How to Live a Luxurious Lifestyle
on a budget.
I’ve been playing with this idea of luxury. How to be more luxurious when you are not making millions of dollars a year… Is that even possible?
What is luxury?
Why do I desire it?
Is it only for the rich and wealthy?
Is it for a traditional woman like me?
Is it something distant from a faraway land, that feels like it could never happen to me?
Just a couple of years ago I would have answered that luxury is the expensive purse, diamond jewelry, first-class flight to Belize, buying expensive wine, buying expensive sheets, or even the size of the home…
and of course, luxury can be all those things.
But indeed it is less superficial than I thought.
Luxury is a form of beauty.
It’s art. It’s a viewpoint. It’s a state of mind.
I’d like to share a post written by the founder and CEO of the Alpha Femme brand (who has made well over 60+Million since its creation).
Melanie Ann writes this:
What makes a space luxurious?
Space?
Cleanliness?
Openess...
And then art...
The colors,
The textures,
The paintings on the wall...
The fabrics,
The cohesiveness of the image.
The accessories...
The identity...
The vision...
The design.
Not what makes things beautiful...
But what makes things luxurious...
Beauty can be found in the simplest of things.
Luxury however, is curated.
It’s intentional, “carefully chosen and thoughtfully organized or presented1”. Luxury can be in anyone’s home, it does not depend on income, money, flight class, hotel choice… it's about what you create in the art of space, color, intentionality, and in which the space you have to create.
Everyone’s idea of luxury can be different yet, they do have some commonalities. And it starts with the space, the cleanliness, and the curation that happens in one room, in your home, and in your life.
The creator of the luxury brand is the artist. The designer.
The artist who appeals to people who see themselves as worthy of all things... regardless of price tag.
The people who desire to adorn their bodies with as much intention and vision as the designers commissioned to decorate fine hotels...
The people who see themselves as a luxury space...
Designer brands don’t appeal to everyone.
They don’t market quite the way mainstream businesses do...
They stand in their identity.
They have a strong vision.
They are recognizable...
Well known...
Famous.
They are unique.
They make a powerful statement.
They Magnetize, they “lean back”, and the aligned people flock...
Luxury is something I’ve always loved; growing up in a very small town, people would often make fun of me for loving the finer things. I would spot the smallest piece of art or the beauty around me.
You can curate your own luxury piece, feel it’s energy and connect to the woman who lives in that reality.
Here are 8 tips on how to live a more luxurious lifestyle on a budget.
Create More free time in your calendar
Ultimately, being able to enjoy your environment and time allows you to see the beauty and the potential of your space. When you are always in a hustle or a go-go state, you just don’t enjoy time and people as much. Luxury can be found anywhere your looking for it, but if your mind is always busy or preoccupied then you’ll miss it.
Slow down
And this ties into creating more free time, with the time you do have to enjoy your surroundings and experiences, make sure you slow down and enjoy them. Luxury is also found in the finer things, the cup in which you drink your coffee, but if you are not enjoying the moment, the cup in which you drink, the taste of the coffee… you won’t be able to enjoy the luxurious environment you’ve created for yourself.
Declutter your home
When your environment is clutter-free, you’ll find that you feel more relaxed, less stressed, and better able to focus on the good things happening. I have found that getting rid of things, has turned my home into a sanctuary of beauty, not so much a home of stuff/junk.
We come from a generation of people who have been programmed to consume, and buy more… in order to be happier, feel more fulfilled, or more successful. And we find ourselves collecting things instead of experiences, or beauty.
It’s a fallacy.
Prioritize quality items over quantity
When you do choose to buy a new item to add to your home or your collection… find the best quality product, the one you fall in love with and the one you know you’ll connect to for a very long time. When we think of luxury items, we think of craftsmanship, quality material, functionality, artistry, beauty, design, and flawlessness. We don’t think poorly finished, cheap material or plastic. There’s a difference in our choices when we chose luxury, we don’t buy things because we need them, we buy them because we desire them.
Shop Second Hand
There’s always this option also when luxury items are created, they are created with real craftmanship and quality in mind. Even if they are bought second-hand, they do look amazing and new, because quality never expires.
Make small upgrades to your home
When we’re looking at creating luxury in our spaces and our homes, sometimes simple things can make a change; painting walls or furniture, changing the duvet or making one, changing the light fixtures, adding a new lamp, painting an old vase to add a new plant, find a new set of dishes. Sometimes removing things from bookshelves or tables can spruce up an environment (and this is why decluttering is at the top of the list).
Cook Restaurant-quality meals at home
With the world of social media, apps, and virtual cooking, you can find beautiful recipes and presentations right on Pinterest. It has become easier than ever to create a restaurant-quality meal at home. The best tip I can give you is to always buy fresh ingredients!
Experience New Things
Sometimes we feel like our life is bland, and doesn’t have any spark to it. Experiencing new things doesn’t always require a trip to Europe, you can experience new things right in your city. There are a few ways to create experiences, such as by walking through a new neighborhood, a new park, a new lake, or entering a new store. And by having more free time in your calendar and slowing down, you will discover something new and exciting. And if your budget allows it, sit down in a new restaurant or café. You can even add flower petals, bubbles and a candle to your bath tonight or drink your coffee on the deck.
Decide exactly what feels luxurious to you, what the lifestyle looks like and from that point find ways to recreate it for less.
Always with love,
Steph xo
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/luxury