Home decor items to ditch if you're over 30

When you’re in your 20s, no one will bat an eyelid at your Blu-Tacked posters and chipped plates you’re serving dinner off.

Once you hit 30, however, it’s a different story. At this point in your life, there’s a chance that your style, and salary, have improved, which means it’s time to improve your home decorating game.

Switch out the following budget decor items for some quick stylist-approved upgrades.

Bad-quality bedding

Styling: Alana Langan for Cultiver. Photo: Annette O’Brien

If you’ve lived in a share house in your 20s, it’s highly likely that you’ve accumulated various sheets and towels, but by age 30, it’s time to settle on some matching sets.

Invest in quality sheets and cotton towels, and use your old cheap or tattered linens as rags.

“This one is important in feeling like you’ve got your life together. There is no need for you to still own the cheap towels and linen that you bought when you first moved out,” say Sara and Amy Chamberlain, owners of The Real Estate Stylist.

“Buy yourself some beautiful, good-quality linen that will last for the next decade. This is more about quality than quantity.”

• Related: Things you to own after the age of 30
• Related: Share house living in your 30s vs your 20s
• Related: Why Pantone’s colour of 2018 is so fitting

Mismatched tableware

Photo: Kmart

Same goes for tableware; donate the items you no longer use to charity and find sets of plates, bowls and cutlery you will cherish.

“There are no excuses for chipped glasses or uneven sets of china or cutlery by the time you’re 30,” says Emma Blomfield of The Decorating School.

“Invest in a full set of tableware in a colour palette which complements your home and throw any mismatched pieces out.”

Tableware doesn’t have to be expensive. See Kmart and Ikea for affordable pieces you’ll proudly keep on display.

Paper napkins

Photo: West Elm

There’s nothing chic or sustainable about paper napkins, so replace these with a linen variety.

Not only will the environment thank you, but your table setting will also look far more impressive and inviting when you are entertaining.

“It is a lovely practice to introduce linen napkins into your life. It is something that can start out as a small purchase and be added to over time,” says Heidi Albertiri of The Life Style Edit. 

“Trust me, nothing beats a washed and folded napkin when friends come over for dinner. With a little bit of effort, the table can be transformed from basic to beautiful.”

Thin bed pillows

Photo: Rachel James

Pillows are not meant to last a lifetime (or even more than a couple of years), especially the no-name packet you bought on sale at the supermarket.

Take the time to learn what brand and shape is best for you for a more luxurious, relaxed and clean night’s sleep.

“You spend a third of your life in bed, so you want to be comfortable,” Blomfield says.

“Throw out your thin bed pillows and invest in good pillow inserts. Then, if you want to get a little more creative, choose some cushions to style on your bed to complete the look.”

Flat-pack everything

Photo: IKEA

Flat-pack furniture has its place, but that place is not every corner of your home.

By your 30s, aim to have a few pieces of furniture that will stand the test of time both aesthetically and in terms of quality.

“We have all been there – the need to furnish a place quickly and cheaply leads many to the wonderful world of flat pack furniture … But by the time you are 30, you really need a few pieces of good-quality furniture,” says Matt Blatt stylist Judyta Hulme.

“Focus on the things that you are going to use the most that will really stand out. Great quality accent chairs, bedroom furniture and a place to entertain are great places to start.”

Promotional items

Photo: Bed Bath & Beyond

If your go-to wine glass is of the 21st birthday novelty variety, it might be time for an upgrade.

“Over time, we all somehow amass a bunch of promotional gear; from free T-shirts to those movie cups that came with your popcorn combo,” Hulme says.

“These are fine and fun at the time, but this really should not be what is stocking your kitchen cupboards … Don’t advertise for free.”

Bean bags

Photo: Shutterstock

“If you have children between the ages of three and 16, then this doesn’t apply to you, but if you’re approaching 30 and you do not have children, it’s time to get rid of those bean bags!” Sara Chamberlain says.

If you’re a sit-on-the floor type, a beautiful floor cushion makes for a nice upgrade.  

“Easier on the eye, and you’ll feel much nicer drinking wine sitting on your floor cushion than sitting in your bean bag.”

Housemates

Photo: iStock

While not technically an “item”, housemates are on top of many people’s “things to ditch” lists.

“If you’re in a situation that you can afford to live by yourself or with your partner, take the leap! There is no better feeling than finally having your very own space to live in and not feeling guilty if you’ve left some dishes in the sink that morning or arguing over whose turn it is to vacuum,” Amy Chamberlain says.

“It’s all yours to clean, style and relax in. If you can ditch your housemates (and their mismatched towels and linen) before 30, do it!”