I love my second-hand couch. It’s at least 50 years old and built to last. I’ve had it recovered and repaired, and when it needs it, it will get recovered and repaired again and again. It’s already been in my lounge for 10 years, and I suspect it will be there for decades to come.
When it comes to furniture and home décor – the temptation is real. There is a seemingly constant stream of new styles and trends hitting the market. News designs and colour palettes curated to tempt us to continually update our homes. The downside being that a lot of mainstream furniture and homeware is now mass produced to keep prices affordable. The result, higher volumes, lower quality and more waste and environmental impact.
The great news is, that there are some simple ways we can slow our consumption when it comes to furniture. Here are some of my favourites:
- Second-hand: I’m a big fan of buying second-hand furniture. It’s an affordable way to be able to source quality items and I love that you can get a really good sense of the quality of an item once it has been used. I’m also a big believer that there is already enough stuff in the world, and buying second-hand is a great way to keep things going for longer.
- Quality: Sometimes it can be tempting to buy based on looks and price, but as my mother always says: ‘you will never regret buying quality’. I always consider what something is made from, how it will wear, and how long it will last – and go for the best I can afford.
- Repair: When things break or get worn out, it can be tempting to replace them, but my default is to get them repaired or recovered. If it’s a simple enough job, I will do it myself, but when needed, I outsource it to the professionals.
- Fall in love: There is a trillion dollar marketing industry convincing us to buy more. I cut off temptation at the source by unsubscribing from marketing emails and unfollowing social media accounts that try to convince me I need to upgrade my home. Instead, I focus on falling in love with the stuff that I already have.
Slowing our approach to consumption, is not only better for the planet, but I love that it can also help us connect with the true value of things.
Community