his free time, and a space that helps him see into the future—and, hopefully into a future with you.
As you read, I hope you enjoy, learn from, and apply everything in this book and I hope you are as inspired as I was when writing it! I wanted to create something that celebrated my love of decor, my passion for change, and my keen ability to know what men want, partly due to the fact that my closest friends are men. There’s a lot a girl can learn from listening to a motley crew of habitual bachelors and men who have taken the plunge into monogamous dating and marriage.
After touching on the subject in my third New York Times best selling title, The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce, and Keep the Man You Want, I wanted to study and test the concept a bit more and asked the question—how closely related are dating and decor? The answer is, very! The fact of the matter is that every time your life changes, your decor changes. From dating to moving in with a boyfriend, to marriage, bringing home baby, divorce, death of a spouse, on and on—your decor revolves around your life and the changes happening in it.
A contemporary sofa plays well with this patterned throw and low pile rug. The colors are coordinated but the different textures prevent a flat look.
And your decor doesn’t just affect the people who visit you at home, it also affects your everyday life, which, inadvertently, affects your relationships with other people. It’s a decorative cycle. When you feel good about where you live, you tend to start your days on a happier note and end them relieved that this is where you get to lay your head at night. When you are confident in your decor, you are more apt to open your doors to people and the possibilities that come with them. And, when you are looking for a way to change the way you feel and think about life, you may be surprised to find what a few cosmetic changes in and around your home can do!
Change your bed linens and your relationship karma all in one sweep and let Decor and the Single Girl guide you through even more changes. You’ll find plenty of tips and links to get you started and hundreds of photos to inspire you in this quick and easy guide. Then, hop over and visit the Decor and the Single Girl blog for even more tips and photos!
Now, read on, have fun, and start changing your life—one throw pillow at a time!
A beautiful home doesn’t have to be large; it doesn’t have to be a mansion or situated on a hilltop looking down on everyone else. But, it does have to be well-maintained.
Where you decide to live tells a man how much you value the quality of your life. When he drives through your neighborhood, he needs to be able to see himself spending time there, taking walks with you, shooting hoops at the neighborhood park, or running out to the local grocer for that perfect bottle of wine.
So, hopefully, you have chosen wisely and aren’t in an area where there are prostitutes combing the streets at night or drug dealers lurking in the shadows. Sure, I understand everyone’s circumstances are different, just as I understand every man is different and it takes a certain kind of man to not be bothered by such elements. The point is, you are what you attract. If you want a better quality of man, you absolutely, no doubt about it, have to live a better quality of life.
That being said, Decor and the Single Girl may not be for everyone. You don’t have to be rich to live well and your place doesn’t have to be perfect but it has to be clean and well situated. Where you live should be safe, family friendly, and inhabited by good, honest people, who work hard for everything they have. The man of your dreams should feel comfortable meeting your neighbors or taking your pooch for a jog around the block. When he’s visiting, he should encounter pleasantries.
What he should not encounter is a mugger.
Family friendly neighborhoods are a great place to live, even if you don’t have a family just yet.
Here are a few tips for choosing the right neighborhood, if you plan on moving in the near future. After all, change your surroundings and you’ll change your life!
Decide what sort of neighborhood you’d prefer by considering the following:
• Do you have kids or plan on having kids? Naturally, you’ll want to review the best schools, parks, and recreation centers. Also, look for signs of other families with children in the area.
• What sort of building would you prefer? Consider your lifestyle and the sort of life you’d love to lead, as well as the sort of lifestyle you can afford, when choosing a dwelling. Whether it’s a single family home, a co-op, an apartment or condo, be sure it’s what’s best for you, your wallet, and the quality of life you desire.
• How far away is your job? Your daily commute to and from work can add stress and unhappiness to your life and keep you away from the home and decor you love! If at all possible, be sure your new home is within thirty minutes of your workplace because, the sooner you can get out of traffic, the sooner you can enjoy your home.
• What are you missing? If there are things you’ve been wishing your current home and neighborhood had, look for those things when searching for a new place.
• What’s in walking distance? Look at what sort of eateries, entertainment, and shopping establishments are within walking distance from a potential new place. Also, how far is the nearest medical center, urgent care, and/or hospital?
• Keep an eye out for deal breakers. When looking for that perfect or near perfect place and neighborhood, don’t ignore things you absolutely do not want. Your new environment should make you happy and at ease.
• Is it safe? Be sure to check the crime stats of this new, potential neighborhood and the neighborhoods surrounding it.
• Pinpoint the access to public transportation. Some people would rather not be near any public transportation routes, which tend to make neighborhoods more accessible to outsiders. Others prefer to live near public transit routes, especially those who depend on them to get around.
