Big Changes for 2016

Thank y’all for your sweet encouragement on yesterday’s post.  Even though I share personal stuff quite a bit, laying it all out there in that way isn’t easy.  But as soon as I hit publish, a huge weight lifted off of me.  I think so much good can come from not just sharing the positive, but also the hardship.

Today’s post is a bit like yesterday’s.  While it’s more about blogging, there’s a lot of personal realizations and convictions woven in.  It’s something I’ve been mulling over in my mind for months now and to be honest, I’ve been so hesitant to write it.  I know that these types of posts can be controversial and a part of me is scared/hopes I might change my mind, though what God’s been showing me doesn’t support that right now.  Like yesterday, I hope I feel a huge weight lifted after hitting publish.  We shall see…

I need to say up front that my realizations and the changes that are coming to the blog are not what I think every blogger should do.  I don’t judge anyone who chooses to blog differently for a second.  This is just what I’ve personally been convicted about lately.  I really believe that we all are supposed to walk a different path and reach different people.  Our convictions refine us and right us toward our own unique path and purpose.  What I need to do doesn’t mean I think every other home blogger should follow suit or is wrong for doing things differently.  This is me and my story and let’s be honest, I may be a little crazy.

As I said in yesterday’s 2015 reflection post, the year with it’s highs and lows taught me so much.  I truly believe that life is a journey and we’ll always learn new things and change and evolve with that knowledge.  In many ways, I feel like a completely different person than I was when I started this year and it’s actually not because of my health struggles.  It’s more because of the major things God showed me. 

It really all began when a ladies’ mentoring group that I’m in started reading one particular book.  I know I’ve mentioned this group before, but I have to say again how life-changing it’s been for me.  It’s made up of women at different ages and stages of life.  What I’ve learned from them is really shaping the kind of wife, mother, and woman I’m becoming.  But back to that book.

jen hatmaker

When I heard that we were reading 7 by Jen Hatmaker, let’s just say I wasn’t excited.  I knew the premise of the book and it wasn’t something I wanted to get into.  Not that I didn’t think she had a point or that it would be useless, but because I had this sneaking suspicion that it would turn my life upside down. 

A friend told me about this book several years ago.  Jen became keenly aware of all of the excess in her life and sought to remove it.  She tackled one area of her life a month for seven straight months.  For example, for the food month, she ONLY ate seven foods.  Say what?!  Due to our groups’ time table, we decided to do two week stints for each area and we didn’t follow what she did exactly.  We tweaked them and each did different challenges based on where we thought our struggles were. 

I now realize how crucial it was that I read this book when I did, in the midst of the health problems I talked about yesterday.  Being broken down in the way that I was really made me aware of my need for change in many areas and I think that made me much more receptive to what God had to say through this book.  I could write an entire novel on what I learned, so I won’t bore you with every realization and detail.  The summary is that it made me so aware of how much excess there is in our lives.  I don’t wear 75% of what’s in my closet, granted some of that is due to the current weight struggle, but I wasn’t wearing more than that when I could fit into it all.  I rely on food for comfort and feel entitled to eat what I want, when I want.  I watch way too much TV and it really makes me ineffective in so many areas.  I want to start a garden, a compost bin, and get chickens (though this really doesn’t surprise me with my interest in healthy living).  And I’m living with all of this excess when people are hungry, hurting, and going without.

But one main thing that came from it, I really didn’t expect.

Reading this book about excess made me start evaluating my blog.  I started realizing that, though I try to be completely myself and transparent with you guys, a huge disconnect has grown between the Lindsay you get and who I am in real life. 

When I started blogging, I was a 23 year-old newlywed with a new house and no money.  We were buried under so much student debt and both made very little at the time, but I was desperate to make our new fixer upper a home for us.  I thrifted and painted.  We made things.  We used hand-me-downs.  A $5 pink Goodwill chair sat under a majorly over-sized slipcover that didn’t fit in our living room for two full years.  But I safety pinned, tucked in, threw a pillow on, and loved it.  And though every piece wasn’t chosen because it was the perfect fit for that room, I loved our home.  It was cozy and beautiful and ours. 

Somewhere along the way, I’ve lost that girl and the original purpose for the blog.  We’re still almost as thrifty in real life.  Things are tight right now after doing this big renovation, but even when there’s a little more breathing room, we’re on the Dave Ramsey plan and try to live with a budget (though we fail often at that – darn grocery budget goes over every single month without fail!).  We try to focus on being a good steward of the resources we’ve been entrusted with.  But when it comes to the blog: what the blog needs, what room needs to be revealed, or what deadlines are looming, all of that thriftiness goes out the window.

Here’s where the controversial part comes in and this is something I’ve really, really wrestled with.  Again, this is my story, not a guideline all bloggers should follow.

The budget doesn’t go out the window because I go out and buy super expensive items, though I definitely spend more on home decor than we can afford in the name of “the blog needs it, honey!”  This change has happened for several reasons.  First of all, the more I’ve blogged, my vision for my home has gone more from cozy and homey to high-style.  I’m not sure “high-style” is even the right term, but what I mean is that I’ve gone from making things work to compiling a room of ideal pieces regardless of budget and what I already have.  It’s also changed because the blog has grown and I now have brands willing to provide expensive products that fit with my ideal vision for the room. 

As I was reading 7, I became so aware of how different this home is (our third home) than that first sweet place we created.  Not just because some of the items are more expensive.  I don’t believe there’s something wrong with saving for an expensive item to love in your home!  But it’s so different because it’s missing the story.

In our first home, we could point to every piece and tell you the story behind it.  It was an amazing goodwill find.  We made it out of such and such.  It was my grandmother’s, etc.  Here, when we get questions about items, the answer has almost always become, “A brand gave it to me.”

That drastic change really broke my heart. 

All fall, I started reading other blogs and getting comments about the relatability of blogs now with all of the sponsored content and provided product.  I know this is coming off like sponsored content is evil and that’s 100% not what I mean.  I firmly believe that bloggers should be paid for their work!  The issue comes in for me when I’m accepting products I would never, ever be able to afford.  For a long time, I just told myself it was a perk of the job and I definitely think that it is!  Blogging is a job for many people and jobs should be paid. 

But one single moment showed me that, for me personally, I have to start blogging a little differently.

I was re-reading a sponsored post I’d published on a very expensive item.  I’ve always been very choosy about sponsored posts and as I’ve told y’all before, I never accept it if it isn’t something I would STYLISTICALLY have in my home.  I’ve always just considered whether or not it was true to my style and niche.  What I hadn’t ever considered was how much that product cost and if I would buy that if I weren’t a blogger getting it for free, considering our family’s goals and financial situation.

As I was reading that post, I immediately pictured my young, newly married self sitting at the desk her husband made her for Christmas out of old, weathered boards.  She’s staring at her computer, reading that post on a blog she loved and wanted to emulate that style in her own home.  She reads about how that product has made their life better or their home prettier and then she clicks over and sees the price.  Her shoulders slump and she hangs her head because she knows.  She’ll never, ever be able to afford something like that.  And even if she could, her husband wouldn’t let her spend that kind of money on that…and she couldn’t really argue with him.

Big, huge tears immediately formed in my eyes as it hit me that a post I wrote might cause that kind of reaction in others trying to create a beautiful home for their family on a budget.  And it finally hit me how far I’ve come from where I started.  Not just the budget aspect, but the heart and soul of what my blog was about.  My initial goal was to inspire and encourage beyond how the rooms in our home look.  And while I think I do that in some ways, there is a huge gap, a missing piece…the disconnect.

I completely believe that we can’t be everything to everybody and this is in no way in response to readers’ comments on sponsored posts, though I’ve had those too.  The changes I’m making aren’t seeking to please anyone…not really even myself!  I mean, who doesn’t want a free room makeover that they could never afford on their own?  But I’m making these changes out of faithfulness to where I feel God leading me.  In 7, Jen Hatmaker didn’t expect everyone to start living the way she was.  It was an extreme experiment she felt called to pursue to reveal the excess we’re living with.  It’s kind of the same for me.  I’m doing this not because it’s the right path for everyone, but because I feel like it’s my path for a purpose.  I don’t know why or what the outcome will be, but I hope how I view my home will change.  And I hope that others’ will see it as relatable and something that inspires them as they create their own cozy home.

The issue here for me lies not in the price of certain things, but in the disconnect between our very budget-conscious family and how our life and home appears on the blog.  They don’t match up and God’s shown me that it’s about time they did.  I’ve known now for months that changes needed to be made, but I’ve really fought it.  I’m all or nothing, so I’ve considered never doing a sponsored post again, but this is my full-time job and sponsored posts do represent a chunk of my income that my family depends on.  I considered doing a full year where I only buy home items at thrift stores, but what about reasonable stores like Target?  Everything adds up no matter where it’s from!   I even considered (very briefly) selling everything and starting from scratch, but I love how our home is taking shape and know I can layer on the story and budget to what we have.  I told you…crazy.  And none of those extreme things felt like the right answer.

I tossed around a lot of ideas and think I’ve come up with some key changes that I feel good about:

budget

Going forward, I will design with budget in mind.  For each room that I design or item that I purchase, I will set a budget of what we would naturally spend on it.  There will still be some sponsored posts and items, but I’m adding a budget question to my sponsored post vetting process.  Would I buy this item for this price?  And when they go in a room reveal, the cost of them is included in the budget.  I’m seeking to let go of the search for the ideal item and use what we have, make some things, thrift, and buy budget-friendly pieces. 

transparency

I want to have full transparency with the budget.  I’ll share the budget breakdown with you guys, the triumphs, the struggles, and even the thing I really wanted, but couldn’t afford.  I think one key thing to point out here is that budgets look different for everyone at different stages.  For example, we have more room in our budget today than we did as young newlyweds.  But in ten years, we may have more room…or less, who knows.  Some of you may see something I buy and think, “That is not budget-friendly!”  Some of you may think, “She really should’ve upgraded that.”  The goal here is to share how we’re living, renovating, and decorating our home on our budget.  And hopefully, you guys can learn something from that and apply it to your unique situation.

story

I want to really focus on items with a story wherever I can: hand-me-downs, things we made, or even purchased, new items that really meant something to us for some reason.  I recently visited a friend and her home blew me away because it was insanely beautiful, but every single item had a story (I’ll be sharing her home tour this week!).  That’s what I want for this place.  Still completely my style, but done in a different way.

creative

I think one thing I’m most excited about is the infusion of creativity!  While I do think there’s definite creativity in what I’ve been doing: choosing how to mix colors, etc., I miss the creativity of having $15 for a gallery wall and making something out of nothing.

Christmas-bedroom

Our Christmas bedroom is an example of this for me.  I haven’t “designed” this room yet, so when it came time to decorate it for Christmas, I just grabbed things I had.  The comforter was a wedding present, the bedside table is my childhood nightstand with a coat of paint, the lamp I bought on clearance for our very first house, the painting, pillows, and throw are thrifted.  And I love it.  I love the memories and meaning most of all, but the minimal impact on my wallet is nice too.

I already know this won’t be easy.  I know there will be times I will wish I hadn’t written this post and I’ll have to turn down or not buy things I really, really want.  But making this commitment and shift is freeing and I know it’s where I’m supposed to head this year.  Thank you guys for reading what did actually turn out to be a novel!  Thank you for how you encourage me.  And I do hope you’ll follow along in this journey.  A lot will be the same, some things will be drastically different, but I sure am excited to see what 2016 holds for this blog and our home.

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83 Comments

You are amazing. So inspired by you and your honestly and trust in the Lord. He has a beautiful story planned for your blog and I’m so grateful for such an amazing blogger to look up to and call my friend. Love you!!

Oh Eileen, I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for you and our friendship! Thank you for your encouragement today and for talking some of this through with me during our last walk. I look up to you and how you’re raising your girls! Excited to see you soon πŸ™‚

Lovely post. I just finished reading Jen Hatmaker’s, Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity. Very challenging. I’m excited for you in this journey and identify with your heart in what you’ve written. Be encouraged. An honest heart pursuing its conviction is a welcomed thing. Thank you for being brave enough to share with us.

Krista, thank you so much for your encouragement. It really means so much to me and I need to read that book! After reading this one, I want to get my hands on everything she’s written!

Thank you, Lindsey! I think this is a wonderful change. Often times on the blogs I read I think “oh, I love that vase!” and check it out and it’s $500.not in my budget. I always loved YHL because they broke down their budget on projects. I wish all bloggers would do that. Not only does it help when readers fall in love with what you did, but because sometimes information like how much you paid for tile installation isn’t easily available and it helps at least give us regular people a ballpark when attempting the same. I’m looking forward to The White Buffalo 2016!

Courtney

Courtney, I am so encouraged to read your comment! You never know how a change like this will be received and while pleasing readers isn’t my motivation in the change, ofcourse I still hope people will respond well πŸ™‚ Thank you for confirming there’s a need for this kind of change! So grateful for your encouragement today.

I am right there with Courtney. I am a accountant so the numbers are something I think about when I look at room reveals and other blogs. I love to see a high/low comparison or look for less, or hack. They all take more creativity and ingenuity than just buying something expensive that is perfect. Looking forward to seeing what you share!! XO, Amanda @ life on linton

I know we chatted yesterday, but I just have to love on you one more time. So blown away by this blog and by your courage in trusting where the Lord was prompting you and actually choosing to move forward in that. I will say that as a single woman in her mid-twenties, inspiration is everywhere, but relatable inspiration is much harder to come by. Many bloggers I have loved for their thriftiness have stepped up their spending power as success for their blog has grown. I don’t begrudge anyone anything of the sort, and I find sponsored posts kind of fascinating, but I also love that you thought about a girl (maybe even someone like me) looking at it and feeling disheartened by how out of reach that is for most people. With or without sponsors, your style is so unique, layered, and warm, and I can’t wait to see how the house continues to evolve, no matter the budget. You’re incredible, Lindsay, and I know God will honor this. πŸ™‚

Austin, your comment just brought me to tears. Thank you so much for sharing that and confirming that there are many out there who are craving this. My heart and soul has been for awhile, but there’s always that little voice that says, “No one wants this! People will think it’s stupid!” Thank you for sharing your perspective and coming here and encouraging me so much. I’m grateful for you!

First time commenter here. I really enjoyed reading about your new path. I found your blog this summer when my husband and I needed to create a faux beam to open our kitchen up. Of course I came across tons of blogs during the search, but yours was the only one that I continued to follow. As I looked through your past posts, I fell in love with your mix of styles because I’m a huge thrift store fan and must stick to my budget because our FINAL student loan will be paid off in May of this year (!!!). Anyway, I’m not exactly sure how to word this, but I’ve noticed in your new house that you still have the same eclectic style that I love, but it’s almost like spending lots of $$$ to find a perfect vintage lookalike dress except it’s not vintage at all. You are right–it’s all about the stories. Best and much love -Ashley

P.S. In regards to your last post, have you tried essential oils on your thyroid? I know that it wouldn’t be ideal to change your meds since you are getting everything regulated, but a blend of Lemongrass, Frankensence, and myrrh works for me. I’m completely off the thyroid pill now. It might be something to research!

YES YES YES!!! i love this! i have always put that thought into my sponsored posts, too- if i could afford this, would i buy it? and if the answer is yes, then i feel good about it! but i don’t feel right with thousand dollar items that i would never purchase. you put it into words all so well.

I liked you and your blog before, but now I love you. I’m 33 years old with a masters degree, a good job, married to a working man, have two kids…we can’t afford anything right now because of student loan debt, bills and daycare so this is wonderful. I find myself skipping over many bloggers sponsored posts because I know I can’t afford it. So this is great. Thank you.

WOW! Thank you for your courage, honesty and following God’s nudge at taking a different path. I have never commented before but this made me cry. I love that you shared how you are taking God’s lead and how thing had shifted for you in the blogging world. Or the world that is suppose to equal perfection, an unattainable aspiration for many who look around their home with a deep sigh of discontentment. And I am so touched when you shared how you never wanted a person to see your beautiful home and the “it” item to only be heart broken with the cost of “it”. So many times I have seen someone’s room reveal on a blog, find the piece that i think is meant for our home and then see the incredibly high dollar sign. Unrealistic. And the sponsored item is not usually figured into the total makeover price. Anyway, THANK YOU!!!!! thank you for you realism, truthfulness, deep soul and seeing the importance of a story.

BY the way, read Jen’s “For the Love”. Brutally honest and laugh out loud good.

Lindsay, Thank you for posting, so inspired by your honesty. I have been following your blog for over a year and have loved watching you design your new home and become a mother (I have had two home births myself!) from my living room sofa πŸ™‚ We are a one income family with 4 kids 6 and under so design on a budget is a huge deal to me and I appreciate what God is showing you and am excited to see what you come up with! A friend of mine shared this Maya Angelou quote with me a few months ago and it’s taken root into my life. I think it’s applicable here. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Blessings to you on your new journey!

I have always admired your style but this post made me love you even more! I read Seven three years ago. I didn’t read it with a group of people but read it because I found myself having a hard time relating to the world around me after having my first son. It’s so hard not getting caught up in a society that leads you to believe that more and bigger is certainly better. It really guided me in way that I couldn’t find anywhere else and I continue to strive for that balance. I enjoy nice things and try to be mindful of how and what we spend. We too have student loans, childcare etc. and as much I would love to splurge on some amazing things for our home it just doesn’t fit our budget or needs currently. I do believe your house should feel like you no matter what your budget is and I think that you do an amazing job with that. Kiddos for following your heart, it’s hard to do no matter what your situation is sometimes. And on your last post – finding yourself and accepting your β€œnew” body after baby is so hard. Thanks for being so honest. This is why I love the interest (even then it could be a brutal place sometimes) you find people that you can connect with that sometimes isn’t as easy in real life. You are a beautiful soul and I’m sure God has big plans for you and your family in this new year. Be sure that I will be following along!

Thank you for allowing even your anonymous readers (like myself ?) a glimpse into your heart! Words like these inspire me personally so much more than any paint color, layering technique, online retail source, or etc. I appreciate your lead to turn our focus on the Joy Giver, and our backs on the Joy Taker. Can’t wait to see what 2016 holds for The White Buffalo Styling Co Family!

Yes. Thank you. I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now (probably the one I’m most faithful to), and it just keeps getting better. I love the reno/design/style posts, but there have definitely been times where I’ve thought “i can’t afford this”. I’m so thankful for your transparency and integrity in how you blog and allowing God to shape your blog first and foremost. This only makes me want to follow it more, and I’m excited to see how these changes spark more creativity in my own approach to our home. Keep doing what you are doing, girl. You’re rocking it.

Lindsay, what a wonderful post with such an honest and realistic look at blogging and where it can take one. My husband and I are in ministry and have always been on a seriously low budget, so I have tried to reflect that on my blog as well. It has definitely made me more creative, and I love seeing others being creative within budget limitations. I think it’s ultimately more inspiring to see someone really think outside the box. You have such unique and wonderful style, and I am sure you will continue to inspire in ever greater ways:-)

I’d noticed a change, but I don’t know you personally and I’m not a troll, so I wouldn’t have said anything. But I am happy to see you’re back on track mentally and health wise and giving the spiritual and emotional aspects of your work top consideration.

I’ve also read 7 and found it life-changing.

Lindsay,
I so appreciate your obedience to the Lord. As I was reading your blog I was reminded of this verse. 2Chronicles 16:9 ” For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him”. Thank you for demonstrating what it looks like to walk in faith as you honor God with your life and blog!

I LOVE this. I have stopped reading many blogs because of this very issue. I am so thankful that you are returning to your roots as it were, because I love your style, but frankly stopped reading most of your posts from last year for the reasons you state. I love the creativity and joy found in making and repurposing. I am committed to simplicity and contentment, not constant acquisition, and the need for newer, better, higher end, and on and on. God bless you Lindsey. I look forward to seeing your creativity in 2016!

This is such a great idea! I have been that person, reading someone’s post about something and loving it only to find that the price of the piece I love what way beyond what I could even want to pay. I love buying things for my home on a budget, but I do also enjoy spending more for a couple pieces that I know will stand the test of time. Thank you for being so open and willing to share this with us! You have such a unique sense of style and while it may not be similar to my own, I appreciate it none the less. Looking forward to seeing what you create with this new sense of purpose!

I love the honesty of the last two posts. Thank you for that. We are at a different point in our lives, thinking of retiring, so budget is on our minds as well. I do get tired of a lot of the sponsored posts of various blogs. Sometimes it seems to lack the creativity that I started reading blogs for. So go for it. I will continue to enjoy reading your blog.

Lindsay, I would just like to say that your blog has been my favorite for some time now. And not even just because of the style you display in your home. I love how genuine you are and how you mix your design with your home and family life. This post has been such a blessing to me, because I am like you were.. a young newlywed with a small budget, small space, and giant dreams for it that don’t seem achievable. I am now so excited for this upcoming year and following your journey in this. I feel the Lord’s pleasure in your choice to head in this direction and I want to be like you. Thank you for your sincerity and openness, it has blessed me so.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! I have had SO many of the same thoughts lately, you summed it up perfectly!!! I can’t wait to read this year!! xoxo

Lindsay!
I love this! I follow many on IG that while I love their work and their style, I just can simply not afford to emulate what they have. I can not wait to see what you do next!

Yeah, so, you might have just become my favorite home blogger. Between this post and the last (us hypothyroid gals have to stick together) (and you not shying away from the fact that you love Jesus), you are totally speaking to this budget restrained mama. Thanks for the honesty. ?

Yes, Brava, and Amen! I love beauty but can’t relate to high price tags very well. In the middle of my life, I finally have some money to spare for the beautiful things, bu,t having grown up poor, I still prefer the clever, creative triumph over what The Nester calls “lovely limitations” than off-the-rack/floor perfection. I enjoy your blog because your inspiring decor is reachable. I’m glad to hear that you’re choosing to stay that way. Being authentic is a spiritual challenge, and I commend you for choosing the truer but harder path. I hope you got that weight-lifted feeling!

Thanks for being real and honest. We are all on a journey, just at different stops along the way. 3 years ago our home burned down, and I would have loved to have replaced everything with made, thrifted or hand me downs, but we were on a very short time frame in submit claims and purchase everything needed to move back in. β€œMy next home” – in retirement – will have things that we will have salvaged, thrifted, yard-saled, made, or traded for, and they will have a story that goes with it. Thanks for keeping it real, and sharing your life and your family with us. I guess I should get Jen Hatmaker’s book 7. She was at our church a couple years ago and she is really good. I guess we could all use some lessons on getting rid of our excess. ? God continue to bless you and your sweet family. By the way, I love your home!

Wow, Lindsey! I feel like you were speaking right to me as I read this blog post. This is something I’ve been wrestling with as well. I’m an Interior Designer and I’ve been blogging for the last 4-5 years, but I’m in the early stages of monetization. My husband and I are also following Dave Ramsey’s plan and there is definitely a disconnect between the appearance of most home blogs and how we personally aim to live in our home. A couple months ago, I wrote a post about how to furnish your first home without going in to debt and I hope to share more about this topic in the future. Just this week, I posted about a one day, zero dollar makeover I gave to our previously empty bedroom. Pretty much exactly what you did for your Christmas bedroom! I want to spread the message that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a well designed home, so I’ve decided to turn it into an Instagram challenge called the #OneDayDecorChallenge. The idea is that all it takes is a few hours, getting creative with the items you already have to completely transform the look and feel of your space. I can’t tell you how inspiring it is to see another blogger sharing with such honesty and transparency. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2016!

A beautiful home is beautiful because it is personal, and reflects the love and care within. Your goals are honest and true, which is another way for me to say that beauty is not skin deep – your integrity as you share your life with us is a facet of your beauty. Trust yourself with your radical honesty and the results are likely to please and surprise you. You are making a life chronical . . funny how when I journal, the reading back always guides me forward in a more clear way. Now I’m scared but want that 7 book!

The thing about a budget is that EVERYONE has one. There will always be people with more and always be people with less. The desire to make a beautiful home space, create a nest for those you love can be done on any budget although the results vary (not everyone has the thrift store with fabulous finds in their town, or can run up curtains themselves). Time is also not free – but DIY makes it feel free. Your budgets will change over the years just as your needs and priorities do, and you don’t have to apologize for them to us or to the newlywed. The newlywed doesn’t have to buy diapers or save for her kids college fund (529 – every month a little) or pay for life insurance. If someone will gift you something so that you can put money away for rosie to go to college, that is the way to think about income – you don’t have to apologize for evolving taste. That comes with the territory. If the underlying driver is that you aren’t happy about how you respect your own budget, then that is a great call to action. Feeling that you have mastery over money is always a great way to aim it properly. Only you will know the perfect solution – because only one solution is right for you guys. .

We appreciate your creativity, steps forward and back, because that is what happens in real life – everyone should be able to change paint colors without beating themselves up over choosing the wrong one first! Its just paint. The cycle of life you are in is beautiful too . . .but all its own. Let the chronicle inform, trust that you will find your truest path and thank you for sharing it with us.

Love yesterday and today’s posts for your authenticity and transparency! Definitely look forward to seeing what 2016 holds for you & the blog!

Absolutely love this post! I can totally relate to the expensive items not fitting my budget. I love everything that ends up being pricey, of course I do, but I for the most part don’t ever get those things. I remember not too long ago reading a post on a blog about sheets that were so amazing you had to have them, yada yada. I was truly intrigued and clicked on the sponsored link to go take a look and was seriously going to purchase them and then I saw the price tag and my jaw hit the floor. There was no way I’d ever justify even if I saved up, spending that on sheets….so I love that you will continue to do things on your budget, I totally get that everyone’s isn’t the same and I can’t wait to see everything you come up with. Love your blog, your style, glad you’re hopefully feeling like yourself again and again, just can’t wait to see what you come up with πŸ™‚

Hi Lindsay, I’ve only been reading your blog for a few months but I just had to tell you that this post is by far my favorite! Yes, I love the eye candy of a beautifully crafted home shot as much as the next gal, but this snapshot of your heart speaks millions more words than a picture ever could! Thank you for sharing with such honesty! It’s always encouraging to me to hear someone share how God is working in and through them in every aspect of life. I can totally relate to sometimes NOT wanting to hear what He has to say in a particular area too! But He always has what’s best for us at the heart of His message. I am definitely living within a tight budget and am always thrilled to see ideas that I can apply to my own home. Please know I look forward to reading your future posts – pretty pictures of your home and your heart being just who God wants you to be.

I appreciate your candor and for your own families sake if you feel there should be changes than that’s fine, but I don’t think for your readers sake you need to feel like you must make changes. Your blog by far seems like one of the more “real” ones with a real family sized budget and trying to mix your desire to create a lovely home with keeping costs down. I think you do a lovely job at inspiring us with your decorating style and certainly don’t think you’ve “sold out” for sponsored posts. I’ve loved seeing your new homes plans and goals and design!

Amanda, that means so much and I really appreciate it! This is definitely something I felt I needed to do totally removed from readers’ opinions (though of course I do value those!). I let it really settle in my mind and prayed about it for months to make sure it was the right direction and that it was what I was supposed to do. I so appreciate your encouragement though!

I’ve thought about this post a lot since I read it and commented and it has really inspired me! I feel like I have done the same I don’t have a blog but as we’ve gone along in our marriage and home decor our income has increased and therefore my style perhaps as well. But this is making me step back, take a look at what I already have and make that work! And to keep pieces that tell a story, because that’s our story! So thank you…still processing but I so appreciate your words!

I agree with you 100% about every blogger making their own decisions about their blog. If a blog no longer resonates with me, I just move on to another one that does. The ones that keep me forever, though, have something in common: they inspire and encourage me in my own home. Inspiration is what I’m looking for when I read a decorating blog. I personally, don’t find it very inspiring if the gist of the blog is “buy this expensive item and you too can have a house this gorgeous!” My budget is limited also, so I am drawn to bloggers who have similar limitations to my own. Its all about the readership you want to cultivate, I guess. You have to know who you want to hang out with in the blogosphere! Its your blog; I say follow your heart. I, for one, am really excited to see where this leads you and I’ll be hanging out for sure. =)

“Genuine and without guile, her price is far above rubies”…that is the compliment I wish to give to you! Lovely posts! Thank you for being sincere and such a good example of a believer in word and in deed; of life, family, and faith, and the sacredness of home and family. Living in truth heals and makes one whole. Wishing you joy & happiness as your journey continues! Thank you for sharing along the way! You are wonderful!

THANK YOU! I loved all the blog reveals from the 6 week challenge this past fall but everything was so extremely pricey and out of budget for me! I have a huge new home but a teeny design budget. I look forward to “how to decorate in real life!”

I love this idea, Lindsay. I have started to delete many of the IG feeds in blogland because of this excess. And then they complain and are looking for new homes because the ones they have aren’t perfect. It’s like never having enough or never being satisfied. Believe me, I like to change things up as much as the next person, but I do it with what I already have, repurpose things from the thrift store, repaint, etc. I enjoyed reading that you found that awesome chandy and repainted it blue. It’s very competitive out there, so I can see where this is a challenging business. I follow very few blogs these days. I love the fact that you want to honor God and speak from your heart. I’m excited to watch your 2016 unfold. God bless!!

I don’t see how you can go wrong being so authentic, Kim. You show such grace and mindfulness. You are articulate about what direction you need to take, while being kind and generous. As are the other commenters, I’m excited to take this journey with you. Best wishes, Ardith

Thank you so much for your transparency and sincere honestly, Lindsay. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have these same thoughts. I feel as if I’m in your shoes when you first started blogging. We have our first house and on a tight budget, but I’m so grateful for our thrift chair, Craigslist furniture, and hand-me-downs and we just recently started the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover plan. While I’m working to build my blog and look to you as inspirational to meet my goals, I thank you for talking about this subject and not letting money take priority. I’m even more excited to read your posts in 2016 all because of your huge heart.

amandakatherine.com

I just love your sincerity and willingness to share what God has laid on your heart. I love your style, it always inspires me and now your faith has too! Praying for a year of encouragement, growth and enjoyment for you. Can’t wait to see where your blog goes this year!

We are called to follow His lead in our work, in our relationships, in all areas of our lives…I applaud how you’re doing just that. Many blessings will follow, I’m sure!

You inspire me each day with your blog and your Instagram photos!! But this post was one of my favorites because although other bloggers have admitted to changing content based on sponsors, you’re the first to openly acknowledge how much it has impacted the content of your blog. I admit that I was one of your readers to comment once about the cost of a garland you used on a sponsored post. I thought it was so beautiful but didn’t have the money to spend $200 on a Christmas garland. Like you, my most cherished belongings are those that have a story and that’s what I like so much about your blog — the stories you share about your family and your home. I’m here cheering for you!! Can’t wait to see what this year brings for you!

Go girl, go! Keep listening to your heart and never listen to the “little voice”, it’s not from above. I am excited to see your creativity and the stories connected to it all.

Bravo girl!!! Just getting to read this post – you have said SO well what I have felt for the last couple years about blogging. I do think bloggers need to be paid but the sponsored posts and product giveaway has changed the landscape and made authenticity be a thing of the past. Sure, there are lots of pretty photos and amazing spaces in bloggers homes…..but I remember those homes 2 years, 3 years and 5 years ago and unless that family won the Powerball, there is ALOT of products and materials given in exchange for the links and posts.

You are brave for posting this and thoughtful in your approach going forward. I wish you all the best. Remember your sweet baby girl won’t care what kind/style of chair you are sitting on when she is on your lap reading her a book. She just needs you to do that. As a momma to teenage girls, I am here to tell you, don’t let those days slip by chasing the bigger, better blog! I know you won’t!

**read Jen’s ‘7’ a few years ago and LOVED it and did a similar version with 4 girlfriends. Her current book ‘For the Love’ is hysterical and SO good!

xo~Jill

Oh Jill, your comment just brought tears to my eyes! I absolutely love that: “Remember your sweet baby girl won’t care what kind/style of chair you are sitting on when she is on your lap reading her a book. She just needs you to do that. As a momma to teenage girls, I am here to tell you, don’t let those days slip by chasing the bigger, better blog! ”

I cant’ tell you how many times I’ve been edging toward the blog over her and I’m fighting against that with all of my might! Thank you for the encouragement πŸ™‚

I am with you 100%. I’ve been wanting to read jen’s book for ages. The goal for Christians should be debt free living, no mortgage, because our resources are given so we can further the Kingdom. We love being debt free. Our income isn’t high, but our lives are rich. Our home will be furnished as we can afford. And the things, they’d better last forever! Planned obsolescence is my pet peeve! Thank you Lindsay.

Oh, Laura! You hit the nail on the head! That’s what we’ve been processing and trying to align our choices with : our money isn’t our own and we have to be good stewards of it for His purposes πŸ™‚ It’s freeing!

I have always loved reading your blog and I really appreciate hearing your heart behind it! I love making our house into a home and I started reading blogs a few years ago for some inspiration. Lately though I have been getting SO frustrated with the amount of excess on the blogs that I read. They have turned into these “perfect” homes that I could never afford because my husband and I try to be very budget conscious and so I never spend a lot on a decorative item. I am SO excited to see the ideas you have in store. Thank you for your transparency! It is so refreshing!

I love your soul searching! How brave and honest of you! I have no problem with bloggers earning money for their work, but you hit the nail on the head when you described how it changed your blog. I couldn’t articulate what was different about so many of the blogs I read, but you did! Thank you for being so honest and so willing to try and return to your original voice!

I love your honesty and sincerity. I stopped blogging several years go because I was always trying to keep up with the latest and greatest and it became a chore instead of a joy. God has been showing me that I need to be content and stop trying to make it better. It’s not what matters. I love a cozy home but racking up debt to get it where I thought it needed to be only hurt us. I’m 58 years old and just really getting it. How blessed you are that you are figuring it out at such a young age. I believe God will honor our efforts if we put Him first.

LeAnn, I love what you just said and that’s exactly how I’ve felt! I really had lost the joy in blogging in some ways and I’m so happy to be finding it again along with renewed purpose. I love that everyone’s story has an element of this in it! Thank you for sharing your perspective and encouragement!

Wow I really love this post – I also needed to hear this myself because we have a little bit more room in our budget now that we did a couple years ago which is nice but I find myself buying things just because I can sometimes rather than being real with myself about how much I am spending on my home. There are items I have that I wish i hadn’t dropped the cash on, even though they are lovely and we use them. I know I can be better at managing the resources we have if I just do it like I did back when our budget was tighter. And I would love what I have more too.

ALSO: it’s so so worth it to get out of debt. We started the Dave Ramsey plan 2 years ago and have never regretted that. Not having debt is an amazing feeling.

Mariah, I’m so glad to hear the insight into your story! I think regardless of what our budgets are, this is an idea all of us can apply to our lives in some way. I’ve definitely been convicted that it’s what I’m supposed to do. I love learning from each other.

I really appreciate your willingness to put together rooms with items you can afford whether they are sponsored or not! Not Just a Housewife is running a room contest right now and one of the rooms was done with a stone wall that I know the blogger got for a sponsored post. Most people would not spend the money to cover an entire wall in a guest room with stone and I really feel like that gives that room its pop! I voted for Naptime Decorator’s room because I know she did not get any of her basement room makeover items from a sponsor. She did it all herself with her own money!

Lindsay….I’m anxious for the new direction of your blog! I love blogs but just about always skip over the sponsored posts. I enjoy the inspiration and creativity that comes from the writer not what often just seems like an endorsement for another pricey item. Blessings to you and your family!

Love! I’m almost finished reading Jen’s prequel to 7 which is Interupted with my ladies group!!! It’s a really great read and now I want to read 7!

LOVE this post. Im really excited to see the rooms you create using this new process. I’m most excited to see rooms full of stories. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve seen a room makeover (not on your blog) where I’m annoyed that anybody could run out to the store and buy every single thing in the room… And I’m often seeing too much of the same thing.

Reading Jen’s Interrupted right now and 7 is next on the list. Can’t wait.

Oh Haley, I love how you put that! That is so true. I like collected, story-filled rooms more than just putting together things you found at one big store πŸ™‚