If you asked me a year ago if I thought I’d buy a home sometime soon, the answer would have been a resounding “NO.” If you asked me in January if I thought I’d be buying a home in a few months, the answer would still have been “definitely not.” So I really can’t believe I’m about to type this sentence, but I just bought my very first home. The process was an absolute doozy. I fell in love with every single house I put an offer in on, stressed over whether said offers were good enough (most of the time, they weren’t), and, of course, started shopping for furniture and home decor immediately.
Most of the time, that shopping was devastatingly premature—losing out on a house you love is a different kind of heartbreak I wasn’t expecting. But the process was entirely worth it, because today, I’m officially a homeowner. And now all of the shopping I’m doing isn’t simply daydreaming, it’s necessary.
Over the past few weeks I’ve spent seemingly countless hours perusing just about every decor and furniture store I could find, creating mood board after mood board after mood board, and dragging my husband to any and every vintage store in a 50 mile radius. I am simultaneously having the time of my life curating pieces that will make our house a home and spiraling into a pit of despair because I think I’ve looked at about 100,000 different TV stands and still haven’t found The One. While I have yet to find the perfect media cabinet to complete the living room, I have found just about everything else we’ll need for our first home, and I’m sharing them all with you below.
Kitchen
Our kitchen might be my favorite room in the house. It’s got this perfect area for a little nook by the window, and that will be one of the very first projects I work on. Everything else on my kitchen shopping list is about upgrading the random stuff I’ve accumulated throughout the years as I bounced around from apartment to apartment. I’m trying to keep the kitchen products as neutral as possible, because I’ll eventually be painting the cabinets green (making my years-long dream of having Dakota Johnson’s kitchen finally come true), and don’t want anything that will clash with that.
Living Room
I am so excited about the living room. It’s a bit on the small side, but after meticulously measuring the space and all the furniture I’d like to get for it, I’m confident it will be the perfect area to both entertain and completely veg out.
Interior Define
Caitlin 3 Seat Sectional
After flip-flopping between a leather sofa and a green one, I landed on green. It will be the perfect centerpiece to build the rest of the living room decor around.
Interior Define
Caitlin Ottoman
When it comes to team ottoman versus team coffee table, I am firmly on team ottoman. You just can’t beat the extra seating it provides when you have guests and the extra foot real estate when it’s just you seeking ultimate comfort on a night in.
10+ colors available
Interior Define
Maxwell Accent Chair
Before we even found a house I knew I was going to want a big velvet chair to read in. This one is perfect.
10+ colors available
Samsung
The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV
We’ve featured the Samsung Frame TV in a few home tours recently and I’m now 100% in. I need this in my life and living room. STAT.
Wayfair
Accent Mirror
The Anthropologie mirror is sadly not in my budget, but luckily for us all, there’s now no shortage of dupes available.
Dining
The dining room is one of the areas I’m still not positive about, so if you see me on The Everygirl in a year showing off a dining room that has NONE of these products, kindly understand that it’s because I had a crisis and started over from scratch.
Office
My husband and I both work from home full time, so it’s absolutely pivotal we pull out all the stops when it comes to the home office. At the beginning of the pandemic, we didn’t put too much thought into our desks and chairs, and I ultimately chose form over function. That’s going to change in our new space—hello, standing desks and ergonomic chairs! I know that sounds boring, but I’ve also got plans to create the reading nook of my dreams. Life’s all about balance, after all.
Bedroom
I am painting the main bedroom a dark, moody color (currently leaning towards navy), so the decor will likely be light and airy to offset this.
Allswell
Luxe Hybrid Mattress
These Allswell Luxe Hybrid mattress comes to me (and you!) highly recommended by Ally, Chief of Sales and Marketing at The Everygirl Media Group. I was sold based on her recommendation alone, and then I saw the price and it became a must-have.
Parachute
Linen Duvet Cover Set
I’m finally taking the plunge and investing in a good duvet set. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Parachute and can’t wait to make the cloud-like bed of my dreams.
Hatch
Sunrise Alarm Clock
I simply cannot sleep without the sound of thunderstorms rumbling in the distance and while my Alexa can do that, it can’t do everything else the Hatch Restore can. Sunrise wakeups, and mood lighting, evening routines, and so much more—I can’t wait to have this on my nightstand.
Pottery Barn
Malcolm 26″ Nightstand
I’m going to be honest here: I sourced an antique pair of nightstands that I am completely in love with. But if I didn’t find those, I’d be going with a pair of these.
Rugs USA
Tasseled Medallion Area Rug
I want a big colorful rug to tie the whole room together. If I go with the navy walls like I’m planning, this rug will be absolutely perfect. And if not, there’s 10+ other colors available.
Tech
Ever see the classic 1999 Disney original movie Smart House? Yeah, that’s what I want (minus the part where the AI turns evil, obviously). It was game over the moment I hooked up my bedside lamps to Alexa—now everything in the house needs to be smart.
Cleaning and Organizing
Listen, I love a clean, organized house. But I don’t love cleaning or organizing. Every few months I’ll get fed up with the state of my dresser, take everything out, fold and organize it, only to let it fall into disarray again within a week. But after watching a few episodes of The Home Edit, I’m turning over a new leaf. Everything in the house will have a place, and I’ll try my damndest to make sure it stays that way. Don’t be surprised if you start seeing me post weekly restocking ASMR videos on TikTok.
Dyson
V8 Motorhead Vacuum
I’ve been telling anyone who will listen that I want this vacuum. If I’m going to be doing a chore I absolutely despise, I might as well have a tool that will make it as easy as possible. And investing in a good vacuum just feels like the kind of thing a full grown adult would do, you know?
Bissell
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
With three dogs who have no sense of personal space, a handheld shampooer is an absolute must. The amount of times I (or rather one of the three little gremlins who never leave me alone) have spilled coffee or wine all over the couch is astronomical. This is a boring purchase, sure, but it will be a lifesaver.
Grove Collaborative
Home Essentials Subscription
In an effort to make cleaning and up-keeping my home as easy as possible, I’m looking for solutions that take the guesswork out of the entire process. With Grove, all I’ll need to do is select the products I need and they’ll be delivered straight to my door. Because each product is shipped on a flexible schedule, I’ll only get the products I need exactly when I need them. I also love that every product at Grove is selected with sustainability and affordability in mind. It’s truly the perfect solution.
The Container Store
Home Edit Pantry Solution
I am completely sold on The Home Edit pantry solution. I love that this starter option will let me customize my kit to fit my space and needs.
The Container Store
Lower Cabinet Organization Starter Kit
While my home is not equipped (yet) with lower cabinet drawers, this solution makes that particular upgrade nonessential. This system will keep all of my pots and pans within easy reach. No more rifling through the cabinet while my knees scream in pain.
