Yes, I know it’s September and you’ve barely got your kids into school. And I know the holidays can sneak up on us, too. I don’t want to be the Grinch, but I’m known for being very honest with my clients and this year Christmas is going to be interesting, to say the least. All of those Covid delays you’ve heard about are going to really impact holiday gift giving this season, so you need to start shopping right now. And if you’ve ordered furniture? Well, that’s going to be a problem, too.

If you ordered your furniture before June, you just might get it before the holidays. If you ordered after June, you won’t be sleeping easy in your new bedroom or sitting pretty in your living room. Furniture ordered from July on won’t arrive before the holidays because we’re facing delays of 6 months (or more!) in the furnishings industry. Everything is delayed, and even some fabrics have a one-year delivery date. One year! So why is it so bad? Here’s a little graphic that will help explain:

After reading that timeline, it’s almost a miracle that anything is shipping at all. Every single component that goes into furnishings - wood, nails, glue, paint, fabric, foam, springs, glass, metal - has been hugely impacted by the Covid shutdowns. And trust me, I know how frustrating it all is. My team and I spend an enormous amount of time trying to track deliveries, pin down actual dates for delivery, and to reorder when things are just too delayed. It’s a lot. But it’s what I do for my clients. It’s what they pay me for, so they don’t have to worry about where everything is. All my clients have to do is have patience and know we’re doing our best for them every single day.

And here’s something that the Grinch taught us: Having pretty furniture isn’t what makes the holidays so special. So even if you’re sitting on your old and tired furniture, you’ll still have an amazing holiday with your family. We would love to be like Santa and to slide down the chimney with fabulous new things, but that may not happen this year.

Here’s to a happier New Year, though, full of good health and a more stable “normal” for us all. Meanwhile, order your presents today!

All the best,

Kara