You dropped 5 grand on new living room floors, and you’re over the Moon at how they came out.
They’re absolutely perfect, just what you always wanted. Now, if only you knew that wobbly table didn’t ruin the experience, right? And, maybe if you had a spot for your shoes in the hallway? With these beautiful new floors, it kind of seems like the rest of the house… Doesn’t work.
And that’s because it probably doesn’t.
Congrats, you spent a whole bunch of cash on a home upgrade that really didn’t do anything for its functionality. The floors are pretty, but your house doesn’t feel more comfortable or more practical because of them.
Meanwhile, your neighbor spent $200 (USD) on a motion-sensor light by the garage and a good hook strip by the back door.
It’s not something you’d put on Pinterest, but unlike you, they don’t need to come home with their hands full and not have a place to put the bags down.
What Looks Good Doesn’t Necessarily Feel Good to Live With
When it comes to designing your home, you probably think of looks, right?
Sure, there has to be some functionality to it, but for the most part, you’re concerned with it looking good. So, you see a picture with matte black fixtures and marble tiles, and you fall in love with it.
THIS is how you want your kitchen to look! But how is this actually going to work? Matte black fixtures? Seriously? Do you know what a magnet these are for water spots and soap stains?
And that’s how we make mistakes.
A reclaimed wood table is gorgeous, but you’ll need to clean it all the time. And don’t even get started on pure white sofas; those things are stressful to look at, let alone have one.
When you’ve been a homeowner for a while, you start looking at upgrades differently.
It’s nice to have friends and neighbors compliment your home, but the best upgrades are the ones no one notices, like a light switch in a perfect spot or a hallway that’s wide enough for everyone to walk through comfortably.
On the other hand, imagine a house with brand new floors and modern lights.
It looks beautiful and upgraded, like something a celebrity will live in. But you go to the garage one morning, and the door doesn’t open because you skimped on the mechanism to save a few bucks. You’re trying to find someone to fix it like a maniac because you need to get to work, and your car is in there.
You JUST saw an ad for 24 hour garage door repair Reading PA residents rely on daily. How come you can’t find one in the huge city where you live?!
You don’t care about your modern lights anymore, right? That’s exactly the point. If you’d miss it when it breaks, that’s not decoration, but the stuff that’s worth spending money on.
The Upgrades You’ll Appreciate
Don’t waste time and money on fancy stuff because these are the upgrades that will make your life more comfortable.
Things That Make It Easy to Move Around
You should feel free and at ease in your home, but that can’t happen if you’re always squeezing past this and bumping into that.
For instance, why not have the bathroom door swing out instead of in, so you don’t block the vanity? Or why not clean out the path from the kitchen to the garage? These aren’t exciting changes, but you use these spaces every single day.
And, every single day, small things annoy you over and over.
Those are called micro-stressors, and they have a greater effect on you than you think.
Fixes That Solve Actual Problems
Take a look around and see what doesn’t work.
Does your front door lock stick? Is your kitchen missing a spot for the trash can?
If you solve stuff like this, you’ll feel instant relief. If you install a motion light by the garage, you’ll never have to spend 10 minutes looking for keys again, just like placing an outlet in the right place means you won’t have to have a bunch of extension cords across the floor.
Options That Don’t Create Extra Work Later
Some materials look amazing, but if you need a special cleaner, a super soft cloth, and 5 hours every week to keep it clean, you’ll hate yourself for choosing it.
This isn’t an upgrade, but yet another responsibility you need to handle.
Pick things that work for real life, like porcelain tiles that look like they’re marble but don’t stain as marble does. Or quartz counters that don’t need sealing.
Less upkeep basically means more free time, and more free time means actual happiness.
Conclusion
It seems like the best upgrades are the most boring ones, right? In all honesty, that’s true.
You mightn’t get excited over a new outlet or a new outdoor light, but as small as they are, these little details will make your life much more comfortable.
None of this means you shouldn’t spend thousands on new floors or marble tiles if you can afford it.
But before you get to the fun stuff, maybe handle the basics first.