8 Affordable Ways to Create a Luxurious Lifestyle
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Defining a Luxurious Lifestyle...
Hey friend! I wanted to have a little talk about accessible luxury...you know, the kind that makes you feel like you're living a luxurious lifestyle without maxing out your credit card.
Luxury that's rooted in quality & experience more than a price tag.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm sure, we've all drooled over a social media post or two of people living their best life in designer clothes, traveling first class & sipping champagne at the Balcony Avenue Champs-Elysées.
But what if you're not quite there yet?
No worries friend, I got you!
I looked at my own life & found 8 wallet-friendly ways to sprinkle a little more luxury into your everyday life.
Fresh Flowers & Plants
Picture this: you're lounging in your spacious home or cozy apartment, surrounded by lush greenery and the sweet scent of fresh flowers. Can't you just feel the vibes already?
Whether it's a simple bouquet of wildflowers, a chic potted orchid, or a bouquet of lush, long-stemmed roses, adding fresh florals & greenery to your space is an instant luxury mood-booster.
Fresh Flowers and plants help keep the air clean in your home & they also add vibrant life energy to your space! Not to mention fragrances that can rival some of the world's best perfumes.
And speaking of perfumes...
Fancy Perfume & Cologne
It's scientifically proven that our sense of smell is closely tied to the emotional center of our brain, which plays a huge part in our mood regulation. Certain scents can trigger memories and emotions or even help regulate our behavior.
There's something magical about spritzing on your favorite perfume or cologne & being instantly comforted, or feeling more confident and put-together.
I've been on a mission to find a few staple, "signature fragrances" that I can rotate depending on the time of day or my mood. During a recent trip into the city with my fiance, we visited a parfumerie called Bond no.9 that's been on our radar for a while. He settled on a scent for himself called Wall Street & gifted me a travel-sized scent called New York Forever to try on at home.
All I have to say is, I.LOVE.THIS.FRAGRANCE! 😍
Bond no.9 fragrances smell like money. Old money, new money, it doesn't matter. Each scent screams luxury and instantly makes you feel like you have a bank account balance with more than 2+ commas in the balance.
I've made a small dent in the bottle so far, but when I'm near the end I'll make a trip back to pick up the full-sized version & do a complete review when I do!
The biggest takeaway is: find a signature scent that speaks to you & let it become your personal aura.
Take a Luxury Bath
Mostly reserved for children's hygiene or a sore adult body, as we grow I notice a trend that shifts our hygiene from baths to showers mostly because of time (or lack thereof)...
We find time for school, work, friends, pets & all the other life obligations, but we pinch time from our main personal routine that can serve as a source of daily mindfulness & relaxation that we probably need.
Picture yourself sinking into a tub filled with bubbles, surrounded by flickering candles and your favorite bath salts. The luxury in that is the luxury of having time:
- to romanticize something that's become routine
- to connect with your body in an element that cleanses your mind body & soul.
- to just be!
You can choose to keep your baths simple with some hot water only or create a luxury bath using some of these items:
- Bath Salts
- Bubble Bath
- Flower Petals
- Candles
- Sugar scrub
- Bath pillow
Fancy Pajamas & a Fancy Robe
After an evening bath or shower, I always want to slip into something comfortable & probably a little sensual!
So I decided to ditch the old t-shirts since they weren't doing anything to keep the flow of relaxation & energy of mindfulness going.
When I began to wear fancy pajamas...my sleep routine started to come together.
Certain things cue your body for rest and rejuvenation. Having fancy pajamas & a fancy robe to slip into & lounge around in before bed was a great addition that made me feel so luxurious!
BONUS: If you have a partner, I'm sure they'll appreciate your new-found fashion sense before bed 😏
Luxury Bedding
Matching, natural fiber sheets.
Quality pillows that support your body while you slumber.
Blankets and Duvets that cover your body in just the right amount of warmth & comfort so you can drift off easily.
Much like the case of YOU wearing pajamas, your bedding is pajamas for your bed. We spend 1/3 of our 24 hours a day asleep, yet we put the least amount of thought into the environment we sleep in.
This is so important for me because my sleep habits take a huge hit during Daylight Savings time (wasn’t there an agreement to get rid of this?!?) and seasonal changes.
So investing in your bedroom environment is a must!
Fancy Drinkware
There's a reason why wine & champagne have designated vessels.
They're both drinks associated with celebration, sophistication & sometimes money!
When I was a kid, I used to get glasses from my grandma’s china cabinet and pour all my beverages into them to drink from.
Luckily, everyone thought it was cute and I was always extra careful; so no one ever discouraged it.
So these days, when I'm home, you can find me enjoying my beverages (even water) in cute & fancy glasses. It adds a simple touch of luxury to something I do daily!
Candlelight
Dim the lights & light a candle because it's time to set the mood. Whether you're having a romantic dinner for two or just enjoying some time alone with a good book, candlelight adds instant ambiance and a touch of luxury to any activity!
I've had a long love affair with candles. I even made & sold handmade candles as a business for over 7 years.
These days I enjoy candlelight year-round and it's not unlike me to occasionally indulge in a more expensive, luxury brand like Diptyque Paris; as I prefer essential oil-based fragrances as opposed to full synthetic scents.
Choosing to dim or turn off your electric lights and function by candlelight is a different experience.
You can add a luxurious feel to bath-time, movie night, reading before bed & even dinner!
La Forêt Rêve (Forest Dreams) Refillable Candle sold at Saks Fifth Avenue
Using Services
In this day & age of technology, I am so grateful for all the different services available.
From Amazon delivery to food delivery to house cleaning services, there's a whole world of luxury at your fingertips. Sure, these services come with a price tag, but the time and stress they can save you? Priceless.
Time saved & reallocated to quality experiences is a truly luxurious lifestyle. Here are some examples:
Amazon Delivery - get almost ANYTHING delivered to your door in 1-2 days without leaving your home.
Food & Grocery Delivery - gone are the days when you could only have Chinese food or pizza delivered. Most restaurants & grocery stores in your town are probably connected to one of many food delivery apps. How fortunate are you that you don't have to leave your home to try them out!
House Cleaning/Taskrabbit - find someone willing to come and take some errands & tasks off your hands that HAVE to be done by you or someone else. For a fee, they are okay with cleaning up behind you with a smile or building that IKEA bookshelf that's been in the corner for 5 months now; allowing you to use that valuable time to do something else you'd rather be doing!
I'm extremely grateful for all the hardworking people doing their part to keep these services available; I used to be one of them.
Treat yourself every now & again by paying someone to do a task that you'd usually delay or avoid. You'll be helping a service worker & yourself in the process!
Conclusion
While the definition of a luxurious lifestyle will look different for everyone, one thing is consistent. Being able to gain time back or have a bit of extra mindful time, where you can be present & focus on yourself or the ones you love; is the most valuable & irreplaceable thing in this world.
So don't wait until you have a million bucks in your bank account. You can experience a luxurious lifestyle now, by incorporating everyday luxuries that make life a little bit sweeter!