Feeling the blahs happens to everyone.

That’s the feeling that happens when you look around your house and think, yuck. I’m so sick of (fill in the blank.)

Maybe it’s a paint color or wallpaper pattern that has seen better days.

Or perhaps your old artwork doesn’t jive with how you see your style now.

Often, it can be an underlining feeling that something is slightly off, but you can’t figure out what that is.

We’ve all been there, right? And you probably don’t want to stay there.

I’m all for flipping through magazines and Pinterest boards to find inspiration, but sometimes seeing all those flawless rooms can make you feel bad, you know?

It can trigger ugly feelings of lack because you look at your room and pick apart all the reasons why it doesn’t measure up.

This post is all about making small commitments to spark some inspiration that can lead to getting you unstuck.

Let’s dive in.

Start By Decluttering One Area

Letting stuff accumulate everywhere will zap the energy out of a room.

Most of the time you might not even notice or pay attention to small piles of clutter here and there. The trouble is, clutter is like a magnet that attracts more clutter.

One pair of shoes by the door seems to attract 5 more pairs. Soon 5 turns into 20 and you’re scooting them aside just to open the door.

My dad was a newspaper hoarder when I was a kid. It drove my mom nuts. He had piles of old newspapers on the coffee table, stacked so high you had to shuffle them aside to use the TV remote.

Many an argument was fought over mom ditching papers from 3 months prior.

It’s old news! She’d yell. (I’m with mom.)

If you want your room to attract good inspiration and energy, take care of clutter as soon as you see it happening:

• Put clothes away right after the dryer is done.

• Clear up the piles of papers, magazines and other stuff that tends to pile.

Here’s a true personal story…

I used to pile mail and receipts and magazines and ANYTHING else I don’t have a planned spot for on my kitchen table.

I hated looking at the crap, but I still did it.

It happened bit by bit, mindlessly.

I’d come in with my arms full of groceries, mail, newspapers, magazines… thinking about the 100 other things I needed to get done.

I’d plop anything that didn’t need refrigeration on the table with the intention of, I’ll take care of it later, and there it would stay.

I tiled my bathroom floor a while back and I needed a spot to put the base trim I wanted to paint and reuse.

Where did it end up? The table of course.

It’s the only flat surface in my kitchen that I don’t need for meal prep, small appliances, or even daily use. So, it’s the easy target for this.

Do I sit at my table to eat? Heck no! TV and a tray for me… Another bad habit.

Accumulating clutter was a habit I got into that did not serve me. In fact, it drained my energy and made me not want to deal with it at all, so the piles grew and grew.

What changed?

When I was finally good and sick of myself, I cleared the stuff from the table and set it like I was expecting a special guest for dinner.

This did three things:

• It made me get off my butt to clear up the stuff that didn’t belong there and it gave me a reason to occupy the table with a different purpose: A purpose that is much more in line with what a kitchen table is for.

• It stopped me from using it as a pit stop for things that don’t belong there. I broke that mindless clutter accumulation cycle.

• And third, Keeping the table set and looking pretty stopped me from messing it up because I didn’t want to detract from the look.

Do you have catch-all spots like this?

Try finding a purposeful use for the space that would bum you out if it got messed up.

When you do that, you’ll begin to re-write the narrative going on in your head telling you how uninspired that space feels.

Stop Collecting Paint Samples

Do you do this? Every time you’re at the hardware store you get pulled into the paint sample isle.

I get it. It’s like a magnet.

You see all the chips and swatches. Then there’s the full books of samples, all glossy with beautiful pictures.

It’s like decorating crack, right?

What happens is you end up with 300 beige/gray color samples and a stack of booklets that clutter up your house and you’re still nowhere close to making a paint color decision.

Worse, you’re now even more unsure of which one will work because they all look the same!

• Instead, commit to your top 3 paint colors and buy sample containers to paint actual patches on the wall.

• Don’t rush the decision. Look at the patches for a few days, 3 to 5 days is usually pretty good. That way you can see how they look in different types of light: Natural light, possibly a sunny day and an overcast one. You’ll also see it in artificial light at night.

This is the best way to see the differences, especially if the colors are similar.

If the colors are different, you’ll get an immediate reaction.

It will be a yes or no because of how your room’s natural and artificial light filters the color.

Pro tip: Best to not paint patches on your wall if you’re short on time.

Pick times when you don’t have a holiday or birthday or any reason why you’d be rushed to make a quick decision.

You don’t want added pressure of an event when you’re trying to feel inspired.

Stick to those 3 to 5 days and really study the colors. Pay attention to how they make you feel.

Start a Decorating Journal

This might sound a bit “out there” but when you use words to explore how you want a space to feel, you start to uncover real motivation to make progress.

It doesn’t have to be fancy. A spiral notebook from the drug store works great.

It’s important to actually write your thoughts. Don’t type them because writing your thoughts with your hand builds connection to the creative process.

It may sound counter-intuitive to pick up a pen and paper to write, especially if you’re an excellent typist, but research shows:

• You filter what you write in the moment because it slows you down.

• You remember things better for longer periods of time.

• And you’ll be less distracted to flip over to email, check social media or get side-tracked with a notification. No pop-ups letting you know Roxie is on her walk in the city…

Here’s more info about that if you’re curious. It’s fascinating.

I’m an avid fan of journaling. My favorite time of the day is super early when I set aside an hour to journal about goals, projects, problems, you name it.

Make lists of how you want your room to feel and function.

That’s more important than how you want it to look when your goal is to spark inspiration.

Here’s some prompts to get you started:

• If I could change one thing about my room right now, what would I do?

• What would I need for this to happen and how can I get that?

• What are the steps I can take to start this process?

• How can I order the steps so that they are easy to accomplish? What comes first, second, third and so on.

• What small step can I take today to keep the momentum going on this goal?

These prompts are action based. They work because you must think about them and actually do something to make progress.

Find a Community of Like-Minded People

Facebook is full of groups that are micro focused.

You can find ones that are decorating style specific, or ones that are for DIY enthusiasts.

The thing that most have in common is threads.

You can follow the trail when people post about something you’re experiencing like advice on that pesky paint color or what another person’s experience with a particular company was like when they had trouble with a piece of furniture.

Community reminds us that the struggles of feeling uninspired can be universal.

Better yet, somebody there might just have the perfect solution for you.

Here’s some of my favorite FB groups:

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/homedecorinteriordesign

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/397869884924966

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/interiordesignaskanything

Follow an Expert

There are many decorating blogs for any niche style.

They’re great for getting advice for specific problems because you can often reach out to the blogger/expert for guidance, and they will answer.

They could even have services that will fit your needs perfectly.

I love to hear from you when you ask me questions because it shows me what is resonating with you.

Ask any pro in whatever niche you choose, and they’ll say the same thing.

• Follow their social media accounts.

• Sign up for their notifications.

• Take a deep dive into the content they provide. Chances are the answers to many of your questions are there.

I have my favorites that I follow, and I usually voraciously consume whatever they put out.

Joanna Gaines puts out a new book. Heck yeah! I’m gonna read it!

Martha shows Snoop how to make brioche. Yeppers, I’m watching!

In all seriousness, even just following an expert that specifies in what you need to know about can be incredibly beneficial.

There you have it, 5 ways to get untuck when you’re feeling uninspired:

Start By Decluttering One Area:

Clearing out just one small area can help you clear mental blocks so you can be more creatively inspired.

Stop Collecting Paint Samples:

Make a commitment to your top 3 paint samples and buy small samples of each to test, give yourself 3 to 5 days to “live” with them before deciding.

Start a Decorating Journal:

Make sure to physically write in a paper journal because it will help you focus, remember, and not get distracted.

Find a Community of Like-Minded People:

Two heads are better than one. Try 2000 heads! There’s inspiration and oodles of conversations going on in groups.

Follow an Expert:

There’s usually a reason why you love them. Why not continue to see and hear what they have going on. Chances are, they’re going to spark some creative inspiration that really clicks with you.

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I write about small space design and decorating, sustainable furniture options, positive self care and a variety of do-it-yourself home décor.

I’d love to connect with you!

Michael is Principal designer and blogger at Michael Helwig Interiors in beautiful Buffalo, New York. Since 2011, he’s a space planning expert, offering online interior e-design services for folks living in small homes, or for those with awkward and tricky layouts. He’s a frequent expert contributor to many National media publications and news outlets on topics related to decorating, interior design, diy projects, and more. Michael happily shares his experience to help folks avoid expensive mistakes and decorating disappointments. You can follow him on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @interiorsmh.