Often times when we feel constrained by our pocketbooks it's easy to acquire a serious case of the "gimmies." You might also know the gimmies by their other names such as: the "someday when I'm richies", the "I guess I could eat nothing but Ramenies" and the "if only I didn't have to pay the renties". All joking aside, it's easy when times are tough to only focus on the things that are out of reach and forget about all the great things you already own. Click through the jump to see our 5 tips on helping you learn to love what's already around you.
1. Clean - It sounds simple and obvious, but when we dust off and tidy up what we already own, it's not only easier to appreciate it, but use it as well! Do you love those side tables you saw last week? We do too, but we might love the one's we already have (or be more inspired to make some diy changes to them) if we were able to use them properly.
2. Mend, Fix & Repair - It's often times easier to donate or throw by the wayside, something that is in less than stellar condition. In a world where things clearance out every 3 months, it can seem tempting and financially viable to just purchase new (or even used) at the drop of a hat. Although we're not sure we would go as far as darning our own socks (not the standard white athletic ones anyway), making due with things around your home is far easier to do if things actually work or are in tip top shape. Appreciating the work it takes to keep things at such a standard is something that can be forgotten if we give into our, "if it's broke, buy a new one!" styled society.
3. Declutter - It's easy to acquire things during times when we aren't focused on the constriction of our pocketbook. That extra bit of "stuff and things" in our homes can often hold us back from truly loving the space we are in. Those who have gone through the Fall and Spring Cure with us can tell you... sorting through stuff you don't use, need, or 100% love can be hard, but is one of the most liberating processes to go through.
4. Wash Your Windows - The world is a little bit brighter and happier when your windows are clean. The natural light that pours in through windows that have been recently washed is amazing. Some might even say inspiring and uplifting. The same goes for mirrors and other glass surfaces in your home. Vases, plates, and glassware are all easily dusted/cleaned and make things a bit more sparkly when it's done regularly.
5. Don't Deny Yourself - For those who have ever attempted dieting, the the same principle applies. If you really want that headboard you saw online -- Go for it! Just make sure it's been budgeted and planned for financially. Thinning down what isn't used or can be sold on Craigslist can help rationalize the purchasing of a new item. Budgeting and planning ahead might also avoid rash decision making down the road. If you are forced to save a few weeks or months in advance before acquiring the desired item, it shouldn't diminish your appreciation and love for the item when the trends change or you can afford it.
How do you appreciate the things in your home? Leave us your tip in the comments below!
Photo courtesy of Monica and the Midwest Fall Cure Flickr Pool.
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I rotate my artwork a lot. It makes me see it with fresh eyes. Moving around furniture has the same benefit (if your S.O. is more amenable than mine). And it costs nothing.
I appreciate what I have because I gave up buying junky stuff and saved up (for years, in some cases) so that I could buy high-quality things that last..and in some cases, appreciate in value.
For me, it's definitely quality over quantity.
It helps to look at my friends' homes and be reminded that we live in the real world, not a catalog.
I remind myself that the reason I can afford 2 foreign vacations a year is because I'm not loading up the credit cards on new things and nights out all the time...
...so I pop some popcorn, mix a cocktail and punch up a free movie via Cable-on-Demand.
I work on the reward system. For every ten things I donate or fix around the house, I am allowed a comparable purchase. So, if I get rid of ten books, I might let myself buy a new bag so I can lug around my library books. Or, if I finally take the time to hang those hooks in the entryway, wash out the trash barrels and file all the accumulated paperwork, I might earn a new pair of curtains.
It's really comes down to take care of what you have, and then figure out what you need.
This weekend, I'm fixing to work up to a new dresser. I plan on a lot of donations and getting a lot of little things (fix the crooked pictures; put the padding under the living room rug, finally; pull out the furniture and find all the cat toys, etc.) completed.
I really want that dresser.
"Ramenies" hehe.
I do a combination of #3 and Lisa Hunter's suggestion. Between my husband and I, we have a metric shedload of accessories - photos, framed art, collectibles, candlesticks - as well as certain furniture pieces like side chairs and coffee tables. Every few months I'll replace a pair of candles with a different pair from the basement, or rotate out a hanging print in favor of another one that's been lurking in the basement for a while. I call it shopping the basement.
It keeps the house feeling fresh, and also works as a compromise between me (minimalist) and my husband (nostalgic clutterbug) since he gets to keep all his stuff but I don't have to be visually bombarded with it every day.
Admittedly, we're lucky enough to have a great deal of storage space that we can "shop" in and swap in and out things like side chairs and rugs, but almost everyone has enough space for an extra bankers box full of second-string tchotchkes or a few inches under the bed to stack some framed prints.
I have been doing all of those thing mentioned for a very long time.
I am a nester and I like staying home, plus I have a very old dog so long hours out of the house is not an option. Since I spend time at home having a clean clean house is a must. I do treat myself to candles.
My only splurge is quality organic food because I love to cook and eat healthy..so when friends come over there is always something good to eat and the place smells great.
Also reading and finding new music on the net.
I am a bit of a frustrated designer (no longer practicing) and want to change and create things. Since I can't because of money and I really don't need another chair to reupholster I come here for some release and for inspiration.
I do like these post to read what others are doing.
i re-arrange and re-organize constantly... and i've learned to appreciate old/used
I think #5 isn't appropriate for this list as buying new things, even those that are budgeted for, has nothing to do with appreciating what you already have.
I'd recommend getting perspective on things in your life. Most people fuss too much about unimportant things and assign arbitrary value to items them don't have (and diminished value to those they do have). In the end, if you look at your possessions, very few are genuinely contributing to your overall happiness in life. New stuff quickly becomes old stuff and you're right back where you started.
I go to "Apartment Therapy" nightly---it's a free treat!
Most of our furniture is hand-me-downs, and it's not my style. We started painting it and I swear, it looks brand new. Our standard ugly wood headboard was beat up and dingy looking. We painted it black with a $1 can of spray paint and it looks terrific.
We've painted several pieces of furniture and it has made such a difference. Instead of being ugly junk that we ended up with somehow, it's now an important part of our style. I love it.
Is this new? I feel like I just read this same list, which is good to read but seems a bit redundant.
Everytime I move and have to reestablish a new residence, I realize how much less I could live with and still be happy (if not happier). So over the years, I've slowly pared down and used each move as an opportunity to reevaluate what I own. As I get older, I own less stuff, not more, and its very liberating.
My home is kind of like Find Your Style on HGTV crossed with the view out the window of Hollywood Beach. The walls are white with a few accent walls of blue for the sky. The flooring is carpet tiles, nine colors of blues, greens, grays and black for the lake, trees and distant Loop skyline. The furniture is either maple, beech or ash for beach sand or white laminate/plastic for clouds. All metals are silver, either brushed or polished chrome, for that certain way sunlight filters through and hits the lake on partly cloudy days. Here and there a red accent for the lighthouse. Living room, dining room or bedroom, it's all the same, which means the furniture tends to move among the rooms. When I get bored, I just create new furniture groupings. Kind of like fashion. Bored with a table? Pair it with a different chair. Bored with the bed? Pair it with a different table. Bored with the art? Replace the prints in the frames. I do this constantly with four frames in a hallway that display mini South Shore RR posters for the four seasons. So to summarize: rearrange.
Great list!
Of course, the easiest way to love what you have is to remember how many other people are losing their homes right now. It gives everything a new sheen.
orchid64 - i thought the same thing at first, but i think #5 is best thought of as a long-term strategy, not quick relief from the gimmies. if you make #5 a habit, then in lean times it will be a lot easier to appreciate what you already have, since you invested so much time and energy into it in the first place.
I wanted a new kitchen, and justified this because my disposal was busted...new disposal, new sink, new countertops, etc. etc.
After a year of a !leaky! disposal and talking to contractors and crying because I really didn't have the money, I replaced the damn disposal. $100, and now I have at least a functional kitchen.
Rearrange. Or move things to a new room and go for a whole new look. This works well for us as our whole home is eclectic and fun, with a vintage feel, so most things are interchangeable, but this makes things look and feel brand new again. Things are fun to use and look at that you might have forgotten about when things started to feel drab.
http://www.makemineeclectic.wordpress.com
I work very hard to get things the way I like them, and I almost never get tired of them after that. In the interim phase, when I'm "making do" wiith the not-quite-right coffee table, or whatever, I keep on the lookout for what I'd like better and am able to afford. Then the purchase price is worth it to me, especially since I VERY rarely buy new, so most things are bargains.
We just moved into our new house in November. The whole time it was being built I was scouting and shopping for the things we would need, based on the floor plan and what we knew we wanted to do. I went into considerable credit card debt which I am paying off, but I also have the home I wanted to live in while I do that. I should be back to normal before the end of the year, and meanwhile I'm quite happy with the results. My priority was getting the house to a certain point. Yours may be travel. We live with our choices...
jlg -- I'm always surprised at how many kitchen renovation stories begin with, "Well, our stove broke, so... ."
What about just fixing or replacing the stove???
I know this will seem like a ridiculous post given the content of this thread, but, where can I get that cute little piggy bank?
I don't know why it took me over a year to finally have the epiphany that the apartment I live in (boyfriend's turned husband's place) is awesome in it's own respect: small, simple, and extremely affordable. Now I'm going shopping in my parent's garage stuffed full of furnishings and DIYing everything to our style, and enjoying every minute of it. I guess for us it was finding a way to love what we rent (and don't own).
I do a lot of organizing, rearranging, and I occasionally go through boxes to see if I have any treasures to discover again. My apartment is decorated with a lot of second hand or hand-me-down items, or things that I've found. I decorate wanting everything to have some meaning to me; almost all of my things remind me of something or someone or somewhere. That meaning makes me appreciate them longer than some random thing I bought that just looked nice!
Thank you for this list AND this concept. Many of us already have so much stuff and the point should not be just acquiring more, but appreciating what we have and putting thought into what we bring into our homes.