Cut Down Those Impulse Buys!

What is your downfall in home shopping?  Ikea, Target, or any other store can have you fall victim to impulse purchases.  However, there are ways to avoid these purchases and come out with your wallet a little more full.

In the blog below, we will look at some great tips on how to cut down on your impulse shopping.  You will learn great ways to avoid buying that lamp with the cool shade, and stick to the three things on your grocery list.  You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.


I have a love-hate relationship with shopping. On one hand, plotting purchases can be fun, and it's nice to have new things. Then, on the other hand, there's the self-loathing you feel when you look at your bank account balance... or clean out your closet and realize how much money you spent on things you don't really use. So over the years, I've developed some tactics for shopping smart. This post isn't about not buying things at all: rather, it's about developing strategies to limit your purchases to things you really like, so that your bank account will be happier, AND you'll wind up with things you'll be satisfied with for years to come.

1. Unsubscribe from all those flash sale emails.
Shopping can be really fun, and flash sale sites add a certain element of urgency, making shopping seem almost like a competitive sport: gotta click this email NOW! Gotta shop this sale NOW before everyone else snaps up all the good stuff! The resulting adrenaline rush can override that little voice of reason that says things like "do you really need this?" To make things worse, many flash sale sites have restocking fees or store-credit-only return policies, which makes them terrible places for impulse buys. So unsubscribe from all those flash sale emails that give you the urge to shop, or at the least send them to your 'promotions' inbox in Gmail, to make them a little less in-your-face.

2. Make a 'wants' list.
One of the best ways I've found to combat impulse purchases is by maintaining a 'wants' list. I do a lot of shopping online, so my wants list is a notebook in Evernote where I save photos of and links to things I want. Whenever I run across something I decide I just have to have, I add it to the list. I try to let things sit on the list for at least a few weeks before I actually buy them: a lot of times, I'll end up deciding that I don't really need that thing, after all. (Another great thing about the 'wants' list is that when people ask you what you want for birthdays or holidays, you have a whole list of suggestions right at hand.)

3. If you can't decide between two items, consider that you may not need either one.
Can't decide which pair of sandals you like the best? Try on the idea of not buying anything at all. I've found that often, being completely unable to chose between two things means I don't really feel strongly about either of them.

4. Deny yourself right now and put the money towards something you really want.
Just not spending money at all doesn't feel very fun. But the idea of not spending money so you can get something you want even more later — now that's satisfying. Set a long-term goal for something pricey that you really want, and then when you're tempted to make an impulse purchase, ask yourself: what do I want more, these shoes or that amazing sofa (or light fixture, or vacation, or what have you)? It has a way of putting things into perspective and reminding you that self-denial now = way better things later. I'm currently coveting this amazing credenza from Organic Modernism. I may never actually get it, since it costs more than any piece of furniture I've ever owned, but for its sake many pairs of shoes have gone unboughten.

5. Find small ways to satisfy your craving for newness.
I've realized that a big part of my love for shopping is that it's fun to have new things. I get a little surge of pleasure seeing a shopping bag, tissue poking out the top, sitting on the floor, and having new things around the house gives a little extra spice to my daily routine. Fortunately for you (if you're anything like me), there are ways to scratch the itch without spending a ton of money. Allow yourself a little impulse buy every few weeks, or once a month — a magazine, a new candle or some kitchen towels. You'll get all the fun of a little indulgence, without the remorse of a big one.

Fifteen Uses for Tension Rods

Did you know that there are other uses for tension rods besides what you use them for everyday? Everything from organizing to decorating can be easier with the use of a tension road.   We have gathered some of the best uses for tension rods around your home. Take a peak and see if you think you can use these in your apartment!  You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.

1. Here’s the obvious one you already know: use tension rods for temporary window treatments you can take with you when you move. Put tension rods on the top and bottom of the curtain (as in lead photo above from Kelly Hicks Design) if you want more privacy and a more modern, streamlined look.

2. Hang one under the sink for cleaning supplies, as Jen from A Thousand Words did. It adds another layer of storage and keeps all your spray bottles neatly in a line.

3. JillM hacked some IKEA containers and hung them in the window with — you guessed it — a tension rod. It's the perfect spot for sun-loving greenery.

4. If your cutting boards, cookie sheets, and pot lids don't fit in your cupboard while laying down, or you want to free up more space, separate them with tension rods so they sit vertically. Clever tip courtesy of Martha Stewart.

5. We've featured this clever vertical storage from Sköna Hem before. It's seemingly made of a tension rod (spray painted copper) and drilled plates.

6. Sink skirts are easy to hang and hide a multitude of sins in the kitchen, laundry room, or bathroom.

7. As do curtains for open storage solutions, such as these bookshelf shades fromBetter Homes & Gardens that conceal clutter. Paired with fun fabric, they are also a quick and easy decorating statement.

8. Jordan used tension rods in her daughter Eloise's room, and turned otherwise unusable space into added clothing storage.

9. They also work nicely as impromptu closet doors, or in this case, for screening off The Painted Cottage's small home office.

10. And while we are on the subject of closets, check out how Tammy of A Loyal Love used a series of tension rods to organize her formidable shoe collection.

11. This cottage-style bedroom from HGTV features light linen curtains hung like a canopy.

12. Hang holiday decorations you can take down in a flash, like these July 4th buntings from Better Homes & Gardens.

13. For craft supply addicts, these adjustable bars are perfect for hanging ribbon, washi tape, wrapping paper, or other materials.

14. Yes, they are good for hiding junk in your laundry room. But, hung temporarily, tension rods also make great impromptu drying racks or storage for extra hangers.

15. The House on Hillbrook went on an organizing kick in her office and converted a regular drawer into specialized file storage.

16. If you are sick of paper towels living on your kitchen counter, try storing them inside one of your cabinets instead. This tip comes via Alejandra.

17. Martha shows us a fine way to display photos on a desk, instead of on a wall or in a photo frame. Just another way to eke out more functionality of existing furniture, and corral items in multiple ways. She also gets bonus points for the brass tension rod.

18. And lastly, if you want a custom bedskirt or dust ruffle, use tension rods to hang them from your bed frame. They also make a lot of sense for kids rooms and dorms: hang curtains from high loft beds (like this one from Danielle Oakey) to hide whatever is down below. Here's a tutorial from Dorm Suite Dorm to show you how.

5 Items You Do Not Need in Your Home

Do you fall for trends?  Not every trend you see at the store needs to be in your home.  Limited what you buy can save you money and make your home less cluttered. It can also save you time on cleaning and laundry.  Apartment Therapy has the five things you do not need in your home.

Stores want to sell you lots and lots of stuff, that's their job. Your job is to figure out which things you can't live without and which ones you should leave on the shelf. That's where we come in.

1. Top sheet — Are you hip to this trend? I'm on board (Teresa is too). Forgoing a top sheet has made zero difference in my sleeping comfort, but a major difference in my laundry load and morning bed-making time. I'm a convert.
2. Place settings for 12 — Every registry will encourage you to stock up, but don't do it. Chances are, if you're ever expecting 12 people at once, there will be ample notice to arrange to borrow or rent enough china and silver. And in the (probably long) interim between your epic dinner parties, you won't have to devote storage space to your huge collection of dishware.
3. Specialized cleaning products —Every cleaning line wants to convince you that you need to buy many different lotions and potions to get each specific part of your home clean. An extra-strength disposal bomb to get it lemony fresh? Why not just try a lemon? Or...VINEGAR.
4. Matching nightstands or lamps — Of course retailers will try to convince you to shell out for two instead of one, but don't blindly buy what you might not need. Ask yourself, do both sides of your bed need the same storage? The same lighting situation? Do you even like the look of a matching set? If the answer is no then you're probably a candidate for an unusual nightstand.
5. ALL the knives — Why buy a set and let the store choose which knives you get? Pare down your collection to the ones you know you'll use and love. (Hint: you probably just need a chef's knife, paring knife and bread knife, says the Kitchn)

C'mon, chime in. What do you happily do without at home?

Happy Fourth of July and Trivia

We hope everyone at The Courtyards has an amazing Fourth of July!  The answer to our trivia question is below.

Answer: 1777

Congress authorized using fireworks to help mark the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The celebration, which took place in Philadelphia, also included bonfires and bells.

Did you get it right?