What are your little luxuries in life?

What is luxury to you? Is it a Chanel bag or a 5-bedroom home? 5 star travels and expensive cars? Dining out everyday?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, luxury is

1. a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort
2. something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary or an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease

The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of luxury is

1. A state of great comfort or elegance, especially when involving great expense
2. An inessential, desirable item which is expensive or difficult to obtain
3. A pleasure obtained only rarely

I don’t want to go deep into linguistics, but as you can see, there are 2 distinct understandings of the word luxury: one is tied to an abundance of money and the other is not necessarily.

I’m definitely in the second camp.

For me, a luxury is a special treat. It’s not necessarily ridiculously expensive, but it may be over the simple necessities cost line. It’s something that can be a source of enjoyment and that must be appreciated.

It’s about infusing a little style and elegance into our everyday things. Elevating simple moments to experiences. Treating ourselves occasionally.

I noticed that sometimes even seemingly positive lifestyle choices could go very wrong when done in excess. When frugality becomes too obsessive or minimalism starts to be a dumb race of how much stuff we can throw out, it stops being good for our wellbeing.

If there is one principle I believe in more than anything else, it is a strive for balance and moderation.

While it’s important to stay on track financially, be really mindful and conscious about how we spend our hard-earned money, I also think that little indulgences and small luxuries can have a place in our life, even if we’re trying to be smart and conscious about our spending. There’s no need to convince yourself you can only spend on the bare minimum or feel bad about indulging in something others might regard as unnecessary or of no value. At the end, how we spend our money and time is a totally personal issue, we must only answer to our own conscience.

Of course, it’s easy for me to say that as I’m not forced to look at every cent and I have some decision-making room in how I spend my money.

And it’s true. It’s a privilege. And I’m trying to be mindful and appreciative of that privilege. That’s why I call these kinds of spending little luxuries of life – because they are not to be taken for granted.

By the way, not every luxury has to involve money. I consider free time and an opportunity to spend it how I like a luxury as well. It all goes back to treating life as a one-shot deal, trying to fill it with great experiences as much as we can, and embracing small things and little luxuries that create a moment of joy in our everyday lives.

My little luxuries in life

Quality tea //

I wrote about my new obsession with an afternoon tea ritual here. And for that, good quality tea leaves are a must for me. Every 2 or 3 months, I go to the specialty store and buy some of my diehard favorites, as well as a couple of new ones to try. It’s not very expensive, but for sure there are cheaper alternatives for tea. But that 15-minutes ritual and the enjoyment I get from it every single day makes those purchases totally worth it for me.

Nice towels and bedding sets //

No sturdy or over washed linens. A nice set of towels and bedding feels luxurious, is practical, and can make a home look put together in an instant.

Going for a facial //

I’m quite low maintenance when it comes to my hair, and prefer doing my nails myself, but a facial massage and a treatment once every 4-6 weeks is something I do budget for.

Fresh flowers //

A classic everyday luxury.

A morning routine //

My morning routine is incredibly important to me and is what I call an everyday luxury. I like going through the motions, having a bit of free, me time, creating a nice vibe, and starting my day the right way (my new addition to this routine is reading for 20 minutes in the morning). I value this a lot more than sleeping in. And I know there’ll be times when it will be more difficult to keep (when I have kids for example), so I try to appreciate it now when I can.

Art experiences //

Especially in the wintertime, going to the theater, ballet, or a gallery to see an exhibition is one of my favorite indulgences.

Quality chocolate //

The occasional treat of a nice box of artisan, high quality chocolate.

A cashmere sweater //

Totally practical in wintertime and is such a nice, luxurious thing to wear. And like most clothing investments, it can last for a very, very long time if you care for it the right way.

Playing tourist in my own city //

Going out for a whole Sunday, walking around leisurely, siting down at a cafe and watching people, not caring about the errands I still need to do, and rediscovering the beauty of my own city.

Nice dishes //

I’m not a big fan of having a ridiculously expensive china set just to use it once a year for the big family Christmas dinner and not caring about the dishes on the other 364 days. I looked for weeks and weeks until I found my current set. It’s pure white, beautiful, minimal with a design twist that I still love looking at and using everyday.

A hot bath //

Sure, showers are quicker, more environment-friendly and better for your skin, especially in winter. But for me, nothing beats a long, hot bath with some oils and a good book.

A nice loungewear set //

I used to preserve old clothes with the aim of wearing them at home. I thought it was a good way to extend their life and make the most out of the money I paid for them. I don’t really do that anymore, because somehow I never got around to actually wearing them, either because they weren’t comfortable enough, or they reached that really, really over-worn state and I wasn’t feeling good in them anymore (and I certainly didn’t want to be seen in them). Then I realized, just because I’m home, I still can put an effort into how I look and feel, and I don’t need to feel bad about buying a simple, comfortable loungewear set, instead of holding onto stained T-shirts or saggy-bottomed pants under the disguise of frugality.

A date night //

Spending a cozy night-in making dinner, watching Netflix together, or just reading side by side is great. But dressing up nicely, going out, treating ourselves for a nice dinner and a walk outside is an important luxury in life as well.

Me time //

Sometimes the biggest luxury is just stopping for a minute, saying no to everything and everyone and use that “me” time to do the things you really, really like. Especially, if you deal with clients or people everyday, if you have family obligations, or spend a lot of time catering to other people’s needs. Dedicating sacred time for ourselves is essential in my opinion. Don’t answer the phone; tell your loved ones to forget about you for 20 minutes or an hour, and recharge. It doesn’t matter how you spend it, whether it’s working on your pet project, reading, sleeping, going for a walk, or just watching some dumb reality show, free time and the chance to spend it however you want is probably the ultimate luxury in today’s fast-paced world.

What are your favorite little luxuries in life?

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