House Fever: Why Decorating Your Home is More Fun Than Having a Baby

Everybody always talks about wanting a baby and dealing with "baby fever." However, for some, the desire to renovate and decorate a home can be even stronger. This urge to make one's house feel like a cozy home is what some refer to as "house fever." While having children is a dream for many, decorating a house may provide more immediate satisfaction and allow more freedom and flexibility in one's schedule and lifestyle.

The Joys of Renovating and Decorating

There is something truly rewarding about transforming a house into your ideal home. Whether you want to remodel a kitchen, upgrade your bathroom, or give your living room a bold new paint color, decorating projects allow you to put your creative vision onto tangible results. Unlike raising a child, a remodeling job has a clear beginning and end, so you can appreciate the finished product. Decorating also gives you the flexibility to change aspects on your timeline rather than accommodating another person's needs.

Freedom and Spontaneity

While children require round-the-clock care and commitment for nearly two decades, a home is much lower maintenance. Decorating projects allow you the freedom to work on your schedule without disruption. You aren't tied down by things like school drop-offs, extracurricular activities, or sick days. Decorating also allows for more spontaneity since you aren't planning every detail around another person's routine. For some, this freedom is much more appealing than the commitment required by parenting.

Financial Considerations

Raising a child comes with immense financial responsibility over many years, including costs for food, clothing, education, medical care, extracurricular activities and more. Decorating projects, while sometimes requiring sizable upfront investments, don't come with the ongoing costs of child-rearing. Some find the thought of having more financial flexibility without children feels less stressful than the lifelong financial commitment parenting requires.

FAQs

Q: Isn't decorating a house just as much work as having kids?

A: While decorating projects require work, they have a clear beginning and end unlike parenting which is a lifelong commitment. Decorating also allows more flexibility to work at your own pace versus accommodating a child's schedule.

Q: Doesn't decorating get expensive over time?

A: While decorating costs money upfront for materials and labor, it doesn't have the ongoing costs that come with raising children over 18+ years such as food, education, activities, etc. It's a different kind of financial commitment.

Q: Isn't the satisfaction of having children greater than decorating a house?

A: For some, the creative fulfillment found in interior design projects and transforming living spaces provides immense satisfaction. Not everyone finds the same level of reward in parenting.

Q: Are people with "house fever" just trying to avoid responsibility?

A: Some simply feel more fulfilled by decorating than parenting. While decorating doesn't replace the life commitments of children, it allows flexibility that others find appealing versus the round-the-clock nature of parenting.