Home decor is like fashion for your house; and just like in the fashion world, home design trends go in and out of style pretty quickly. It can be difficult to keep up with the times if you concentrate too much on trends and themes in your home decor. Unless you have a very large budget and unlimited resources, it’s smart to keep things simple and easily changeable. Follow the tips below, and you won’t have to worry about your home looking dated anytime soon.

Stick with a neutral palette.

When was the last time you heard someone talk about an accent wall or a faux finish on the walls? It’s probably been quite a few years. The instant you walk into a home and see a maroon accent wall and floral wallpaper border, you know that house probably hasn’t been redecorated since about 1998. Keep your base colors neutral with whites, creams, beiges, and grays, and you shouldn’t need a major redo for a long time. If you like bold colors and patterns, bring them in with textiles and accessories.

Keep trends to a minimum.

Sure, you love aztec prints now, but that doesn’t mean you’ll still love the same theme five years from now. Rooms built around one theme become dated very quickly. If you really want to infuse a room with trendy patterns and themes, do it in small doses. It’ll be much easier to switch things out once you grow tired of a trend.

Make it personal.

Instead of heading straight to Pinterest to look for design inspiration and what’s popular for everyone else, ask yourself what you want. What’s your personal taste? What are your favorite colors? What makes you feel most comfortable and “at home”? Figure out fundamentals like these first and then build on them. Using your unique style and taste as a basis for home decor will help ensure things don’t get too trendy and go out of style quickly.

Go for classic furnishings.

For larger furnishings like sofas, bedroom sets, and entertainment centers, keep it simple and classic, and you shouldn’t have to invest in new pieces for a long time. Clean lines and neutral colors are key here. Streamlined furniture will stay classic for much longer than a new, trendy design.

Do seasonal purges.

Layers make for super interesting spaces, but a little goes a long way. Once things start to pile up, it all becomes too much. Each time the seasons change, take some time to cull at least a few items in every space in your home. This will help you stay on top of things and

Be willing to adapt.

Embrace change! It keeps things from feeling too stale and blah. As long as you’re used to changing things up, you’ll be able to adapt quickly when trends you’ve adopted go out of style. These changes don’t have to be huge. In fact, they can be as simple as changing out or recovering cushions, switching out kitchen hardware, or hanging new artwork.

As long as you keep things neutral and classic and are willing to change with the times, you shouldn’t have to worry about hearing the word “dated” in reference to your beloved home.