During the winter, Nick and I spend more time indoors, as I’m sure a lot of you do. We also work from home during the week, so I’ve found it’s especially important that our direct surroundings promote a peaceful, welcoming and uplifting mood. This is most important during the darkest days of winter.
Over the last 5 years, we’ve worked towards living increasingly zero waste and minimalist lifestyles. I’ve been through both the Marie Condo phase and the Bea Johnson Zero Waste Home phase. I’ve purged a lot of things from my house that don’t - ahem - bring me joy, and also those items that don’t really fit our values anymore.
But I’ve also found, for myself, that living extremely minimally is exactly that... too extreme for me. I’ve come to understand that if you’re trying to live according to someone else’s standards, you’ll never be completely happy with your life.
Living zero waste should be about figuring out your values and living up to them. And getting rid of whatever doesn’t serve you. It’s about finding what’s reasonable to be part of your lifestyle and ditching whatever isn’t reasonable.
How to Know if You Should Keep Something or Let it Go
For the first time, I feel like I’ve been completely intentional with anything new (or new to us) that enters our home. It’s not easy to get to this point, because things sneak through our door and sometimes it’s really tough to say “No, thank you.”
Here’s a mental checklist I’ve used to know if something belongs in my home:
- It makes me happy to have. This one is especially important for items that maybe don’t serve a specific function but instead, simply make you happy to have around. Examples: plants, handmade pottery, scented candles.
- It adds value to my life in some way. These are the functional items that do their job and do it well. Think: A kitchen appliance that you use daily and can’t live without, high-quality bedding that will last a lifetime, sturdy furniture that has already stood the test of time before you brought it into your home.
- It’s made from natural materials that will someday completely decompose back into the land. Items made from materials like wood, cotton, leather, glass.
- I don’t feel any guilt when I look at it. If I’m holding onto something but it’s not quite right for me, and it’s a constant reminder every time I look at it. Examples: a dress that doesn’t quite fit my style anymore, a neglected kitchen tool that’s just gathering dust, a decorative item that doesn’t make me happy to look at anymore.
It’s okay to keep what makes you happy and let go of what doesn’t. Just think of it this way: maybe that old dress you no longer love would be adored by someone else.
My Favorite Finds from 2019
Without further ado, here are some of my favorite finds from 2019. Maybe they’ll inspire you to look at your own belongings in a new light!
1. Thrifted art, candles and plants (old and new additions)
Thrifted art. One of our favorite things to do is thrift for interesting art. It’s a continuous work in progress. Most of the art we bring home is destined for a very specific place in the house. This year, we found a few things that were a bit difficult to hang, especially in our rental, so I ended up arranging them together on our fireplace mantle. Searching for art this year has also helped me find color palettes that really speak to me.
Candles. I’ve held out for a long time buying candles. I’m not a fan of artificial fragrances (super sensitive nose + allergies) and candle containers that aren’t reusable just become clutter. But I tried other solutions to add scents to my home (palo santo, sage smudge sticks, oil diffusers) which I just didn’t stick with. Plus, candles are super hygge (cozy!) and I needed them in my life. So, instead, I found a local candle maker who uses only essential oils and biodegradable materials to craft her soy wax candles. She also pours them into reclaimed mason jars so I can reuse the container once the candle is gone. Plus, her scents are amazing!
Plants. Not everyone is a plant person, I get it. But for me, I’ve found that greenery really adds a nice liveliness to a living space and I also like having something to care for. Although overwatering is a real danger. I’ve added a few new plants to my collection this year and re-potted some of my existing plants for a nice refresh. I’d really like to start buying plants secondhand, and second-hand plant pots, so I’ve typically got my eye out for these types of things when we’re thrifting.
2. Vintage brass plant stand, vintage brass watering can
Plant stand. This was one of my favorite finds this year - it’s a mid-century brass plant stand that I found at one of my favorite consignment shops, Seattle Furniture Company. I love the unique heart shape and the fact that it holds 3 plants with a very small footprint in my home. My spider plant is clearly very happy in this stand. I may switch up the arrangement of plants I have in this stand down the line if I need to freshen things up a bit, but that’s part of the fun!
Watering can. Found this cute little vintage brass watering can on Etsy and just couldn’t say no (seller: oxfordgrayvintage). I didn’t have a watering can for my plants previously, but I’ve found that it helps so much with the watering process, especially since I keep accumulating more plants. When I decided I needed a watering can, I went to Etsy because there was such a great secondhand selection of watering cans. Usually I will just hold off purchasing something until I can thrift it in person, but I took a chance here ordering online and was happy with the result.
3. Linen bedding, MCM pedestal table
Linen duvet & pillow covers. I’m a sucker for bedding. It’s one of the only things I’ll buy new. I’ve wanted to try linen bedding for a long time, and I caved this year and bought a set from Parachute. I’ve had a pair of their cotton sheets for a few years and since they’ve held up so well, and wash up like a dream, I figured it was okay to make another investment with the company. I’m glad I did. The linen adds such a nice textural element to the bed and it’s very comfy. Plus, it’s easy to make the bed quickly and achieve a casual, lived-in-but-tidy look. Recently, I did find a treasure trove of super-organized secondhand bedding at our local Goodwill. I’ll definitely head there first the next time I need anything new-to-me for the bed.
Pedestal table. Found this super cute small vintage MCM pedestal table at Seattle Furniture Company. Recently I moved it into the bedroom as a nightstand and I’m really loving the look of it as an unconventional bedside table.
4. Copper water pitcher, basket tray + upcycled napkins
Copper water pitcher. I’ve added this beautiful and functional hand-made copper water pitcher to my home this year and I feel like it fits in really well. I expect it’ll last a lifetime and hopefully longer. There are various health benefits that can come from drinking water from a copper pitcher - it helps boost immunity, reduce the appearance of aging, cleanses the body of toxins and more. My favorite benefit is that it effectively neutralizes the chlorine taste of my tap water. I don’t bother with plastic filters or pitchers (and certainly no bottled water!) so this is a really nice alternative to those more disposable items.
Basket tray. I’ve been all about adding new textures and materials (as long as they’re natural) to my home this year and I’m obsessed with woven baskets. I found this beautiful vintage basket tray at the Pacific Galleries Vintage Marketplace and Antique Mall here in Seattle. There are so many gems at this store and I will definitely be back again.
Upcycled dinner napkins. I found these at the PacGal as well, and I love that they are upcycled vintage handkerchiefs that have been dyed a beautiful rose color and repurposed as fancy cloth dinner napkins. One of the best examples of upcycling I’ve seen this year!
5. 1960’s Danish leather couch
Vintage leather couch. I’ve been wanting a leather couch for some time now, and the time finally came this year to search for one once we gave our old couch to Nick’s younger brother. I didn’t feel great about buying brand new leather, even though I’d been eyeing the couches from Article. Luckily, my patience was rewarded when we stumbled upon this beauty at Split Level Modern in Burien - sister company to Seattle Furniture Company. It’s such a unique color leather, it’s got pinkish hues, and I absolutely love it. Plus, since it’s half a century old, I can see how the leather has aged and so there shouldn’t be any surprises in that department.
6. Vintage hand-crocheted Afghan blanket + floral MCM accent chair
Cozy blanket. Is there anything more comforting than cozying up on the couch with your favorite person and your favorite blanket? I think not. I found this beautiful Afghan blanket from the Fremont Vintage Mall and I couldn’t say no. It’s super warm and easily fits two people when snuggling on the couch. It would probably also work well as a bedspread, too. Something to experiment in the new year! I also love that the tag on the blanket says “Crocheted for you by Nancy Fiess.” Nancy, wherever you are, thank you for keeping me warm on these cold wintery nights!
Floral accent chair. This chair possibly sparked my obsession with accent chairs. I couldn’t pass this particular one up when I found it at Seattle Furniture Company. I adore the (probably original) floral pattern on the upholstery, even though it’s well-worn. The (wooden) bones of the chair are in great shape and I figure I can reupholster the cushions if I ever tire of the floral pattern. Nick says if I continue to covet (and collect) accent chairs I’m going to quickly reach antique-dealer-status. Do you agree?
What are some of your favorite finds from 2019? What are you looking forward to finding in 2020? Do you love or hate thrifting? How do you approach purchasing decisions for your home? Let me know in the comments!
