Upgrading Your Taste?

How do I upgrade my taste in clothing, furniture, and home decor?

Decide what your current style is. Do a storyboard of styles you like. You can use Pinterest as a digital source. Go for quality over quantity.

A wardrobe of 10 to 15 well-fitting mix-and-match pieces of clothing is better than a closet full of trendy outfits that will be out of style in a year. I love the program, "What not to Wear." Pick flattering clothing styles that are not too small or big. Wear proper foundation clothing before trying on and buying the outer garment.

Get the foundation garments that fit you currently, not the mythical "when I lose/gain weight."

Try on all of your current clothes. Keep only the clothes that fit correctly, you like, and that makes you feel good about yourself. You will notice a trend in the clothes that make you feel good about yourself. You will probably find a "core" color/style that dominates your clothing. The clothing should skim the body, not envelope or sausage it.

You should be able to walk in your shoes, note your feet get longer as you age because your arches flatten. Shoes should not hurt your back or your feet.

If you are frequently moving, keep that in mind when purchasing furniture.

Remember, you need to clean under and around furniture and keep the size relative to the room in mind.

Every room should have mobility space in it. Choose storage or dual-purpose furniture pieces if open space is at a premium.

Visit retail furniture stores to see how sets of furniture are displayed. Doing so will give you an idea of the styles and material that you want in your home.

Follow the maximum that less is more. After all, you'll have to clean and dust everything you put into your home. Go to some house openings that brokers are showing to get an idea of how to present home styles. Look at houses that are representative of your home. Many times professionals stage the homes for sale.