The One Thing You Should Always Do Before Making Any Big Purchase

I would call myself a decisive person; I know what I like and if I'm willing to spend my money on something pretty much at first glance. Yet the older I've gotten, the less selective I've become, both because the paradox of choice is real from the endless options for everything on the internet, but also because I'm trying to avoid making frivolous purchases. 

Instead, I'm investing in better quality pieces and taking on bigger home projects. The most recent example? My husband and I have recently decided on renovating our kitchen.  We purchased the home I grew up in, and over the years have made several updates to make it "ours" for our family. Still, we’ve been dreaming of renovating the kitchen, and we are finally committing!

The reason I found it so hard is because trends change. Styles change. So before pulling the trigger, I did something to ensure it would be worth the price tag:

Just like any dream, I began by creating a Pinterest board to determine the style we wanted to go with.  Looking through so many inspirational pictures proved that this renovation could be reinvented or styled multiple ways.

The toughest part has truly been deciding on a cabinet style and color. This is not a project that I want to fall out of love with in a few years, or for it to become so obviously dated when it's out time to sell.  Investing in quality cabinets is important and I don't want to later really hate the color because painting them just will not be an option.

We are still early on in the reno journey, but I'm still loving the choices we’ve made thus far, but we still have a lot of big decisions to make like what hardware to choose and lighting will be the best fit for our overall home.  This step feels exciting and new, but also intimidating because it makes me want to update this and that, then that over there, too. Creating a tangible vision board (old fashion way) helps to see it all come together, so that we ensure that we really love it.

Here are additional questions to think about prior to committing:

• How will I Pay for the Item?

• Do I Really Need This Item?

• If You Do Need the Item, Do You Need It Right Now?

• Can You Find a Used One that Will Work?

• Is It Worth the Investment to Purchase the Higher-Quality Product?

• When Does the Item Usually Go On Sale?

• Have You Done Your Research?

This is a big decision that only you can make, and if you’re honest with yourself about all of these things, you’ll make the right choice.

Happy purchasing and renovating, friends!