apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

books!

I LOVE THAT INDULGENCE!
There is nothing like ironed sheets. I would never, however, consider ironing them myself. I have to talk my boyfriend into this!!

A house cleaner. Mostly because I hate to clean the bathroom. The rest of the house is just gravy.

actually, i enjoy being in ironed sheets i've done myself. it adds to the "reward" factor. :-)

maid and sending the laundry out. a mix of indolence and time management

A housekeeper. It's not my strong suit.

Yes to pressed sheets...preferably with a higher thread count...all cotton...books...a tv remote and bed mate...now..remind me again which one is top of the list? Have a great weekend...

a housekeeper.

I don't mind doing laundry. I don't mind ironing (I'll iron pillowcases, but not sheets) I don't mind dusting and vacuuming. I can even handle scrubbing toilets.

But oh Gawd I'd love to have someone do the grocery shopping and put all the stuff away. And if they could please plan the menus, too, I'd be in heaven.

digdoctor - a bed made is an indulgence for you? shame you're paying... :-p

A fridge full of San Pell. In the big, tall, elegant bottles.

A set of the *really* nice Tupperware.

Having the doggie daycare clip my dog's claws instead of trying to do it myself and having the dogs hate me for days.

The softest, fluffiest comforter I could find with super soft bed sheets AND super soft bath towels folded in a bathroom that is painted a pretty color (RL's Loft). I indulged in a great shower curtain with a graphic tree motif and put down a really soft, white bath mat. Having my visual and tactile senses stimulated makes getting out of bed a more attractive idea.

I would love to have someone else clean my place, but I'm so super picky and suspicious of how other people clean, that I would much rather do it myself and KNOW it's clean, as opposed to just looking that way.

does anyone know anything about that headboard? i have been wanting something just like it!

I splurged on my mattress.

My Roomba is my maid substitute so far. I don't have the extra ongoing cash for a maid, so I used my "stimulus" check on the Roomba and at least my carpet stays nice! It makes a huge difference!

I was a kid in the 80s in a country that didn't have decent coffee, chocolate or toilet paper, so now I love Charmin Ultra (hey--I'm green with everything else), freshly ground French Roast (preferably Peet's) and Scharffen Berger or other high quality dark chocolate. I will still drink Nescafe and eat grainy chocolate when I see family, but not willing to give up the Charmin, no matter what.

It would be a maid for me. So great coming to a clean house. 2nd would be window cleaner.

all things used in the kitchen.. call me a sucker for quality and a long life regardless of price. my old blender kicked the bucket a few months back, but it gave me a reason to replace it with a much better kitchenaid one. i love it... fruit smoothies everyday since. by the way, thats what killed the first blender. :/

housekeeper that also does the laundry AND irons the sheets!

food. i buy the best food I can, and cheap out in other departments. I buy mostly from farmers market or local producers which does cost a lot more than if I shopped for food at wal-mart. We make great gourmet meals all the time.

maybe when I have small hungry mouths to feed I'll rethink this luxury, but I truly enjoy things the way they are now.

Living in San Francsico is my luxury. At $1400 for rent, it's also the only one.

oceandreamer56, If i lived in the same neighbourhood as you, I'd love to swap tasks! I really enjoy grocery shopping... I see it as an Andy Warhol installation experience. I love the bright colours and the packaging.

My only indulgences are food related:

I buy expensive goats cheeses without hesitation and buffalo mozzarella which is VERY expensive in Australia... I reckon we only have around 3 buffalo in the whole of Australia.

My other indulgence is frying chips (home made of course) in extra virgin olive oil. I'm greek so there is no other oil. (Though my mother would probably be shocked to hear it).

Beeing a diabetic my indulgence is stocking my fridge with sugarfree Reese's peanut butter cups that I have to buy from the US since there are almost no sugarfree candy in Sweden.

Maids are almost non excisting here. I actually don't know anyone that has ever had a maid. So that is just not an option.

I have a cleaning lady, who is a godsend (I have many talents, but cleaning is not one of them).

I also buy fresh flowers once a week, since the last AT Cure. But I'm definitely going to look into ironing the sheets - I tried it once, and it took about 2 hours! But it was almost worth it...

laundry service.

since I've lived in NYC, I've done my own laundry exactly zero times.

honestly, here it's set up to encourage you to NOT use the laundromats - you'll just be in their way.
the cost of doing it yourself vs having them do it, is a slim difference and oh my god does it save time.

Bedding is just one of my indulgences. Ironed sheets (by me) and I change bedding at least once a week and pillows every day.

I second the first poster: Books! And my cat :)

I don't mind doing laundry but I hate folding it. My amazing housekeeper does it, making everything super-flat so it all fits in the drawers nicely.

I must have fresh flowers--even a $3 arrangement from the farmers' market will do. I buy a bunch on Saturdays and make it last all week, dividing the blooms into smaller vases for a nice touch in the powder room and my bedroom in addition to the dining room table.

I also swear by my Dyson vacuum, which seemed like a big indulgence at the time I bought it but has been a godsend in managing the fur output of my two large dogs between visits from the housekeeper.

I like cleaning the house. When I vacuum and dust I just space out and kinda forget about everything. However, the bathroom is my downfall. I hate cleaning it. I would love to hire someone just to clean my bathroom once or twice a week.

Expensive sheets and towels are my indulgence. I love soft fabrics and will pay dearly for them.

Oh being pet month. I also spend a lot on my two cats. High quality food being a big cost. It is worth it.

Wow some of the above indulgences are pretty amazing. Must think about it. The one about buying fresh flowers weekly or candles... amazing.

For me, now that we're both working and can afford some luxuries, it's being able to enjoy cleaning with quality appliances. I love my Electrolux Twinclean with superb motorhead and super long cord. I love my pink Kitchenaid. I love my $200 wok...

I also insist on organic, barn-laid eggs...

I love the Off-Bam drain, toilet and bath cleaner ... no touching the stuff, but super clean each time!

A dedicated work area.

Super comfortable seating.

Hey, thanks for the Bam heads up, drey. I just ordered some on line after reading your post. Hey, it's Saturday morning, I do lazy things like that!

My biggest indulgence is maintaining a super fluffy, whipped-cream soft, luxuriously, voluptuously divine bed. Down comforters and pillows, silky soft Egyptian cotton sheets and pillow cases, etc. I took the doors off a double-doored closet and pushed the bed into this nook. A bookcase is in it on one side, full of my current and favorite reads. The remote to my Bose Wave on the night table. A chandelier overhead with a dimmer switch. I love my bed!

Our apartment itself is our biggest indulgence. At 1400 SF it's way bigger than two people need, and the rent is not cheap. BUT - everyday I look around with a renewed sense of appreciation of how great it is to live in a beautiful space. Worth every penny.

The indulgence I'm currently considering is a Dyson - or a maid - or both...=)

My office. I don't always use it, but I insist on having an attractive, comfortable place to work. In a 1000 ft place, that's a luxury, but so worth it.

living alone again

alonealonealonealone

albymyself!

bliss

also
goodeggsstockedlarder

the new Breville Juicer: goodbye trusty Champion, worthy though you were. I dreaded every encounter, the Breville is all that

sunday: farmer's market, swap meet: very considered purchases, just one more fabby amazing thing to find its place in the place

a dedicated room for work (see living alone again above)

I love my place even more now and I love all your lists

Little utilitarian things (stamp holder, pill box, napkin rings) in antique sterling. Also sterling flatware (via ebay complete with random monograms--instant ancestors!)

deeboyayay--you might already know this, but only add solids (ice, fruit, nuts, whatever) to liquids in the blender WHILE it's running (use the little opening at the top). I went throught loads of blenders before reading the directions, doh!

So when I make a smoothie, I first put in juice/yogurt/eggs while it's off, then I turn it on and gradually add fruit and ice.

one more

dayglo paint (pricey) for doors in tiny door-pile-up hallway connecting both bedrooms and one of the bathrooms

then turn on fluorescent blue party bulb and

you are in a land beyond good taste

My Dyson is my luxury at home. I wish I could afford a maid, but having a vacuum that lets deep-clean my apartment in about 20 minutes is amazing. I LOVE the pop-out extension that lets me get to the top of my draperies and into the corners without having to move!

curtainless windows, fresh organic produce, and another piece of pottery from ebay.

eco-laundered and ironed sheets, organic produce, good cheese and wine, living on my own in a great walkable neighborhood (a rarity in atlanta)

Great single malt whisky (Talisker/Glen Esk), and lots of organic fruit (Raspberries :) )

lazing in bed with the baby every morning, we splurged on a DWR mattress, which is awesome

When I can afford it, I'm getting a maid. I long to have a sparkling house, but I'm a lousy housekeeper. It totally befuddles me. Glad I'm not the only one -- I've gotten the impression most ATers are super-organized and -clean.

A maid every other week - she's amazing and has been with me through 5 different apartments/houses. Wish I could have her come everyweek.

Soft Egyptian cotton sheets, not ironed (will have to check out prices fosheezeee).

Any food I want, organic, farmers market the co-op.

My next indulgence is to get the Bose Wave radio!

My biggest indulgence is cheese---having more than a variety on hand at all times. My pick-up line with my boyfriend/partner was "Do you like cheese?" and my mother always kept half a dozen cheeses at home. It seems that cheese equals a place of indulgence for me. (You might note that we have a dozen types of liqueur and brandy ready for consumption, maybe that's an indulgence. And my boyfriend might say it's my insistence on clean towels.)

Fresh flowers. Good food.

Laundry drop-off service. It's actually not that much more expensive than doing it ourselves at our local laundromat--and it comes back so perfectly folded!

Yummy food... I love cheese too.

And I do like my flowers and candles.

Cleaning to me is kind of meditative and not too much of a chore, so having a housekeeper doesn't really appeal to me. If I were very, very busy I'd like one, though.

My biggest home indulgence is probably bubble bath and soaps. I love coming home to soak in a hot tub. My bathtub is fairly small, so I don't use tons of water. I spend a lot of money at Lush, their bath products are divine.

Nothing like slipping into a bubble bath with a glass of wine to wind down your day.

ME TOO! I'm appalled by what I spend on a weekly sheet service (they bill monthly, so it seems worse!), but it's worth every penny--there is nothing like sliding into freshly ironed sheets.

flowers every week, candles, beautiful linens, sparkling wines, dippy snacky things

Books!
The cats
Ironed bed sheets (I do them by myself)
and best of all: A combination of them...

Home decor & food magazines. I can never have enough and I won't throw them away no matter how old they are.

We live in Laguna Beach CA, in a tiny 1926 cottage 300 yards from the water, that's our indulgence. Worth every penny. 2nd indulgence was getting it professionally renovated, including 2 walls of built-in bookcases.

Would LOVE a house-cleaning service, but not until the mortgage is under better control. Weekly (daily!) massages. Books, books, books. Send out the laundry. A cook who also shops and plans menus.

Wanna-be sheet ironers: try ironing just the pillowcases and the top 3ft of your top sheet. Also try storing straight-out-of-the-dryer sheets on hangers, so a lot of the creases drop out. Also helps against mildew, if that's an issue where you live.

All dishes and cups are pottery; living alone; very expensive cat litter; eating in bed.

All of the posters who don't mind cleaning . . . PLEASE COME VISIT ME!!!! My biggest indulgences are books and cats. I'm working on my 100 item challenge and am VERY thankful books count as one item! I'm thinking of getting a Kindle too as I'm about out of space for books.

Yes Yes, I want to add 'living alone' as my best indulgence!! No one hogging the bathroom, no being forced watch football or baseball every day on the only tv in the house, no one banging around in the morning while you try to sleep in, no having to 'compromise' in their favor over meals, decor, money, etc etc.

Art, music, good wine, organic food, royal pedic mattress, Egyptian cotton sheets, home office, nice neighborhood.

Books, chocolate, art supplies, movies, occasionally flowers. Someday the list will include a dyson (I hate vacuuming, I have allergies and it always feels like I've just stirred up dust).

I could never send out my laundry. It's just a hassle. I don't have to wait forever to have a load large enough to justify taking it out and don't have to worry about not having a nice shirt or dress to wear because my laundry's out. I'm so glad I live where I have my own washer and dryer.

My house is my indulgence. Mortgage in L.A. ain't cheap!!

My second indulgence would be a housekeeper, which I am trying to get back to paying for at least once a month. I wish I could afford more...but paying for my house obviously comes before cleaning it!

A Dyson Animal, my beloved vintage Vitamix, my Mac, taking a bath after the kids go to bed, great coffee beans (which actually saves money since we are not as apt to go to the coffee shop twice a day.

My dream indulgences would be: Le Crueset anything, All Clad anything and Wushof knives. Oh yeah, and living in a cute bungalow in downtown in the town where we live instead of a vinyl subdivision.

good fresh organic natural food -- a "luxury" that is a necessity. It's a pity it's a luxury for so many. Real cheese, naturally raised meats...ham from the mennonite lady at the farmer's market...

A bath with bubbles once in a while.

Not a home indulgence but an indulgence none the less: getting my feet massaged by boyfriend on an almost daily basis. (thank you baby).

I'm sick right now and just reading these lists has lifted my spirits.

Indulgences for me include:

~a Miele vacuum cleaner (everyone loves it, but swallows hard when they hear how much it cost)
~an Apple PowerBook
~the fastest wireless broadband
~my small collection of New Zealand contemporary art
~an ivory cashmere blanket and pillow for sofa lounging, bought on sale at Joyce, HK
~Elle Deco (imported)
~white bone china plates to eat off
~beautiful hand made glasses to drink from; they can't have any decoration, or be too thick, and I LOVE to hand wash them with care
~glass cloths in classic blue and white, freshly laundered and (ahem) ironed
~Wareing juicer
~Silga saucepans, satisfyingly heavy, but not so heavy to give me a hernia
~Henckels Professional S knives, which I sharpen regularly
~fresh parmesan (a REAL indulgence right now where I live)
~Maldon sea salt
~fresh, delicious water from the tap (which, I must remember, would be an indulgence for at least 20% of the world's population)
~Trilogy Everything Balm (yumma)
~those delicious sheets everyone has mentioned (I love Sheridan, an Australian brand; must be changed AT LEAST weekly, and ironed by my good self in front of CSI)
~Fluffy white Sheridan Supima Luxury towels

In my dreams:

~living alone (no more renting a room out, EVER)
~an outdoor bath, to bathe beneath the stars
~a gardener, who comes once a week and teaches me everything she knows
~a window cleaner who comes fortnightly
~a handy-(wo)man who comes monthly for odd jobs, like installing the magentic knife strip and the regrouting (in fact, a personal DIY tutor)
~wild smoked salmon
~free home delivery to NZ (with no ecological impact) from all of Williams Sonoma, CB2, DWR, Anthro

Books aren't a luxury, but a necessity for my sanity, and the library orders in anything they haven't got. Plasma TVs and Bose stereos? Nope, they leave me cold.

Ooh, I could go on. This has been fun indeed.

I suppose my indulgences are:

- living alone in Los Angeles, though Highland Park still provides affordable rent and I also got really lucky and found a great place that is cheap and has great landlords.

- Dish Network cable and DVR...I can probably never live without it again, which is pretty sad.

- dinners twice a month @ fancy restaurants w/one of my girlfriends...I order whatever I want and drink lots of fancy wines. otherwise it's farmer's market veggies and lots of Trader Joe's all cooked at home.

- 24-hour air conditioning. sorry, I'm from the humid South and have always grown up with AC during the summer months. it's the one thing I don't "tough out".

- monthly 'personal upkeep'- pedicures, haircuts, that kinda thing...but those things are the first to go if I have a tight month.

Currently: Indian delivery. Magazines (Cooking and decorating). Living in Boston.

With proper planning and good luck: A fully stocked 'home bar.' Dishes that don't have daisies on them. Better knives.

home related- fresh flowers delivered every 2 weeks (daisies last a long time when cared for) and local and organic food (farmer's market...)
me-organic beauty products, pedicures and regular hair apts.

A Laura Star Ironing System

Being the Gordon who lives on Gordon Street.
Bi-weekly trips to Chinatown for lunch and to stock up on Kirin nama cha green tea.
Haircuts from that chatty, cute stylist I really like.

My Dyson
Nice Flooring
Method Cleansers & Mrs. Meyers Baby cleaning spray
MacBook Pro (it's my favorite material item)
Always having good beer stocked in the fridge
Keeping extra replacement items under every sink (for cleaning) and in the garage so I never run out!

A bottle of good vodka in my fridge
Frette bed linens and towels
Espresso sent from Italy

For my husband and I: beer and wine. Nice Belgium beer and some delightful Cali wines. No matter how poor we get, we always find some way to afford these.

housekeeper
2 hd tivo's....1 in the bedroom and 1 in the family room...my hubby and I do not have to fight over the remote!

a housekeeper...

and 2 HD Tivo's...one in the bedroom and one in the family room....it keeps both myself and my husband happy to have our own

Exotic imported incense (which I prefer to candles).

Food - ah! Ditto on the cheese. Duck liver pate when I can find it. Multiple yummy sweets to choose from when the craving hits, currently featuring some tiramisu from my favorite place in Astoria, Sachertorte (saw it on Burt Wolf recently had to have it right then), marble halvah from an upstate gourmet shop and homemade peach ice cream!

Fresh lobster whenever I want (about 3 times a month).

Working toward deluxe bedding. And loving, comforting pets. And excellent cookware. And wool wall-to-wall carpeting... sigh.

Life is short. Treat yours well.

Wow.

My indulgence is getting the $2 grape juice from the $5 or less store instead of the cheaper brand at Aldi (where I do most of my grocery shopping).

Must be nice to have money.

Healthy food, dark chocolate, our cats, digital cable. We keep it simple -- but those things give us a lot of joy.

We also took some of our wedding money and bought a leather couch from Room & Board. I have asthma -- so it was a long time coming. It was the most we've spent on ourselves and the last expensive thing we'll spend on ourselves.

Now we're saving up for a home and kids.

a projector- we finally got one and we loves it! makes netflix so worth it-- and it was worth eating alot of cheap food for :)

Since my family frequently makes snide comments like Ms.Mack above, living 2,000 miles away is a luxury of mine.

Having friends over frequently for lunch, dinner, drinks, dessert, or for no reason at all.

Ironed pillowcases.

A clean house!

Our spoiled kitty.

My husband and I each having our own, unshared studio space to work in.

Our Macbooks!

Having a guestroom that is only for our guests.

It seems like most of our indulgences are either for the benefit of our friends, or for the benefit of our marriage.

I'll try not to repeat things others have said...

A nice shower head. Alsons Downpour Rain Shower has made my mornings splendidly luxurious. Only like $25, too.

Organic cotton dish towels from Crate & Barrel. I've almost completely stopped using paper towels.

An orchid. When it's in bloom, the whole kitchen looks lovely. Requires care but feels like an indulgence.

A really lovely watering can! Stainless steel from Sprout Home. I tried so hard to find a cheaper one that looked anywhere as good as this one, but when that search was fruitless, I gave in. It makes me happy every time I use it.

Blueberries for my cereal. So much nicer than raisins! (Though when the blueberries run out, raisins will do).

A reading nook. We took the chaise off our sectional couch and moved it across the room, under the window. On the best Sunday mornings, I sit in the sun, read magazines, and fall asleep.