Sunday, December 14, 2008

From Fashionista to Recessionista

Seeing the countdown to Christmas at right about gave me a heart attack this morning. I was going to do another post on decorating for the holidays, but since there are only a few days left, I've decided to skip forward to the new year instead.

To start 2009 off right, I thought I'd launch a series on value. With the economy the way it is, we're all searching for the best way to get the most from the dollars we spend. One really easy way to do that, is to develop a list of priorities for yourself so when you buy something it works with your lifestyle. Mine are:

Durable materials and construction
Easy to clean and care for
Hard to destroy
Fits with my color palette of red and neutrals
If I buy something that's a fashion statement, I rarely spend more than $100 on it

I have to admit to a few weak moments, but for the most part I stick to my list. Since I've developed this list, there are very few big investments I've made that I've regretted. A few little ones maybe, but the big money has been well spent. The iconic example that fits almost every requirement on my list was my kitchen table, which I've referenced often in this blog.

It's classic in design, so it looks great and I'll still love it in ten years, it's got a rustic finish that gets better with use and abuse, and it's easy to clean. I think we paid about $2000 for it, which seemed like a big price tag at the time, but after six years of constant use, the table is still one of my favorite things in my house and looks better than it did the day we bought it.
I can't say the same for some of the holiday decor I've bought over the years, but that's a post for another day.

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