Yesterday I was listening to the Happier podcast and Gretchen and Elizabeth were talking about luxuries – some were big luxuries and some were small and I started day dreaming about the things that bring about a feeling of luxury for me. I’m sure you won’t be surprised that when I came up with three I stopped and decided to write a blog post!
- Having a house cleaner. I’ve had paid help cleaning my house since 1999 and it’s the best thing in the world. Seriously, I would make a lot of cuts to my household budget before I would eliminate this. When we had all the kids living at home I had weekly help but for several years now it’s been every-other-week and that’s doable. It’s not as luxurious as every week but still – it’s great. If I had loads of money I would take this even further and have daily help with all kinds of household chores – weeding the garden, doing the grocery shopping, planning and cooking meals – I could go on and on!
- Fresh flowers in the house. This is a little luxury I indulge in pretty regularly and I’ve said for a long long time that if I ever won the lottery one of the first things I would do is set up a weekly flower delivery. Flowers are pretty and they smell nice and they are, in the words of Kym, magical. And, let’s face it, a little magic in the house never hurt anyone.
- Line dried sheets on the bed. I have gotten out of the habit of hanging my sheets on the line but I really need to start this up again. I love slipping into bed when the sheets are crsip and smell like fresh air and sunshine, it brings me right back to my childhood since my mom always hung the sheets on the line. I’m putting it out there right now that I’m going to start doing this again!
Those are my little luxuries, things that cost a few bucks but bring me a lot of pleasure.
If you wrote a post for today please add your link below!
Interesting exercise, and something to think about. Thanks!
What a great list, Carole – and a wonderful idea for a ToT post (*stealing it!*). I wholeheartedly agree with #1 (mine comes every three weeks, but Marc willingly cleans bathrooms the other two weeks) and #2 … and I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced #3. One more thing to look forward to when I visit you for pie and Friday Night Snacks 🙂
Oh yes, line dried sheets! I love them! I used to buy fresh flowers every week and loved that too, but I can’t bring flowers into the house anymore due to severe allergies. Some of my little luxuries: making food that I love to eat (since it’s so much easier to navigate between two people’s tastes, instead of five), the smell of a clean house (even though I have to clean it myself), having two cars so we never have to figure out a schedule (enjoying that while it lasts, one is for sale).
I think flowers in the house and line-dried sheets might possibly be necessities for me! I might have to seriously consider a house cleaner because my biggest luxury is having time to do the things I want to.I
I haven’t had anyone help with housecleaning in awhile, but I am ready to bite the bullet and bring in the help! I have a phone number and your post pushed me to make the call. I love flowers, too! So beautiful and bright, lovely and elegant. Every bouquet is a treat. I’ll never forget the feel and smell of line dried sheets and wish I could hang mine to dry. What a luxury!
Great list of wonderful things! I gave up a cleaning person when I moved to Pittsburgh – it was painful. I too love flowers and I feel so lucky to have them occasionally, but they make Steve miserable (darn allergies!) so they are not a regular occurrence here. And, I love line-dried sheets and have been pestering for a clothes line for some time now!
And, I agree… this list is a GREAT idea! Little Luxury Thursday? Or perhaps for the blogging dead zone day…Tuesday! XOXO
Great list Carole! I, too, love line-dried sheets (I usually dry mine outside…the only downside is that sometimes a bird will fly by…..). And flowers! Yes! Vicki’s post yesterday got me thinking about cleaning help again…I gave it up some years ago, but it may be time to bring it back!
My very favorite thing is pulling out a set of line-dried sheets in January or February and getting a lovely whiff of summertime!! I like your list!
I would also cut whatever needed to maintain my every-other-week cleaning help. If I could only convince Boone to keep those paws clean for just one day! I’ve never had a clothes line but can sure remember the fresh line dried sheets of my youth! Great post Carole!
I love fresh flowers in the house especially this time of year when I can cut them in the garden. I love having someone clean the house every other week and I hope I can keep doing this forever!
As for the grocery shopping, I highly recommend Peapod for grocery delivery (not sure if they deliver in your area, but worth checking into!) I used them the entire 9 years I lived in the Chicago suburbs and have used them the 3 years I have lived in the Boston suburbs. Great customer service! If you order at least $100 in groceries, delivery is only $6.95 (less if you buy a Peapod pass) — you shop online at your leisure and in your jammies, they do the shopping and carry the groceries in and put them on the kitchen counter!! Worth every penny IMHO!
1) YES! We have help every other week & it makes such a difference. Since my daughter & I alternate who writes the checks, I only have to pay once a month. It is so wonderful to come home to a house that is clean everywhere all at the same time. I could never quite accomplish that feat.
2) Photographs. This is not a small luxury, as each picture can be pricey, but I don’t indulge often. Over the years, I have accumulated a nice collection of photographs, starting with some that I took in Europe in the ’80s to my most recent acquisition, a glorious photo of the eruption on the Big Island, with the Milky Way looking down on the fiery lava. In between, numerous scenes of the natural beauty of Hawaii, & of course, photos of my family. I am running out of wall space so will not be adding much to the collection in the future, unless I archive which is not likely.
3) Fresh fruit – papayas, apple bananas (unless you have tried one you really don’t know haw wonderful a banana can be), lychee & mangoes are all available locally, but everything else gets flown in, so berries & stone fruits can count as little luxuries.
I’ve been thinking about this, too! (Thanks, Gretchen and Liz.) When I was working, I had once-a-week housecleaning and it was divine. Now that I’m . . . not working, it’s just me and Tom (who has different standards when it comes to housekeeping; just sayin). I feel like I “should be” doing my own cleaning. But I don’t like it. And it makes me cranky. My biggest luxury? Massages every other week and quarterly facials. (And I’ll scrub my own toilets in order to keep those luxuries secure!) XO
Great minds think alike–my post is about three things making me happier than usual. 🙂
A wonderful list, Carole. I’d love some house help! During the school year, I splurge and buy flowers for my desk. I didn’t realize my students enjoyed them too until I missed refilling the vase once and they commented. So cool that a group of 12 years olds found pleasure in that too. Thanks for a great topic.
I love all these things as well, but since I no longer work I feel like I should be doing my own cleaning, so I do. It also helps me justify other things. I love flowers, but I hate to see them die, so I don’t buy a lot of them. And one of the things I enjoy immensely in life is clean sheets. If I won the lottery, I would have clean sheets every day. But I can’t line dry them. It sends my allergies into overdrive, but I understand why you love them. They smell so good! My mother actually ironed them, and that is the origin of loving clean sheets.
Oooh, the line dried sheets are the best! Sadly, we have a homeowner association and clotheslines are a nono! More sob story, my house cleaner quit due to a health condition and I haven’t found anyone else! So, I am going to buy some flowers and count my blessings!
Your list is a good idea – a good way to care for ourselves. I think flowers are a luxury. I especially enjoy buying them in the winter to brighten up a gray day. I would add a good latte. I know they are expensive compared to making coffee at home but I enjoy them.
I’m hoping to set up a clothes line at our new house so I can have line dries sheets too! Moving day is getting closer and closer.