Changing shopping patterns: smarter decorating choices

The business news this morning reports that the days of the impulse shopper are over.

Gone are the days of heading to the mall for a day of leisure shopping.  Those were the good old days. May they rest in peace.  They will be missed.

Instead, it seems, we are being more precise about how we shop.   Using a list.  Thinking before we head out to shop.  Visiting specific and fewer stores.  Spending less time shopping online but more time researching.  No stockpiling products and thinking about using the product someday.  Today is the rainy day we were told about.

This is where we are now.  It is not a cheerful picture for the mega shopping malls.

But for home interiors it is great news.

It makes us think about what we like.  What we need.  It makes us do a lot of research up front.  It makes us put a board together for every project so we can see what we are creating.  It means taking the guesswork out of decorating.  Utilizing resources.  It makes us all more professional.

We can create beautiful homes on any budget.  We just decorate smarter and many times, we are even more creative.  Simple and uncluttered. 

I think the "new" shopper is here to stay.  No matter what the economy does, we know what we want and need.  We can't have it all so we are making smarter choices.  It is a good thing.

But I still want that cute purse that I saw at the mall this weekend.