Turning Overwhelm Into Clarity: Parallels between Interior Design and Financial Planning

Photo by Lisa via Pexels. (I wish my home had wall art this gorgeous!)

I recently hired an interior designer to help make our new home feel more “homey.” What surprised me most wasn’t just how she is transforming the space—it was how many parallels I noticed between the design process and financial planning.

Both can feel overwhelming at first. But with the right support, overwhelm gives way to clarity and confidence.

The Weight of Too Many Choices

I’ve said before that I’m not a skilled home decorator. Scratch that—I’m not a decorator at all! Throw a blanket and a couple pillows on the couch and call it done—that’s about my level of skill.

When we moved into our home a year ago, we just brought all of our old furniture with us. It was fine, comfortable even, but the space never really felt like ours. And I had no idea how to fix it.

Trips to home stores only made things worse. Do I just buy a vase? How do we choose artwork? What colors should we use? Which room should we even start with? Every choice left me feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed.

And then the guilt set in: I should know how to do this by now. Haven’t I moved before? Shouldn’t I know my own style? Social media is filled with design inspiration—so why couldn’t I figure it out?

That spiral of overwhelm and guilt is something I see all the time in financial planning. People come in feeling like they should already have it all figured out, but instead they’re stuck and unsure what to do next. And when they turn to social media, it looks like everyone else has it all figured out.

Relief in Expert Guidance

What finally nudged me out of my inertia was seeing the incredible work an interior designer did for our office at One Wild Life Advisors. The transformation was amazing—our office not only looked beautiful, it felt welcoming.

I decided to hire the same designer to help at home, and immediately I started to notice the kind of relief and clarity my financial planning clients often describe.

She began with a walk-through, asking how we use each room, what works, and what doesn’t. In financial planning, our first step is almost identical: we start with a Get Acquainted meeting to learn about your financial life and how satisfied you are today.

Just starting the process lightened the weight of not knowing where to begin.

Tackling the Urgent Problem

Our most pressing issue was the kitchen table. The old one didn’t fit in our new space, and my husband and I had been stuck for months debating what to do.

The designer quickly helped us narrow down the right size, colors, and style. She guided us through the decision and gave us confidence we were making the right choice. I can’t tell you what a relief it was to stop second-guessing.

That moment reminded me so much of the early stages of financial planning. Most clients come in with an urgent issue that has been looming over them. The relief of finally addressing it with a professional is huge—it turns confusion into clarity.

From Overwhelm to a Clear Plan

Just this week, our designer presented concept boards for the rooms. I went in nervous: Would I like her ideas? Would I even understand them? Would she think I was silly if I disagreed?

But she took everything we’d shared and created designs that resonated perfectly. She explained the “why” behind her choices, helped me see the design principles at work, and built a phased plan that we can roll out over time. Suddenly, what felt overwhelming became clear, actionable next steps.

That’s exactly what financial planning does: it takes all the pieces of your financial life, organizes them, and gives you a roadmap you can actually follow, with a professional to help with implementation.

The Confidence That Comes With Clarity

Walking away from that meeting, I felt seen and heard. I felt supported. Most of all, I felt clear about what to do next.

That emotional shift—from overwhelm to clarity—is the same experience I hope every client has when they leave a financial planning meeting with us.

Thank you, Shonah at Magpie Interiors, for helping me step into my clients’ shoes and for introducing more beauty into my life.

If you’re ready to turn financial overwhelm into clarity, I’d love to help you do the same. Schedule a call to learn more.