I was ready to make a big purchase on Prime Day. One of those couches was going to be mine, and I was going to get a great deal. I took measurements of the room, the doorway, and the hall. I planned to get one of those sofa beds into our small office/guest room. And then I stepped away from the buy button. The drive for underconsumption found me.
Why Did I Walk Away From Prime Day Shopping?
The first reason was simple: I realized I really wanted to sit on the couch, see the fabric swatches, and feel the piece before buying it. Alas, that’s impossible when shopping online. We took the time to do that with the comfortable swivel chairs we (finally!) purchased for the living room, and we love them.
Second, it felt like I was getting caught up in the pressure to buy something right then because of the “deal.” But is it really a deal if the furniture isn’t what we want or something we will toss in the next couple of years? I read once that a good rule of thumb is to spend money on quality furniture (or other items) if it is something you will “touch” every day. That will undoubtedly be the case with the couch. Even if we never have overnight guests, I will use the sofa daily to work, read, and relax.
Third, I started thinking about vintage pieces. Admittedly, it is hard to find a vintage sofa sleeper. But it isn’t as hard to find vintage chaises, day beds, or wide sofas that could also become comfortable sleeping options with toppers. I like the idea of having something unique with a history. From an environmental standpoint, choosing something vintage (or even thrifted) has some significant upsides. Also, non-toxicity (or less) sounds good to me. With the growing awareness of off-gassing and forever chemicals in the fast-furnishing industries, going used is certainly something to consider.
How Did I Celebrate Prime Day?
We planted Andy’s loquat tree in the ground at long last. He has been growing it from seed for about three years, and it was getting ready to burst out of our half-wine barrel planter. We’re a little like new plant parents in that we keep checking on it to make certain that it hasn’t suffered from the shock of transplant. So far, so good!
So, we went with an experience instead of a product. And if the loquat fruits, we’ll be eagerly sharing it all with neighbors and friends. We’ll share so much that people will probably start avoiding us. But you’ll know when it happens — you’ll start seeing loquat recipes on the blog.
How about you? Did you do something unexpected this Amazon Prime Day?