes by so fast and you just have one mess after another to spend your time cleaning up. And we don’t give gifts either, my kids are adults- when they were small we WAY over did that and I do not think it was good for them. I give them stuff all year anyway if I think they can use it.

Nightstand in a small room… I solved this by using two tall slim shelving towers. Open design kept it from overwhelming the room. And, yes…I did actually need a nightstand. With a job, a child, and aging parents, I needed an alarm I could reach, a light I could reach, and a phone all by the bed. Hubby was a manager and would get up very early, so he needed an alarm of his own, and to have his phone handy. This room was only 9 ft wide, so the extra storage space was critical! It did have a high ceiling, and despite the small size, it was my favorite room in that house. Very airy feel, bright and cheerful.

I have decluttered quite a bit and had fun buying seasonal. Living in Canada having the changing of the seasons is a big deal it’s like summer is coming or the snow is coming. Also, switching out the tea towels from dark to spring brings fun to the kitchen and helps celebrate the seasons. It can be little and inexpensive

Our 1921 home came with a really nice built-in which is in a sort of solarium and looks gorgeous with lots of cabinets to hide the DVDs, CDs and other stuff but to be honest, the most angst was around what to display in the large number of shelves. We’ve been in the house since May 2020 and to this day I still look at it and think “ok, MAYBE I should swap out that with something else?” and then fret about it for a few days before deciding “ah, who cares…”

I love our two night tables, they’re art deco (small) heirlooms. You would want them too, lol ! 😂 I don’t like massive built ins too. They’re boring. We have it on our bedroom and they’re not-open shelves, just for the tv, so I keep it for storage of linen and towels. Hate the ladder too in bathrooms. Great advice Nick. Thanks !! 😊

I live in a tiny studio (under 400 sq ft) and I adore my ottoman. I love a chaise longue/to have my feet up but I hate sectionals and don’t have nearly enough room for one anyway. The ottoman I have is highly multifunctional. It’s upholstered in velvet, opens for storage, allows me to put my feet up, provides essential extra seating, and (with a large bamboo tray from Yogibo) turns into a coffee table or a place to play games/do puzzles. It is also easily moved from place to place in the room so it’s out of the way at night time. Make sure your furniture works for you, the way you live, and the space you inhabit!

You are such a Ray of sunshine, I love your sense of humour. You just amuse me in a good way. You’re so right about the seasonal stuff. I’m English but live in Spain. Most of us don’t change our homes for each season, only Christmas 🤶. I loved the bit about not liking 32 people and the squeaky bar cart, it just made me laugh. I hate stuff lying around, it’s just more to dust and clean. We do have two small foot stools and we use them all the time. I agree that I probably don’t need as many side tables. Thanks Nick. Hope you and Mike are doing well and that your new home is progressing. Love u 🥰 xx

Thank you for the article. Love your remarks about seasonal decor. For 25 years I was satisfied decorating just for Xmas and it crept in, the fall decor, Halloween decor, Easter decor. I had a full basement in which to store all this stuff, I didn’t realize how they were downsizing the displays at the Home Goods in the tri-state area here, the stuff was ending up with me. Also I took to decorating the exterior of my place, benches, window boxes, steps, doors with seasonal stuff until my neighbor from the UK commented how tacky this had gotten. Love your website!

Oh, Nick …. you are so sensible! love all your comments about ….. too many side tables, that big ass THING we all think we need or we have been told we need (snigger). You and your family, their friends, your pets, LIVE and LOVE in your home (hopefully) and it’s not just there to be InstWhattable!

I enjoy your articles and this one inspired me. I have 2 grown children and no grandchildren, so it’s time to give up all the work of seasonal decorating. It used to be fun for me, but to be honest now it’s just a chore. I have many beautiful things that I hate to part with, but it’s time. The kids don’t want it and I want to be free of the work of cleaning it up and packing it away. This year I’m going to chose a couple of the best things and give the rest away for someone else to enjoy.

Seasonal . I enjoy doing seasonal re-freshes. I steer away from all things “Theme-y” and stay in my lane with color palette and texture. For me, Summer 2023 is navy and light blue stripe textiles, sea grass baskets, vibrant green plants and minimal decor. I want to spend my time outdoors and not be a slave to interior maintenance. I love the light and airy vibe I going on right now without sacrificing coziness, come Fall and Winter, I’ll go darker and moody-er. A creative re-styling is therapeutic for me and I love taking inspiration from what I see outside and bringing it in.

Hey Nick, I started following you when you had less than 1000 subscribers. Fell off the following wagon for awhile but congrats on almost 1/2 million subscribers. Wow! I am in the paring down phase and use dining room chairs all the time for guests at home. I mean wouldn’t one rather sit on an actual chair than a humpty? We have too many armchairs at our cottage (cabin in Newfoundland) so I’m definitely purging two and will use the dining chairs there as well. You are so funny and I’ve noticed that you are really good with the disclaimers before you trash a decorating trend, lol. I’m hating anything that is a dust collector.

Oh, I agree with everything you said Nick. Except holiday decorations. More specific christmas decorations. Don’t decorate for anything else but christmas is a must. From beginning of November until end of January I LOVE to live in my snuggly Scottish Highlands themed “castle “. I go all in and wouldn’t change that for anything. Best time of the year! 😊

Hey Nick. My family’s always been traditional in having a table next to every chair, one on both sides of the sofa, and a coffee table. Of course, looking back, that stems from needing convenient surfaces to put the ash trays on. But for my home, I’ve always found a coffee table is a nuisance. I do like a small table next to the chair, or close enough for both that and a sofa to share. But I opted for a medium sized ottoman in place of the coffee table. Nothing on the ottoman but our feet, bad knees run in the family. So much more practical. Bonus points, the ottoman is one with storage inside.