Trying to keep your apartment expenses down is something many people do. Making sure that no money is wasted on unnecessary frivolities is a good idea, but make sure you don’t go overboard. Here’s a list of five items you might want to splurge on and add to your place, unless you already have them. Don’t worry, they’ll be worth it.
1. Door Mat - Because it's the first thing you see when you walk into someone's home! That's probably the main reason anyone ever puts much thought into the doormat, but I urge you to consider function over beauty. My coir doormats drove me crazy by tracking in unwanted coir fibers, but yet I kept buying them. Not to mention, I would usually go through at least two a year. I did my research and decided on the Cape Cod Doormat, a little more money from the start, but way cheaper in the long run. After countless pretty doormats failed me, I finally got it right. My Cape Cod mat comes with no mess and has been going strong for over two years!
2. Entryway Rug - This is one area I always thought it was smart not to splurge on. I mean it's heavily trafficked, gets dirty and needs constant washing or replacing. Years practicing this theory proved I was dead wrong. The Problem: I have gone through about five different rugs in my entryway. With one pitiful rug pad and two dogs that rush the front door every time they hear a noise, I was forever straightening, fixing and flattening the front rug. The Solution: Modular carpet tiles by FLOR. Yes, they were way more expensive from the start, but they stay in place and their modular tile design allows them to be hosed off, cleaned, and replaced whenever necessary.
3. Powder-Coated Boot Tray - My Martha Stewart powder-coated boot tray has been with me for the long haul. It's the first and only boot tray I've ever bought and it's still going strong. I remember doing quite a bit of research for such a small investment, and eight years ago when I bought it, dropping $100 on a boot tray was not really in my budget. But I didn't have an entryway and knew I wanted something simple, attractive and most of all, functional. To this day, I can still say it has never once leaked and has no rust spots.
4. Dish Rack - My dish rack also survived the move from the apartment to the house and is still with me today. I remember combing The Container Store and other big box stores for a stainless steel rack before eventually settling on one from Williams Sonoma. Now that I live in a house with a dishwasher, I would eventually like to replace it with one that doesn't take up as much counter space, but I imagine it will still be here serving its purpose for a couple more years.
5. Cutlery Organizer - When we renovated, we were able to splurge on a nice kitchen cabinets. It was such a luxury and such a step up from my apartment's gritty, rusted steel cabinets that I thought putting in plastic drawer organizers would be a shame. I splurged on beautiful bamboo ones that complemented the interior of my cherry drawers and every time I open them, I love what's inside. I've never thought much more about them until the other day when a friend was over and commented on how nice my drawers were. The same comment would have never been made if I rushed to fill them with their ugly plastic counterpart, which I would have eventually replaced anyway.
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