Your living space impacts mental health, productivity, and overall satisfaction, so how you decorate it is a big decision. When you find yourself avoiding time at home, it’s a sign that your current design style might not fit your needs anymore. Sometimes, the problem could be simple or hard to pinpoint, like an uncomfortable couch that just needs fluffier cushions. Other times, the problem is more apparent, such as the mint walls in your bedroom that you once loved but now wish you painted a neutral color.

While avoidance is a more obvious indicator that you’re due for a change, there are various ways to tell if you’re outgrowing your decor.

1. You hate being at home.

Your home should be your sanctuary and the place that comes to mind when you think of relaxing and unwinding after a long day. While everyone isn’t a homebody, not wanting to experience life in your living space is a red flag. Despite a preference for short or long periods inside, feeling cooped up and an intense need to escape means you haven’t mastered making your house feel like a home. Specifically, you should prioritize designing a functional space that brings you joy. What does that look like? For example, if you have a monotonous job, you might invest in home additions that embrace fun, like a gaming room.

2. You’re overwhelmed by clutter.

A cluttered home contributes to high levels of stress and can negatively affect your well-being. Although everyone isn’t tidy, being so indifferent about keeping up with your space that you start tripping over things or misplacing them isn’t ideal. This is an obvious sign for people whose habits shifted from neat to messy and who can’t figure out why cleaning feels like more of a chore than usual. When you don’t love your home, it’s likely that you won’t care how it appears.

3. You feel uninspired or unproductive.

After years of working from home, a little stretch of low productivity and lack of inspiration isn’t unusual. However, when you feel a sense of boredom or stagnation with your design style that doesn’t fade even after you have gotten out of the house for a while, it’s probably time for something fresh.

4. You’re researching the latest trends.

Is your Pinterest feed full of new designs, decor, and inspiration? Do you often save those TikToks about tips for elevating your home? Are you going to furniture stores on the weekends to browse? If this sounds like you, then your design preferences are starting to evolve. You realize parts of your space need to transition, which indicates your current design style no longer suits you. Before hopping onto the latest trends, however, seriously consider the elements your ideal home must have. Focus on building a space you never want to leave and hopefully won’t desire to redesign anytime soon.

5. You’ve started buying decor outside of your current style.

Forget window shopping. When you start picking up furniture in colors and textures entirely different from your home’s present look, sampling paint and flooring, or buying fixtures, it’s a direct signal that you’ve already developed a new style. We don’t mean replacing one item—getting a patterned couch isn’t a departure from minimalism. Nevertheless, as you continue accumulating all your new pieces, your home will eventually emerge in a fresh direction.

With so many design styles, it’s easy to gravitate to what’s popular, eventually tiring of the look once the novelty wears off. Instead, choose a design that you feel is timeless and effortless, allowing you to refresh with contemporary pieces throughout the years. Incorporating multiple styles is one of the best strategies for curating a creative and attractive home. No matter the design, lead with personality throughout your space for ultimate longevity.