A Thanksgiving Reminder: Try to Be Thankful for The Things in Your Home That Annoy You
The concept of a dream house is often just that: a dream. Putting size and amenities aside, it probably has many things you desperately wish your home did not (or vice versa). Like, your dream home probably doesn’t have awkward spaces that are just dead zones, and it probably has baseboards that do not need to be dusted every other day. You know, the stuff you fantasized about when you were playing The Sims or futzing around with Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse.
Anyone who’s fortunate enough to have a roof over their head probably has a list of grievances about their home, but I have a suggestion this Thanksgiving: find a way to be thankful for the thing(s) that you find yourself complaining about. More often than not, there’s probably a silver lining that you hadn’t considered, which could be the thing that stops you from grumbling about that off-centered fireplace again.
I asked members of the Apartment Therapy staff to share things that they’re choosing to be thankful for this year. Let these be a reminder that a home is never meant to be perfect—as long as it provides some measure of safety and comfort, it’s more than enough to be thankful for on Thanksgiving (and all year round).
“I get SO annoyed that I can hear my upstairs neighbor walking around. But, in my previous apartment I had no upstairs neighbor and a ceiling that leaked in almost every room. It makes me thankful that it’s my neighbor upstairs and not a bunch of moldy water just waiting to drip down on me.” —Emma Glubiak, Social Media Manager
“I’m super annoyed that my window opens to a fire escape so I can’t just leave it open all the time, but I’m thankful that I’ll be safe if there’s ever a fire.” —Nicole Lund, Assistant Commerce Editor
“I have a kitchen drawer that’s been broken for about six months. Every time I look at it, I feel a little 1) sad that it’s broken, 2) confused about how to fix it, and 3) annoyed that my husband has ignored my last 24 requests to take care of it (hi, John!). But I have a ton of storage in my kitchen—cupboards and drawers that I use to store not only kitchen items, but my out-of-season clothes, seasonal decor, gifts, and more. I’m grateful that I have so many in the first place, especially in NYC. And maybe it just means that the odds of one breaking were higher to start with?” —Laura Schocker, Editor-in-Chief
“Cat hair. So much cat hair. Everywhere. All the time. But I’d never trade my two fluffy boys for a fur-free bowl of soup.” —Tara Bellucci, News & Culture Editor
“My boyfriend and I don’t live together, but I spend enough time at his place that I consider it a second home. One thing I’m not wild about: the giant gap between the bottom of his apartment’s front door and the floor. (Did you know mice can fit through a hole the size of a dime? No? OK, well, sleep tight with that info.) But I’ve found The Gap has a pretty heartwarming advantage. When I’m walking up the stairs, I can see the little tap-tapping toes of his dog, Walter, jumping up and down with excitement at my arrival. (My boyfriend’s feet are yet to be spotted, but there’s still time.) If the happy toes of a loving dog don’t inspire gratitude, I don’t know what does.” —Megan Baker, Home Projects Editor
“My kitchen is small. Like, teeny tiny. It’s so small that it has six (6) floor tiles, and only enough room for mini fridge. And man, having no counter space sucks, but that mini fridge is just the worst. I have to be so careful about how much fresh produce I buy, and meal-prepping is next to impossible, since I can’t store multiple days’ worth of leftovers. But it’s taught me the importance of maximizing space, saving money at the grocery store, and learning how to get every bit of use out of a food item. I’d kill to have a space big enough for a regular-sized fridge (and hopefully will someday!) but for now, I’m happy to have what I have.” —Terri Pous, Managing Editor
What thing that usually bugs you are you going to try to be thankful for this year? Share in the comments—and Happy Thanksgiving!