Every Day Fancy

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

I'm not an overly "fancy" person. As a mom, I even shock myself at how often I'm doing disgusting things, such as eating other people's food off other people's bodies, and I mean that in the unsexiest way possible. (Do any other moms do this? Your kid has half a strawberry stuck to his face/torso/arm and instead of finding a cloth to wipe it off you just pop it in your own mouth? OH I'M AN ANIMAL NOW? You lie if you say you haven't done this.)

BUT. 

There are times when I like to be a little fancy, and it's nice to incorporate some special touches throughout an otherwise unremarkable day to keep things pretty and to make yourself feel pampered.



All white everything. Linens, that is. Think of going to a nice hotel - the sheets and the duvet and the towels are all bright, crisp white, and it just feels better using those things. This one's a bit more of an investment, but you can start with picking up a few extra-large white towels and some white hand towels for your bathroom. We have a white duvet and a more lightweight white coverlet for our bed, switching them out depending on the seasons, and I love them - they make the room look brighter and the bed just looks more inviting to crawl into at the end of the day.

Buy the good coffee. Yes, it's cheaper to buy a huge tub of Maxwell House, and that'll do in a pinch - but it's so much easier to get up and going in the morning when there's (in my case) Starbucks or Just Us brewing. Cup for cup it's probably not much more costly, and it's so worth it. We haven't sprung for a coffee grinder or a French press or any of those gizmos yet, but my understanding is they're both worthwhile investments. Bonus points: Drink your morning coffee outside. I almost never ever have time to do this but it's pretty great to take 10 minutes at the start of the day to sit on your deck and take in the fresh air along with your caffeine fix. 

Get some fresh flowers. This is one of my favourite inexpensive ways to spruce up our mantel or kitchen table. Flowers don't need to be pricey! You can often grab a bouquet at the grocery store for $6, or just cut some flowers from your own yard. For the longest time, I was adamant about not touching the flowers in our yard, but where will you enjoy them more? Are you more likely to go outside and stare at your flower bed, or will you appreciate a small vase in your house, where you'll walk past it 100 times a day? 

Drink some spa water. We always have a pitcher of water in the fridge at home and adding some fruits and veggies to it makes it feel like more of a special treat than just guzzling H2O for good health. Lemon slices are always a good choice, or mix it up with cucumbers or berries. Bonus - you'll probably end up drinking more water which is never a bad move! 

Wear your nice jewelry, carry your best handbag, put on your expensive shoes, drink $10 wine out of a $250 wine glass. We splurge on these things or receive them as gifts, then put them away for "a special day" - and those gorgeous earrings or amazing shoes end up being worn three or four times, max. The hand-cut crystal flutes retreat to the back of your cupboard and never emerge. Every day is special. Wear your blingiest bling or your sky-high heels on a random Tuesday and you'll feel like a million bucks! Chocolate milk out of champagne flutes - why not? 

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7 comments

  1. NatashaJuly 29, 2014 at 12:08 PM

    oh I love this!
    I too have white linens and swear by them. White bath towels are the current bane of my life though with small kids. They just never seem to stay white (even bleach doesn't do it)

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    1. AmyJuly 29, 2014 at 2:38 PM

      I hear you! When Eli comes inside from playing and is dirty, he usually ends up getting cleaned up at the kitchen sink, which keeps our bath towels more or less clean. For now...that'll change as he gets bigger I'm sure :)

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  2. HollyJuly 29, 2014 at 3:17 PM

    We received wine glasses as a wedding gift and don't drink wine, so sometimes we use them for coke :) I can't imagine keeping white linens clean with kids and a dog ... how do you do it?

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    1. AmyJuly 29, 2014 at 3:32 PM

      It's tricky! Eli's stuff is more colourful than ours, so that helps. We try to clean him up in the kitchen as much as possible before he's turned loose through the rest of the house. And our dog isn't allowed in the bedrooms, otherwise everything would be destroyed!

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  3. NatashaAugust 3, 2014 at 1:58 PM

    we have white couches (washable ikea ones) and they have been just fine but now with dog #2 who likes to break all the rules and wipe his nose everywhere I am finally giving in and am going to try to dye them grey. If it all goes to plan, white cushions will join my world. I just love white

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  4. ains_raeAugust 10, 2014 at 1:04 PM

    Spring on a coffee grinder. Do it. Your coffee with thank you.

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  5. Rachel EmmileeAugust 24, 2014 at 9:45 AM

    One thing I never did was save my nice dishes for a special occasion. I LOVE having my tea in a fancy tea cup, and I love serving tea to others in something fancy! It's a nice touch, and I swear it makes the tea even more enjoyable.

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