Where I Shop for a Cozy Home and Everyday Living
Hi friends!
If I was asked to name my top 3 favorite things to do in this world, shopping for home decor would make the list. Not even just home decor, but all things girlboss: makeup, jewelry, clothes, etc. I love the feeling of getting home and having a bag of new goodies to use. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite stores and what types of items I search for at each place:
At Home (Formerly Known as Garden Ridge)
Spread my ashes at this store. I’m so serious. This is the store for all things home decor. At Home has everything, but I go mainly for seasonal decor (Halloween and Christmas specifically) and larger items. This store is like a huge warehouse – think Costco but instead of groceries and technology, it’s all home decor. Just moved into a new place? Come to this store first. They have so many options for furniture, rugs, large mirrors, wall art, plants, and outdoor items. Here, you’ll find the big statement pieces your home is missing (and if you go to the one in Fort Myers you’ll probably find me too because I am there a LOT).
Home Goods/HomeSense
On a full shopping day, this is my second stop when I leave At Home. Home Goods (or its sister store HomeSense) is best designed to help you find smaller decor pieces – knick knacks for your shelves, space fillers, cute glasses/dishes, etc. They also keep a hefty stock of all things bedding and bath. When I want new throw pillows or a bathroom revamp, this is where I go. Plus, they also have great seasonal decor.
Hobby Lobby
There’s a Hobby Lobby about 10 minutes from my house and I know that poor checkout girl hates to see me coming. Hobby Lobby is great for more DIY-style projects and decor. For example: I never buy the pre-made vase decor from anywhere. I always buy empty vases and then buy the vase picks separately. Hobby Lobby has multiple options for both of these things – and by doing this it also makes it a lot easier to switch out flowers/greenery based on what season it is. They also have the store organized almost in aesthetic sections. All of their USA stuff is grouped together, as well as the beachy stuff, rustic stuff, religious stuff, etc. If you’re trying to stick to a certain vibe, it’s easy to do here.
Target
Yeah yeah, call me basic. Whatever. But Target really is a great store, and one of my favorites. If I need storage bins, I come to Target. If I want more clothes, I come to Target. If I want to get a gift for someone, I come to Target. You get the picture. Plus, this is the only brick-and-mortar store I’ve found that sells Christmas sheets, so bonus points for them! This is the type of store where you don’t go in looking for anything specific, but you leave with 2 carts full of crap. In a good way!
Walmart
Ok people, it’s time to stop sleeping on Walmart. Yeah, it’s Walmart but they have high key stepped up their game in the last couple years. I get almost all of my skincare and makeup from here (you might be shocked to hear this, but I am not a Sephora or Ulta girl). They have a zillion options for just about any basic household items, including a great selection of books (I love to read). And in recent months, I’ve found that they actually have some really cute clothes. I’d say about 50% of my clothes are from here. And who doesn’t love to people watch, right?
Bealls
Bealls is a sneaky good store. They don’t have these in Missouri where I’m from, so when I moved to Florida, I didn’t really know what it was. The stereotype (at least from what I hear people say) is that it’s like every old lady’s favorite place to shop. And while every time I go there, I am usually the youngest one there by a few decades, it has some really great finds. They have just about everything from clothes to home decor, to bath/bed/kitchen, to outdoor, to skincare and jewelry. This is a great store to try out if you want something quiet because it’s never very crowded.
If it’s my day off and I’m not spending it at the beach, you can probably find me at one of these stores. I’m not exaggerating when I say literally everything I own has come from one of these places. Online shops like Amazon and TikTok are great for convenience too, but if you want to physically shop inside a building, I guarantee that any of these 6 will satisfy the craving!
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