It’s easy to get wrapped up in the allure of all these home transformation shows we see on TV.
A family, somewhat dissatisfied with their current space, entrusts a designer to work some magic or they recruit an agent to find their perfect home.
There’s always a predictable mix of suspense, anticipation, and inevitably a twist or hurdle that needs to be overcome. Finally, when the dust settles, we witness the big reveal—a home that looks perfect for the pages of a magazine.
But if you’ve noticed, behind the glitz of newness, there’s almost always an unchanged undercurrent: the very same volume of possessions. Sometimes, there are even more possessions. Just repackaged, reorganized, and often, more costly.
I often wonder what the room (or home) looks like just a few months later when the cameras and staged lighting are removed and the home gets lived in full-time. Probably a lot different from that initial reveal.
Behind the new carpet, renovated walls, and fresh paint lies an age-old question: Does the new decor genuinely make their lives better? Or did it just add a fresh cover over the same problems?
Does the new home actually resonate with the owners’ values and dreams, or is it just a new setup that ends up demanding even more maintenance and effort?
Now, I understand that most of us are never going to appear on one of these grand renovation shows. (Although I was once asked to host one for a major streaming platform.)
And almost none of us will be followed around by television cameras the next time we look to buy a home.
However, many people do resonate with the feelings of unease and discontentment within their own four walls. We wish the home was larger, the cabinets were painted a different color, the appliances were newer, or the furnishings were nicer.
When that is the case, feeling trapped, it is easy to think the answer is to acquire more or to upgrade. Maybe that is why these home improvement shows are so popular—we think that’s the answer to solving the discontent we feel about our home.
But what if the answer isn’t moving, bringing in a team of designers, or being swept away for a week only to return to an extreme home makeover?
What if the homes we’ve created, unintentionally, are just reflective of the messages advertisers and marketers bombard us with, rather than mirroring our genuine desires? Maybe our homes have inadvertently turned into storage units for every product that’s been marketed as ‘essential’ to us.
This is where I propose a novel idea: What if the makeover you truly need is entirely within your reach already?
Not the kind that requires you to remove walls or buy new bedroom furniture, but the kind where you deliberately decide to own less. By doing so, you’re not just tidying and changing a space; you’re reshaping your life and aligning your surroundings with what genuinely matters to you.
And here’s the beautiful thing about this minimalist approach:
There is no interior designer required.
No need for renovation teams or real estate agents.
The budget requirement is only $0.
And the time you spend is an investment that promises focus, contentment, and purpose.
Let’s challenge the mainstream narrative that’s marketed to us every day.
Instead of seeking happiness in a new space, find it by redefining your current one.
The simple act of owning less can breathe fresh vitality into your home. And as you clear out the clutter, you might just find that the home you’ve been searching for has been right under your nose the whole time.
When your home is filled with only the things you use and love, you’ll discover a home you love to use.
Maybe the secret to finding a home you love isn’t living in a different home, it’s simply owning less stuff.
I’m a former loan officer AND financial counselor and I’ve heard stories to the end of time of what’s shared above and ‘how we need a bigger home to store our ‘stuff’, more playroom for kids, etc. It always had and has turned my stomach to hear these stories. You grow bigger, you add more stuff and why; to fill empty places. I’d love to downsize homes from 1700 to lesser for a single person but why, it’s so sparse, just enough furniture, etc. to ‘USE’ and yet has my signature stamp all over it. It’s a 23yo home but I’ve spent $ to update and repair what was needed. Now I can enjoy it without spending $. Those home channels and renovation programs don’t think past $$$$$ and influencing consumers whom really can’t afford as such. Stay put and subtract out and fresh coat of paint. Cable networks, delete and go live in the real world.
Absolutely correct! I watch these shows and think of if you would just get rid of the crap and clean, your house would be fine. I just wish they would build homes that are basic, not too big and affordable.
This is my struggle now – I would love to downsize because my home is to big but the market I live in makes that prohibitive. It’s crazy expensive and the smaller homes are priced ridiculous because they are being sold for the land. Plus things are still selling fast. Then there is the cost of moving.
I can’t leave my area for medical reasons and kids in university. So I’m trying to figure out how to be happy in my current home which I find to large for me and not reflective of where I want to be in this next chapter in life.
I wonder if you could invite someone to share the space with you?
Either a boarder, or a friend in a similar season of life perhaps…?
Last year we moved from a 5 bedroom farmhouse into a 3 bedroom ranch house style house. We had lived in the farmhouse for 46 years. We didn’t sell the farm, still own the house so I had time to sort through everything! I had 3 piles, keep, donate, trash.
I sorted through everything and didn’t bring anything to the newer house that we didn’t want to keep. It has been very freeing and I work hard to keep the new place uncluttered. People have commented about the non-cluttered atmosphere and like it. It’s so freeing to be uncluttered!
It has been very freeing to downsize and I recommend it to everyone.
I love your post. It is so true. Thank you
We recently decided to downsize. Our home had stuff from our kids, both sets of parents AND grandparents. As I began the difficult job of decluttering, I started to love my home more! I got excited each time I saw an empty corner! I realized the home was being hidden by the clutter. So start and don’t get concerned about the speed because forward movement is forward progress and with time you see the difference and get motivated to continue.
The shows I’ve watched usually clear out all the clutter, bring in more streamlined furniture and very few wall ornaments. The end result is a home that looks bigger and more restful to the eye. Having a home around 900 sq.ft. is perfect for my family and having less stuff makes it even better.
Joshua, your articles and videos are always so on point with how I am feeling. I have been feeling a lot lately like I need to move and I do feel trapped. I don’t watch any of those move improvement tv shows because they always leave me feeling envious and I forget to feel grateful for everything that I already have. But the feelings of wanting to move do come from my cluttered home, but it is also far too large to take care of and always seems to be in need of repair which drains my income ( it’s 140 years old and wood sided, a heritage Victorian). My husband is a collector and I am moving towards essentialism/ minimalism and it is a constant battle to have anything leave our home. The older I get, the less stuff I want to take care of but the opposite seems to be true for my husband. It is a difficult balancing act that I fear will one day lead to an irreconcilable difference. You are fortunate to have a partner who is on board with becoming more minimalist. In the mean time I will endeavour to continue to purge the excess in my life and ask God to grant me the grace to accept the things I cannot change.
The Hidden Magic of HGTV Design Shows is an article I wrote a couple of years back because it’s troubling to see people express that their current home “had stopped working for them” when they are just failing to see the real problem: the excessive amount of stuff they have accumulated—no wonder they have no space to live, move around, or enjoy their home anymore. Although a re-design might provide bigger or more functional space, neglecting to address the real problem will only leave the household in the same situation some months later. Thanks for always sharing your wisdom with both mind and soul. 👏👏👏
Right on!