I’m in a mood again. I hate my house and I think I’m beginning to see a pattern. I blame the holidays. Over the last few years I have not only shopped less, but I simply don’t go anywhere. It’s easier to not be depressed over what you don’t have if you don’t know what you’re missing, right? But then Christmas comes along and I am forced to go out. Maybe it’s to pick up a few presents for family members or maybe it’s to take my kids to the mall to use their gift cards. While I’m out there, I see stuff. I see beautiful clean fluffy towels, comfy looking modern furniture, whimsical plate patterns and glassware, and so on. I don’t realize it at the time, or even know that I am aware of these things at the time. But later it gets me.
Some time after Christmas has passed, like maybe exactly one month, I start looking at things with disdain. My living room furniture is 15 years old. It lacks luster and is not really comfy anymore. Faded, tattered linens. Broken up mismatched drinking glasses. Pffft. And there is always something that really stands out. Fortunately last year the thing that bothered me was a simple fix. I finally went on a mission to find – and found – the perfect plaque in the perfect colors with the perfect saying – to replace a clock I took down in the kitchen. Also – the rug and shower curtain in the guest bathroom. I know these aren’t major purchases financially – but I am very particular about what I want and I won’t settle until I find it. So I still love how my guest bathroom looks except now – a year after the new curtain and rug, and a month after being out shopping, the sink has become an eyesore to me. Uh oh.
Shower curtain / rug combo – easy. Vessel sink / vessel sink faucets combo – super duper not easy.
I cannot complain about my house really. It was new when we bought it in 1997 and its neutralness maintained its timeliness. But it is starting to seem dated to me as decor has evolved dramatically over the last several years. I always intended to change all the Formica counter tops but now I just want to rip everything out and start over. The vessel sinks are not really that expensive. The vessel faucet actually costs more than the sink. Then there’s the cabinet or pedestal, though. Now I’m into big dollar. More than any of my Christmas and Birthday money can help. But that’s okay. Now that I realize the pattern and where these feelings are coming from, I think if I wait it out, they will pass until there’s room in the budget for bigger projects. Maybe for now I can get some towels that aren’t torn or bleach stained. That would make me happy too.
Post Christmas Shopping Dysfunction. Did I just invent something new or have you experienced it too?