The Blog Central

In
this day and age of throw away everything I have grown tired of the
impermanence of use and toss design. I used to love going to the big
Swedish store and finding great bargains for put together book
shelves and whatnot’s.

But
after the 5th trip to the city dump of useless broken particleboard
furniture and the latest look at my ever-dwindling checking account I
have come to some realizations. It may be a part of maturing, of
growing up, or it may just be a part of getting smart, finally.

I
want to fill my home and my life with things that will last. I want
to have furnishings I can pass down to my children and their children
as well. I want to also have furnishings that do what they are meant
to do. I do not want to reach out to place my coat on a hook that
breaks and takes a piece of my wall with it. I do not want my bed to
break if my kids decide to jump on it for an hour on a rainy day.

I
have begun to look at items in stores now for how well they are made.
I want to see the welds, if applicable, and know they are strong. I
want dressers and shelves made of solid wood and dovetailed joints.
It is a throw back to an old world way of making things in one sense.
Quality or economy is not the question, because in the long run that
quality will more than pay for itself.

Instead
of that cheap hook for my coat I found some amazing wrought iron coat racks that will likely outlast civilization. They are beautiful and
strong and work, every time. I found some amazing antique solid wood
dressers that are better quality, even used and years old, than the
nicest ones I can find at my local furniture chain store. I have
taken to using cast iron in the kitchen more and more that we all
know lasts forever.

I
am also finding that doing these things is also more often than not
better for my and my families health, and better for the planet, and
better, in the long run, for my checkbook.

I
still go to that big Swedish store now and again, but now it is for
some tea lights or some silverware on sale. Now I look at everything
with the idea of 3 generations down the road and I find a lot less
trips to the dump and a lot more savings at my bank.