Podcast Summary:
How to Decorate
Episode: Bonus Episode: Our 2026 Resolutions & Home Decorating Goals
Date: January 16, 2026
Hosts: Caroline (A), Taryn (B), Liz (C)
Podcast by: Ballard Designs
Episode Overview
In this bonus episode, the How to Decorate hosts—Caroline, Taryn, and Liz—set their personal and home-centered resolutions for 2026. This candid conversation covers house projects, family transitions, methods for tackling clutter, and aspirations for more beautiful, functional, and organized spaces. The group shares emotional moments, practical tips, and their annual wish-lists, all with their signature humor and warmth.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Purpose of Resolutions in the Home
- The hosts agree: setting home goals feels both practical and aspirational, providing accountability and inspiration for the year (01:05–01:45).
- Resolutions aren’t just about finishing big projects, but also about building better habits and creating more joyful living spaces.
2. Taryn’s Home Goals: Tackling the Basement & Guest Rooms
A. The Basement Overhaul
- Current State: The basement is chaotic and partially finished, with makeshift doors and scattered storage (01:47–05:24).
- Goals:
- Complete flooring and trim ("…the flooring is still sliding around…doors dangerously falling." - Taryn, 01:47).
- Declutter and organize stored items.
- Finish gym and safe room/bedroom areas (“I would like the gym to be finished so I can work out down there.” - Taryn, 04:18).
- Motivation: To use the space safely for family, host guests, and create a proper gym.
- DIY or Outsource?: Considering professional help for door installation, but likely to complete much as a family (“…if you give a mouse a cookie, that means I need all the flooring done…” - Taryn, 04:18).
B. Emotional Guest Room Projects
- Guest Room (Primary Downstairs) Remodel:
- Goal to upgrade to a king poster bed (found on Facebook Marketplace for $100).
- Will refinish and paint the bed for a cost-effective transformation (08:33–09:21).
- Nursery-to-Memorial Conversion:
- Tenderly shares her experience of infant loss, needing to transition the nursery into a guest room while honoring her child (06:14–10:48).
- Plans for new wallpaper and decor with sensitivity and practicality.
- Quote: "I want to get the queen bed up there ... make it not weird for guests, but like a little kind of memorial for him too." (07:16, Taryn)
- Cherishing the Process: Taryn frames her projects as steps toward healing and joyful hospitality. (“I want to get the king bed downstairs ... get it to a place of peace and not be this room of torment…”—Taryn, 07:51)
3. Caroline’s Resolutions: Small Changes, Major Impact
A. Entryway Refresh
- Wallpaper Dream: Caroline’s top wish is to install bold, colorful wallpaper in the entryway, unifying the home’s color palette (12:36–14:27).
- Closet Conundrum: Hesitant to invest in wallpaper before addressing functional storage and possibly building out custom cabinetry or an IKEA hack solution (“That is kind of what I’m playing with, but it would require a lot of elbow grease.” - Caroline, 15:03).
B. Upholstery Updates
- Reupholstering Old Pieces: Caroline lists several well-loved chairs and an ottoman in need of new fabric, plus a needlepoint project for a Louis footstool bought at the Ballard outlet (16:25–17:28).
C. Organization Aspirations
- Managing Kid Clutter: Struggles with persistent chaos in drawers and toy cabinets; open to community tips (“Any suggestion from people with kids on how they maintain organization?” - Caroline, 18:19).
- Realization: Even professionals struggle with organization, but label-making is on the to-do list (“Maybe it’s time for a label maker…” - Caroline, 19:42).
D. Plant Goals & Garden Dreams
- Houseplant Success: After finally keeping a fiddle leaf fig alive, Caroline is encouraged to try more houseplants—with support from Taryn, the “sneaky green thumb” (20:28–23:07).
- Yard Aspirations: Wants to plant more peonies, and perhaps Christmas cactus, learning from her successes and failures (“That leads me to believe maybe I should plant three full-size peony bushes every year…” - Caroline, 24:03).
4. Liz’s Approach: Organization & Bigger Life Changes
A. Organization Systems & Calendar Hacks
- New Year, New Order: After recent reflection, Liz plans to tackle “paper traps” and “laundry traps” with realistic, pattern-based organization. She’s considering a scheduled home maintenance calendar—perhaps through a digital tool like Skylight (25:17–27:28).
- Quote: “I think I want to make a calendar for my house that has reminders… change that air filter, redo the pantry…” (25:32, Liz).
B. Outdoor Aspirations
- Garden Expansion: The removal of a backyard tree now allows for new possibilities, like a raised bed vegetable garden (“It’s southern facing… maybe I want to do vegetables again.” - Liz, 28:56–29:26).
- Fun Fact: Black oaks and pecan trees can inhibit plant growth—an insight from Atlanta garden sales (29:26–29:48).
C. Emotional Transition: The Empty Nest Project
- Empty Nester Renovation: With her son Finn heading to college, Liz plans to turn his bedroom into a guest room/office, balancing the need for her own space while preserving a sense of “home” for Finn (31:01–35:19).
- Sensitive Approach: She plans to involve Finn in decisions. “We had the initial conversation and then we both started crying and we left.” (32:15, Liz).
- Unique Room Reconfigurations: Finn changes his room layout every six months (“He moves all these things around. So now it’s like a little bedroom suite and an office on the other side.” - Liz, 33:26).
- Excitement for New Workspace: Liz looks forward to a new podcasting backdrop and workspace (“The idea of totally revamping it and you get to, like, do a new background and have a new workspace. That’s exciting.” - Caroline, 35:34).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Classic, like, people with less space are much better at editing … we needed to edit versus shoving this back room.” – Taryn (02:58)
- “I want to continue to honor him, but I’m not gonna honor him with a creepy crib… it’s just like a time capsule.” – Taryn on redoing her late son’s nursery (10:23)
- “Will also likes this [entryway update] because at night… all I see is this messy freaking cabinet … a stressor, a stress point.” – Caroline (15:55)
- “Even professionals struggle with organization, but label-making is on the to-do list.” – Caroline (19:42)
- “It’s all about watering schedule, which, once you understand, it’s really about light and water.” – Taryn on houseplants (21:11)
- “I think I want to make a calendar for my house that has reminders … change that air filter, redo the pantry…” – Liz (25:32)
- “Every room in our house is about 13 by 13 ft … and his room is the same. He changes his room around every six months.” – Liz, on her son’s creative room layouts (33:26)
- “We had the initial conversation and then we both started crying and we left.” —Liz, on discussing the room renovation with her son (32:15)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Introduction & Purpose of Resolutions – 00:34–01:45
- Taryn’s Basement & Guest Room Goals – 01:47–12:08
- Caroline’s Entryway & Upholstery Projects – 12:12–18:17
- Organization & Kids’ Spaces – 18:17–20:02
- Let’s Talk Houseplants! – 20:02–24:53
- Back to Garden & Maintenance Resolutions – 24:53–27:59
- Liz’s Yard, Raised Beds & Tree Removal – 28:35–30:19
- Transitioning to Empty Nester, Son’s Room Plans – 31:01–35:19
- Wrapping Up & Looking Ahead – 36:12–37:16
Tone & Takeaways
The tone is supportive, authentic, and gently humorous, balancing practical advice with emotional candor. Each host brings distinct goals and personality—Taryn’s hands-on, heartfelt projects; Caroline’s color and order aspirations; Liz’s thoughtful transitions and future planning.
Listeners are left inspired to set their own attainable decorating goals, reminded that home transformations are as much about emotional journeys and daily life as they are about style.
Want help with your decorating dilemma?
Email: podcast@ballarddesigns.net
Find show notes at: howtodecorate.com/podcast
End Note:
This episode offers inspiration to embark on home projects—big or small, emotional or organizational—while remembering that progress, not perfection, is worth celebrating each year.