Pinterest Perfect

The Dangers of Everything Needing to Be Pinterest Perfect

Pinterest has revolutionized weddings, birthday parties, and even just house decor. When I got married, there was no such thing as Pinterest. Magazines were all I had to go on. Even though it was hard to come up with creative ideas, the stress of having the “Pinterest Perfect” look was not a stressor.

As my kids have grown, Pinterest has become a much more popular place for parents as they plan parties, teacher’s gifts, decorating their child’s room, and holiday crafts. I really do love all the ideas on Pinterest. I use it often.

There are dangers to using Pinterest though. Too many parents feel inadequate when they have a simple party for their child that doesn’t have an extravagant, overly thought out theme with detailed decorations and food ideas. Our expectations of a whole lot of things have become higher and higher as some of the most decorated bedrooms, perfect parties, and amazing ideas have been flaunted all over Facebook and other social media!

If you are like me, Pinterest is a GREAT place to get ideas but often times, I become overwhelmed looking at the millions of decorating options. Knowing that most of the time, I am one of those who could have probably created a show simply called “Pinterest Fails”.

Here are some tips when using Pinterest

Try coming up with a few basic ideas so that you can have an idea of what you are looking for. If you wait until you get on Pinterest to try deciding what direction you want to head, you will get overwhelmed VERY quickly.
Pin, Pin, Pin! Make a folder specifically for the event(s). Keep it organized. You can always delete a pin off if you decide later that you are not interested in it. It will keep you from having to search over and over for specific pins. Don’t want anyone to see your ideas?! Just make the board private to keep your ideas hidden from everyone!
Considering if buying the product would be more cost efficient, time efficient, and better quality. If you answer “yes” to all 3 of these, chances are, you need to just buy it instead of making it! Not EVERYTHING has to be handmade!
Know that not everything has to be perfect. The hype of making every single decoration and spending a crazy amount of time and money on decorations doesn’t always make sense. Some people just like decorating. It is their hobby. Although, some only go all out just to keep up with the Jones’. Set a price limit and STICK TO IT! Decorating expenses can and will add up very quickly!
Be yourself. Don’t base your decisions on what everyone else is doing. Chevron, burlap, and lace may be a hot choice for some but isn’t YOUR style. Look for what works for YOU.
Always remember that the time spent at the event should be much more valued than the decorations. If you feel you have to go all out to wow your guests, you might want to consider if they are the type of people you should want at your event to begin with. Quality time is far more important when there is a true relationship!

Happy pinning everyone!