Everything in life is temporary. You know this as well as I do. Everything is but for a season, it will come into your life, you experience it, and then it will go away.
The triumphs and tragedies, those that bring you joy or grief, perhaps apathy, the people, places… it will go away and give you room to create new experiences with new people and new things.
And so it is with the décor in your own home. At some point, you will have to get rid of it and get new pieces.
Sometimes it is good old wear and tear that forces you to get an upgrade. Other times, it is your heart that has grown weary – the pieces no longer bring you the joy and happiness that they used to.
It matters not how much money you pour into buying high-quality pieces, at some point in their life in your home, they will all need to be tossed out for something else. It is the cycle of life. Honour it.
The wooden frame that furniture is crafted from can last years and years. Natural wood actually hardens over time as it absorbs light and oxygen from the atmosphere. It, therefore, grows hardier, and stronger.
What exposes wooden furniture to a shorter shelf life are the joints and the other materials that it is crafted from.
Joints weaken over time. The other materials – upholstery, sponge, cotton and other fillers, zippers and other fasteners, springs – fall apart at a much faster rate.
Probably also because of their exposure to daily use, including the frequent staining and cleaning.
2. Pets also shorten the life of your furniture
You can refurbish your furniture every few years by replacing these worn-out parts. This is usually a budget-friendly option. You can also choose to get rid of the furniture altogether.
Other times it is not wear and tear that prompts an upgrade but you no longer feel joy when you see the furniture in your space.
Everything is but for a season, it will come into your life, you experience it, and then it will go away. And so it is with the décor in your own home. At some point, you will have to get rid of it and get new pieces.
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Curtains and sheers are exposed to the elements of weather, especially sunshine. A lot of natural light may be pouring into your spaces and brightening up your home, but it is your window treatment that is getting a hit from the heat.
Over time, you will notice that your curtains and sheers are fading and getting stiff. They also get hairline tears that expand into jagged rips whenever you draw them. Take them down for a wash and they are as good as done.
Don’t beat yourself up about buying poor quality window treatment because it is not your poor choices but their hard-working purpose (covering your windows) that demands the upgrade.
Pets can also sometimes scratch at the curtains, causing an eyesore of frayed fabrics that prompts an upgrade.
Rugs are woven from the fibre. They can be hand woven from natural fibres such as cotton and sisal. Or machine-woven from synthetic fibres such as polyester, olefin and nylon.
Whichever type of rug you choose, they will both be subject to their fibres coming apart and the rug un-weaving over time. It is usually the edges that begin to un-weave, then it gradually expands into the rest of the rug. Some even get holes.
A weaver can repair the un-weaving in a hand-woven rug but you will not have the same luck with a machine-woven rug.
In some instances, the frequent staining and cleaning of a rug will cause it to fade and look lacklustre. For others, the fibres flatten and the rug is no longer as plush as when you first bought it. This loss of luxury is a sure sign to upgrade it.
The surest sign that you need to upgrade your crockery is when so many of them are broken that you don’t have enough for your family’s daily use.
In other homes, it’s not that they are broken but they are sorely chipped at the edges. Plates, cups and saucers chip as they are used or as they are drying on the dish rack, it happens, no matter how careful you are with them.
Tea cups also stain, plates get scratched, saucers develop hairline fractures… all these are signs that they are nearing the end of their useful life.
With cookware, the signs of an upgrade are told in their material. Cookware made from stainless steel can deform and get a bowl-like structure at the bottom.
Others even get holes. In others, the handles fall off or the lids no longer fit. In non-stick pieces, the non-stick layer wears away and burns your cooking.
6. Other decorative elements
Consider other decorative elements such as mirrors, artwork, metalwork, wall clocks, vases, statuettes and trays.
Some decorative elements can drop from a high surface and break, others are irreparably ruined.
On the other hand, they may be in mint condition but are simply not bringing you joy. Toss them out.
Houseplants usually die in your house because they are not getting sufficient direct sunlight. Others fall sick, others are overwatered. Get new plants when the old ones have died.
