Flowers
Flowers brighten any room and add colour, beauty and perfume wherever they are placed! They can be purchased flowers – believe it or not, Aldi often have beautiful flowers for a very good price. Or it could be a flowering plant or flowers you picked from your garden. Mix cut flowers with some lovely greenery to make an interesting vase for the table (I did a reel on my Instagram to give you some ideas!) You can achieve two things at once – tap into your feminine creativity and add some luxury to your everyday!
Music
Music is an emotional experience. It can relax us, motivate us and energise us. Instead of having the TV on in the background, turn on your favourite playlist. Put on some light jazz or classical next time you are having dinner. Turn on something romantic for a date night at home with your partner. Music adds to the ambience of the room. You can even brush up on the classical masters and improve your cultural knowledge at the same time! Next time you feel stressed, put on some of your favourite tunes and let them help you relax (there’s a hint for my next post ;).
Scented Candles or Essential Oils
One of our strongest sensory connections is through smell. Just like music, different scents can also relax us or energise us. A beautiful scented candle burning on the table is a lovely way to add a little luxury touch to your morning. However, given most of my audience have children, we may not feel comfortable having a flame within reach of a curious kid. A diffuser could be a safer alternative. A diffuser uses sonic vibrations to dispel the essential oils and water into the air without utilizing heat. You can change up the essential oils depending on your mood. They also tend to cause less issues if anyone in the family finds scented candles problematic for their allergies.
Indoor Plants
I don’t know about you, but indoor plants remind me of luxurious high end hotel lobbies and bright, airy shopping malls. Lush green leaves, graceful fronds, spiky sculptural succulents – there really is a plant for every spot and every decorating style. I created a reel on a couple of my personal favourites. Even if you think you have a black thumb, do not despair – there are some very tough plants out there! Besides adding some beauty and everyday luxury, indoor plants also connect us with nature and help clean the air.
Treat Time
This one is a little different. This last of our 5 ideas for everyday luxury is more of an experience than the others. As mums, we are always busy. Schooling, cooking, cleaning, extracurriculars, appointments…. we always seem to have a never ending to-do list. For me, the opportunity to sit for even 10 minutes and enjoy a treat is a luxury. It doesn’t happen every day. But if I have a treat, I try to sit down to enjoy it. A delicious piece of cake, some ice cream, even just a coffee – serve it in something pretty and take a few minutes to be present. Maybe you need to do it when the kids have a nap ;). Or serve them some and teach them the art of being present and mindful in enjoying a treat together.
I hope you have been inspired by these 5 ideas. Which one will you try first? Luxury isn’t necessarily about designer clothes, expensive cars and truffles and caviar. Luxury can be the little things we do to add pleasure and enjoyment to our lives. They don’t have to be expensive but they can make a difference in helping us to thrive in motherhood and not just survive.
