Upgrade Schmupgrade

[StarBright]

We all know that lifestyle inflation is a roadblock in getting to FIRE, so let's celebrate the ways that we haven't upgraded!

I usually think of myself as a person who is prone to pining for nice things but when I look around my house, I'm still living like a grad student in a lot of ways. I graduated almost 20 years ago. Yay me!

So I figured I'd share some things I haven't upgraded and I would love to see the same from y'all for further inspiration.

• Still using an ikea couch I thrifted in undergrad and a loveseat I purchased new in grad school. We keep talking about upgrading, but we have elementary schoolers and a dog so we bought a new washable cover a couple of years ago. It ain't pretty, but it still works.
• Coffee table gifted to me by a coworker in the first year of my first job. It is a huge, solid 1980's wood block thing. It is perfect for kids coloring, playing boardgames, and doing puzzles. I refinished it about a decade ago, and will probably refinish again soon.
• I am still using a coffee pot/espresso maker I received as a present in 2003 - espresso side broke years ago, but it was used frequently for it's first decade and I've made coffee in it daily since 2011.
• I wear old maternity clothes as pajamas. My youngest is 10 years old.

Anyone else with me? When you look around are there ways that you haven't inflated your lifestyle that pleasantly surprise you?

[sonofsven]

Yes, similar. Some friends houses I visit I'm just blown away by the money they put into their furnishings. They might wonder how I am able to work (or not) when I choose. I have upgraded from my literally "found in the dump or the side of the road" aesthetic, but I have done so without spending a lot of money.

I also still have an IKEA couch I bought used from a young lady two towns over for $50 many years ago. It smelled strongly of fragrance, but I hauled it in my open trailer and the wind and a little rain did it good. I have it covered with a Pendleton blanket I got from a friend for next to nothing.

I built my coffee table years ago out of scrap old growth clear fir. It's nice but not too nice (I'm a carpenter by trade), so I don't freak out if someone puts a coffee cup on it.

I have a ss french press I bought twenty years ago for guests; I quit drinking coffee

Pajamas? I don't wear them.

My living room area rug is a nice older oriental. I traded a small boat for it; the boat I got for free on the side of the road and fixed up. I put it up for sale or trade and was offered a 9mm handgun or the carpet. I chose wisely;-)

My dishwasher, refrigerator, range, washer and dryer, and water heater are all nearing 20 years old. I keep them maintained and repaired myself.

My loveseat I got for free in '96 because the leather was in tatters. I got two matching chairs, as well, which I gave away to friends who are like minded, and they still have them. In the early 2000's I paid a friend who was just starting her upholstery business to re cover it (in non leather) and it still looks great. Much better to support a small business than buy a new piece at the box store.

The majority of my fixed light fixtures were purchased at the Rejuvenation Hardware factory seconds section in Portland, OR. It took about four years to acquire them all, since I wanted all in the same finish.

I decided I wanted a certain model Jotul woodstove around 2000, and it cost then around $2400, so I installed a much cheaper ($400 Lopi) used stove. I checked Craigslist religiously and around 2010 I found the exact model and color Jotul for sale at a giveaway price ($300 ish). The sellers had bought a home with this stove installed and the only thing they knew about woodstoves was that they didn't want one. I don't think the stove was used more than a dozen times. I use it daily as my lone heat source. After I got it I realized I had been searching for it for ten years!

But, having said all that, I have recently received two upgrades as gifts from family members, an air fryer and an electric kettle, and I love both. So it's ok to upgrade occasionally, I suppose.

 

[Tasse]

Our best example is our 2001 Toyota, purchased in 2015. An upgrade on this is looming in the coming years, because it's only a 2 door car and we want kids, but we're putting off the upgrade as long as possible.

[bananas]

We’ve avoided the furniture upgrade trap! Still using cheap IKEA furniture many years after friends started buying expensive stuff that costs 10 times more.

Our Ektorp sofa isn’t anything special to look at, but it is comfortable and feels indestructible.

[StarBright]

We’ve avoided the furniture upgrade trap! Still using cheap IKEA furniture many years after friends started buying expensive stuff that costs 10 times more.

Our Ektorp sofa isn’t anything special to look at, but it is comfortable and feels indestructible.

Ektorps forever!!

[JimDogRock]

I have several things that are still used often that fit this category.
The vehicle is the largest money saver by not upgrading. I've had the same car for over 10 years, and it has had good luck with not needing repairs. I drive it less than 3,000 miles per year for about the last 5 years, so why look for something else?

Next, my mind goes to some relatively small things, but I still have fun thinking about getting great use from them.
I have the same drawstring laundry bag from when I was in early elementary school. This gets used during travel.
The Nike slides that I got in middle school are still my go-to for putting something on to step outside or go down into the basement. Though the top logo rubber pieces have had their glue's adhesiveness wear away and the bottom is going to wear through at the ball of my foot at some point, again, no reason to even think about an upgrade.
There is a pair of simple sunglasses that I keep in my car that I got as a little Christmas present from an aunt. They have been moved to my different cars over the past 20 years. I'm sure she got them for about $10 back then.
That same aunt gave me a bathroom towel set as a high school graduation present. That was almost 20 years ago now too. The main bath towel has become DW's favorite towel, though we have supplemented the total towel stock.
My main, heavy coat for winter is one that my father received for free from a corn seed salesman. He wasn't using it, so he offered it to me when I needed one in college. I actually double checked with DW this past winter that she was still OK with me wearing it. She basically said, "If it's still holding up why would you get rid of it?"

A more mainstream answer that hasn't been brought up in this thread yet is cell phones.
I have had the same iPhone for over 4 years now. I think it's too good sometimes. If it were slower and had a worse looking screen then I might use it less.
What is funny to think about is how some people get so caught up in having the most recent phone. I remember quite vividly that 3 years ago someone I know was making fun of it while comparing it to their latest and greatest iPhone that they use personally and the Google Pixel he had for his work.

I think it's a huge asset to not have the mindset of constantly looking for things in your life that you are not happy with. Not only does it save a ton of money over time, but the head space saved by not even thinking about and keeping up with what this year's phone can now do and how it will make your life better I think is undervalued.

[Miss Piggy]

Still driving my 10 year old car and hoping it lasts another 10 or more.

Still using some old Ethan Allen chairs we got free from a neighbor a few years after I mentioned "Hey, if you ever want to get rid of those chairs, I'd buy them from you." She remembered.

Still enjoying our 15 year old pug we bought used from a rescue organization 10 years ago, although the maintenance is getting more and more pricey. ;)

[Tasse]

A more mainstream answer that hasn't been brought up in this thread yet is cell phones.
I have had the same iPhone for over 4 years now. I think it's too good sometimes. If it were slower and had a worse looking screen then I might use it less.

This is exactly why I downgraded. I use a mini smartphone from Unihertz. Very functional, *just* annoying enough to use that it's not addictive at all.

I am delaying upgrading it (to their newest model) despite my 3x cracked screen.

[tygertygertyger]

I'd say 90% of our furniture is family hand-me-downs, or came with our house. Our couch has been passed around my partner's family since the 80s, but it's long enough for us to fully lay down on (my partner is 6' so it's a big deal). Our coffee table and end tables are my grandparents' first set from when they got married in the 40s.

My car is 19 yrs old... and actually it's not mine! It belongs to my partner's mom, and when she got a new one it became the family's "spare"... I've been using it for about 5-6 years and she is amazed it's still running. I don't drive much which probably helps, but it's a Toyota so well may run for many more years.

Hmmm. I have a cardigan that my grandpa bought in the 60s (and wore all the time), and now every time I wear it in front of my mom, it makes her smile.

We did buy one new couch when we got our house, and it looks pretty, but isn't nearly as comfortable as all the furniture that we got for free. Kind of turns me off upgrading.

And since I liked the pug comment earlier, I've had my partner for 13 years and no plans to upgrade him either... he's the best.

[By the River]

A more mainstream answer that hasn't been brought up in this thread yet is cell phones.
I have had the same iPhone for over 4 years now. I think it's too good sometimes. If it were slower and had a worse looking screen then I might use it less.

This is exactly why I downgraded. I use a mini smartphone from Unihertz. Very functional, *just* annoying enough to use that it's not addictive at all.

I am delaying upgrading it (to their newest model) despite my 3x cracked screen.

I've had my iPhone 8 for probably 6 years.  My protective case is becoming brittle and tearing in one corner.  I've gone to a dollar general and dollar tree stores to buy a new one.  The oldest models that they have cases for is iPhone 12.  I guess that my MPP is having a phone too old for the DG shoppers.

[LifeHappens]

As tempted as I am to upgrade my blender, I have stuck with my 10 year old magic bullet. We're down to 3 regular size cups and the tiny cup, but the motor keeps humming along. Until that burns out, I will resist the pull of higher power.

[Sandi_k]

Ah, so many things....

- My DH - we've been married 26 years, and together for much longer. He's foundational. ;)

- Another poster noted towels - we still have towels and glassware and a blender that we got as wedding gifts.

- Furniture.

  - We bought the bedroom set with wedding gift money; when we renovate the master bedroom after I retire, we'll upgrade to a king-sized mattress. But by that time, probably 30 years with that set.

  -  Dining room furniture: purchased in 2000, after rocking a Sears Outlet dining room table and chairs since 1987. No plans to ever upgrade the DRm table or buffet; they're gorgeous. The 6 chairs I bought one per paycheck in 1994-95. They are still holding up well, and are Italian, so we love them.

  -  Sofas: we bought inexpensive Scandinavian Design sofas in 2012, after the previous sofa had served us since 1994. So 18 years. The current sofas will not last us 18 years; the frame on the sofa has been broken twice, and repaired twice. It now has uncomfortable humps and valleys, but I am picky about size, scale, comfort, depth and height. We hate overly deep or low sofas, so we may need to build one at a local direct-to-you sofa factories that will customize.

  - Bookcases (2003) and coffee tables (1995): bought from Ikea.

  - TV: Bought in 2008.

The key for us was to thoughtfully purchase something we loved, over years. And to never succumb to the Ikea --> Pottery Barn --> Ethan Allen upgrade path.

[LD_TAndK]

As tempted as I am to upgrade my blender, I have stuck with my 10 year old magic bullet. We're down to 3 regular size cups and the tiny cup, but the motor keeps humming along. Until that burns out, I will resist the pull of higher power.

You reminded me of the vitamix wars of yore, some good mustachians were lost in those threads.

The biggest non-upgraded item we have is our house. We have a modest townhouse that saves us tons of money. I do feel pressure as we can't entertain as lavishly or comfortably as our friends with large houses, and it makes me self-conscious. But I want to adjust the social norms and lead by example.

[StarBright]

The biggest non-upgraded item we have is our house. We have a modest townhouse that saves us tons of money. I do feel pressure as we can't entertain as lavishly or comfortably as our friends with large houses, and it makes me self-conscious. But I want to adjust the social norms and lead by example.

This is something I struggle with as well! I actually think of my house as "upgraded" - it is in a good school district and is safe and walkable. I could live somewhere cheaper, but we have chosen an upgraded neighborhood for lifestyle and education factors. To afford said neighborhood we basically purchased the smallest house on the block. In-laws just asked me again last week when we were going to buy a bigger house.

The public area of our house is very small and I can't reciprocate entertaining or host events easily.

I generally fit all of my hosting duties into the summer and we do it all outdoors. April is book club hosting, May is family supper club hosting, June is my son's game group and we're focusing on things that are outside (giant jenga, cornhole, throw throw burrito, etc), July is our turn to host Girl Scouts, September will be s'mores and a casual meal to host DH's new colleagues, etc. 

[evanc]

I think it's a huge asset to not have the mindset of constantly looking for things in your life that you are not happy with. Not only does it save a ton of money over time, but the head space saved by not even thinking about and keeping up with what this year's phone can now do and how it will make your life better I think is undervalued.

+1

There was an episode of the Choose FI podcast where Brad was discussing his mentality of finding the first option that meets his minimum requirements (cell phones or otherwise), then spending no further mental bandwidth on the issue. Which is in quite stark contrast to what most people do: spending hours upon hours researching the "best" _______ . 

[evanc]

  - TV: Bought in 2008.

You have us beat! DW and I snagged our current TV on a black Friday sale in 2009. Still works great :)

[Freedomin5]

Hmm…I still have an iPhone X from 2017. My personal laptop is from 2017 as well. Husband was acquired in 2007. My work backpack is circa 2017.

A lot of our belongings were acquired secondhand for pennies on the dollar, or were acquired for free. So I have upgraded, but they didn’t cost me anything. Like our current apartment. We went from living in a tiny two-bedroom to a spacious three-bedroom in a better neighborhood, but our housing costs actually went down because I switched jobs and my new job provided free housing.

[Reddart67]

Toto washlet toilet seat still going since 2005, 2007 Jeep still going strong, I still have some tshirts and jeans from the 90s. Using a 2001 MacBook to record my band rehearsals. Still use 1960’s and 1970s guitar amplifiers, though I didn’t buy them new.

[badger1988]

Currently wearing a t-shirt I bought in 7th grade from the Eastbay tent sale...23 years ago.

[NotJen]

  - TV: Bought in 2008.

You have us beat! DW and I snagged our current TV on a black Friday sale in 2009. Still works great :)

I use a 32" from 2009 that I won at a company party.

I hate shopping, so I am not an upgrader at all.

I'm more of a downgrader.  One of the two mason jars I deemed worthy to move with broke a while ago - I briefly considered buying a new one (or used), instead I replaced it with a recently-emptied pickle jar.

[Verdure]

In the normal course of things, it just doesn’t really occur to me upgrade things, and I hate shopping. The adage “Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without” reflects my natural inclinations. For clothing I go on a thrift store shopping spree once or twice a year to replace pieces that are worn out or no longer fit. I have a few items of clothing still in rotation that are upwards of 25 years old. And my favorite rags in my rag bin are from a pair of terry cloth shorts that I wore over 30 years ago.

We bought a home we could afford on 1 of our pretty meager incomes back in 2008, and we have a much higher household income now, but we still live here and still love it.  We refinanced to a 15 year mortgage in 2013, so it will be paid off in 4 years. My car is over 10 years old and the plastic parts have not held up well to being parked outside at work, but otherwise it’s still going strong. MrV’s small pickup is even older.

The vast majority of our furniture was handed down from various family members when they were downsizing. That’s the only way we’ve upgraded furniture. We have a Vitamix we got that way. I had no idea it was special when a friend passed it to us, but I admit I love it. A few pieces were bought second hand. We have an ikea TV cabinet that we bought to fit our old tube TV. We did upgrade that to a flat screen, and have had it over 10 years. I can’t remember when we bought it.

We still have the same dryer and couch we have had for 20 years. Is about time to buy a new couch, but I don’t really want to shop for one. Most of our appliances we bought around the time we bought the house.

It’s harder to think of things we have upgraded than things we haven’t. We buy new phones about every 5 years. Last summer, mine got stolen, so I bought a used one, and I’ll probably do that from now on We have done house upgrades such as replacing all the original flooring (It’s a late 80s ranch so the original flooring was sheet vinyl and wall to wall carpeting. We put in bamboo, cork, and ceramic tile in the bathrooms) and a couple of years ago put in new bathrooms counters and sinks. That was a nice change! No more 1980s shell shaped sinks that were a pain to clean.

[Zikoris]

It's honestly hard to think of things we HAVE upgraded. I'm also very much an opposite-sort where the "upgrade" would actually be a downgrade for me, as I greatly prefer my old reliable stuff. I suppose my Kobo upgrade in 2021 so I could read library ebooks would be my one example of a real upgrade. My boyfriend upgrades Playstations when a new one comes out.

Probably the most noticeable things I never "upgraded" from have been my flip phone and my studio apartment. Both are just perfect for me, but very glaringly strange decisions to other people. I've also never upgraded to a television larger than 30 inches (I think big tvs are really ugly and encourage braindead lifestyles). Most of my clothing is also pretty old - I have a lot of pieces that predate our relationship, and we're celebrating our 15 year anniversary this summer. I also obviously never made the jump/upgrade to a car lifestyle, never got my license or anything.

[Wolfpack Mustachian]

It's honestly hard to think of things we HAVE upgraded. I'm also very much an opposite-sort where the "upgrade" would actually be a downgrade for me, as I greatly prefer my old reliable stuff. I suppose my Kobo upgrade in 2021 so I could read library ebooks would be my one example of a real upgrade. My boyfriend upgrades Playstations when a new one comes out.

Probably the most noticeable things I never "upgraded" from have been my flip phone and my studio apartment. Both are just perfect for me, but very glaringly strange decisions to other people. I've also never upgraded to a television larger than 30 inches (I think big tvs are really ugly and encourage braindead lifestyles). Most of my clothing is also pretty old - I have a lot of pieces that predate our relationship, and we're celebrating our 15 year anniversary this summer. I also obviously never made the jump/upgrade to a car lifestyle, never got my license or anything.

Reading through this thread I had the same thought. It's hard to think of things I've upgraded deliberately that were fine as they were. In fact, in a way, I've "downgraded" at times, occasionally buying cars older than the ones I replaced that were broke and too expensive to repair.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

DH's daily driver is a 1999 SUV. He takes excellent care of it, and it still looks great.

We bought our coffee maker/espresso machine when DS18 was born, because ...we really started to need caffeine. It's still going strong, and we've had it repaired once, as it didn't like our move.

[aloevera1]

Furniture is ridiculously expensive while quality is not guaranteed by the price. I really dislike the shitty quality of furniture that looks fancy but isn't fancy (the solid mid range of furniture). The actually good stuff costs waaaaaaay beyond of what I would ever want to pay for a couch or a table.

Most of my stuff was either second hand or came free. My TV is probably 20 years old and works just fine.

[Tasse]

DH's daily driver is a 1999 SUV. He takes excellent care of it, and it still looks great.

Dang, I've been outdone. :P

I wouldn't say my 2001 looks great though.

[Ron Scott]

Since i’ve been in my teens I’ve had the philosophy of “buying the middle”. Back then it was for stereo equipment, guitar and sports stuff. Now it’s cars, digital devices, bicycles, whatever.

The high-end versions get you an overpriced mix of good and strangely useless new features. The entry level leaves you with utilitarian fare in a world in which human creativity has moved us forward and offers so much more. The middle of the line gets you valuable, tried and tested features at reasonable prices. That’s the sweet spot—and if you’re a diehard bottom dweller on price you can buy a used middler.

I say upgrade halfway.

[StarBright]

DH's daily driver is a 1999 SUV. He takes excellent care of it, and it still looks great.

We bought our coffee maker/espresso machine when DS18 was born, because ...we really started to need caffeine. It's still going strong, and we've had it repaired once, as it didn't like our move.

I wonder if new vehicles are why I feel like I'm upgrading a lot lately? We've replaced both of our early aughts cars with new vehicles in the last few years. Definitely put me in the upgrade category :) FWIW- I love my hybrid corolla and it was worth the multi-month waitlist!

But in general, when I look around, I guess there isn't much else that we've upgraded. I bought a new reading chair several years ago, and I bought a new bed frame last year. But I had been on a lookout for the style of frame in the correct size since 2017 so I purchased it as soon as I saw it. Our house is REALLY hard to fit certain furniture in because it is historic and small.

I do have a vitamix that I received as a gift, but it is turning 15 this summer. I have thought about trading it in for a new one, because none of the middle speeds work anymore, but I'll probably run it till it dies.

I say upgrade halfway.

I agree with this for clothes and shoes. My exception is Old Navy - if you line dry Old Navy it lasts for YEARS!

[lhamo]

I had to furnish an apartment when we moved back to the US in 2015.  Went with Ikea for most things, and coming up on my 4th move it is all still in decent shape even after being assembled/diassembled many times, and I will be keeping it for my new house.  Thankfully pretty much everything should fit in the new space.

We did splurge on a custom sectional for our last house (awkward layout meant most pre-made designs didn't fit).  It will be a tight fit in my new living room, but still has many years of use left in it so I am keeping that, too.

I have most of the kitchen stuff I want/need and won't be needing to upgrade there.

I probably will get new towels.  I like the bulk hospitality ones from Costco -- around $4-6 each (they go on sale a couple of times a year).  Current ones were purchased in 2015 and are still useable, but a bit dingy. 

I'll probably also get some new linens as the ones we have been using are wearing out.  One set of flannels for DD's bed that my sister bought back in the early 2000s finally wore out the bottom sheet -- that is now serving as an extra drop cloth in my car.

My Ford Cmax is from 2015, about to hit 63k miles, still in great shape both physically and mechanically, and I hope to be able to keep it for another 8-10 years. 

I HATE changing/learning new technology, so electronic upgrades are more of a fear than a temptation for me.  Typing this on my 2015 laptop with an added keyboard/mouse setup I got a couple of years ago when the space bar stopped working.  I did buy a new laptop but don't use it at home -- like this one.  Got my I phone SE when I signed up with Mint Mobile in 2020 and it is still working fine. 

Don't need much new in the kitchen -- will see what STBX wants to take and fill in as needed.  Most expensive item is the espresso machine, which I got refurbished as a birthday present to myself back in 2015.  I love it and will buy something similar when it dies.  Have more than saved it's cost compared to how much fancy coffee I would have been tempted to buy outside over the years if I didn't have my daily dose at home.

I find most of my clothes at Costco or thrift stores these days.  The only thing I do need to update more regularly is shoes.  Love the $30ish Sketchers I got at Costco last summer -- will probably just get a couple more pairs of those for backup, if they still have them.  I wear Birkenstocks in the summer and I will start breaking in a pair I got on sale a couple of years ago since the current ones (probably 5-6 years old?) are wearing out. 

Gardening stuff is the main temptation for me but I enjoy seeing what I can do for free/little cost so even that is not a huge temptation. 

Cat is going on 6 YO and does not need upgrading.

[Sandi_k]

@lhamo - can you tell me more about the custom sofa? I think we're going to need to do this for our next sofa purchase; our preferences are getting very hard to find.

- Seat height is a big one as our knees become less cooperative; most sofas are too low.
- We like raised sofas, sort of a MCM look, instead of all the way to the floor.
- Not too deep a seat pan.
- No chaise.
- Arms low enough and slanted enough that napping is possible.
- Two cushions only for back and for seat; three cushion sofas look dumpy to us.

Any hints on a sofa source is appreciated.

[englishteacheralex]

I'm a big fan of this thread. We bought a townhouse 2 years ago, so we went on a buying binge to furnish/decorate the place and now that we've accomplished that, I'm trying to rein in my shopping.

Most of our belongings are less than five years old (although I'll hasten to add that a lot of it is sourced from facebook marketplace). There are times when buying stuff makes sense, but then I kind of got in the habit of shopping/researching and I'm realizing I have to be more intentional about switching those habits to other pastimes.
 

[Gerard]

Our low-effort no-upgrade strategy for appliances etc: our landlord would rather not spend money. But it's not that bad -- he actually caves sooner than we would, so we've ended up with a new fridge, toilet, bathroom sink, balcony decking, and kitchen flooring over the past five years.

We actually kinda cringe at the idea of ever having to "upgrade" from our apartment, because we have such a sweet deal (thank you, rent control) that people on the internet call me a liar when I post our housing costs. :-)

[lhamo]

@lhamo - can you tell me more about the custom sofa? I think we're going to need to do this for our next sofa purchase; our preferences are getting very hard to find.

- Seat height is a big one as our knees become less cooperative; most sofas are too low.
- We like raised sofas, sort of a MCM look, instead of all the way to the floor.
- Not too deep a seat pan.
- No chaise.
- Arms low enough and slanted enough that napping is possible.
- Two cushions only for back and for seat; three cushion sofas look dumpy to us.

Any hints on a sofa source is appreciated.

We got ours from Dania.  Not sure if they have stores in your area:

https://daniafurniture.com/

We did consider buying from an all on-line outlet like Joybird, etc, but really wanted to be able to sit on an actual model before committing.  We had some flaws with ours (upholstry not quite matched and some framing peeking out from a seam) on the initial delivery, which was a good thing -- we decided to switch the orientation of the chaise and they did that for free when they redid the order because of the other flaws.

It was not cheap.  Around $2400 back in 2017-18. 

[Fru-Gal]

Redid the kitchen with IKEA cabinets nearly 25 years ago. One of my first FIRE projects was a kitchen remodel. Husband was threatening to rip everything out including the tile floor we had installed. Instead I spray-painted all the cabinet doors (outside), installed a penny-covered side counter that is GORGEOUS and painted the floor grout lines white. It looks incredible.

[StarBright]

Redid the kitchen with IKEA cabinets nearly 25 years ago. One of my first FIRE projects was a kitchen remodel. Husband was threatening to rip everything out including the tile floor we had installed. Instead I spray-painted all the cabinet doors (outside), installed a penny-covered side counter that is GORGEOUS and painted the floor grout lines white. It looks incredible.

pics please?!

[Sandi_k]

@lhamo - can you tell me more about the custom sofa? I think we're going to need to do this for our next sofa purchase; our preferences are getting very hard to find.

- Seat height is a big one as our knees become less cooperative; most sofas are too low.
- We like raised sofas, sort of a MCM look, instead of all the way to the floor.
- Not too deep a seat pan.
- No chaise.
- Arms low enough and slanted enough that napping is possible.
- Two cushions only for back and for seat; three cushion sofas look dumpy to us.

Any hints on a sofa source is appreciated.

We got ours from Dania.  Not sure if they have stores in your area:

https://daniafurniture.com/

It was not cheap.  Around $2400 back in 2017-18.

Yeah, we're aware that it'll be expensive; quality usually is. We looked at Roche Bobois in 2012, and actually contemplated a $10k sofa and loveseat for about a day. And then we realized how crazy that was. ;)

ETA: woot! There are two nearby - we'll go take a look.

[lhamo]

Glad they have stores near you!  Hope you find something you like.  That Danish style they specialize in is very MCM, and MUCH cheaper than Roche Bobois -- I hung out in their store downtown while waiting to meet my sister for lunch a few weeks ago and I love their styles but no way I am going to spend 10-20k on a piece of furniture....

[Missy B]

As tempted as I am to upgrade my blender, I have stuck with my 10 year old magic bullet. We're down to 3 regular size cups and the tiny cup, but the motor keeps humming along. Until that burns out, I will resist the pull of higher power.

You reminded me of the vitamix wars of yore, some good mustachians were lost in those threads.

Yup. I recall that sad and tragic legacy.

At this moment I have only two pieces of furniture that are not second hand, and only one is younger than a high-schooler. (Rolling metal kitchen cart from costco).
BF's car is over 15 years old. The house... would not need any upgrades if I had been living there instead of being beaten to hell by a series of people who assured me without blinking that they would take good and tender care of the house, as if it were their very own. I really don't love the 80's wood trim/white laminate cabinets, but remarkably they are undamaged and it seems a wrongness to me to swap out perfectly good condition cabinets.

At my apartment I just stripped paint off the 60 year old door hinges to discover that they are copper, which is the nicest surprise I've had in this 1960's purpose-built econo-rental.

[eyesonthehorizon]

I love this thread.

Most of what I own that I acquired for myself is 1/2 to 2/3rds my age, bought new before I knew better when I first had a need, but cared for & rarely or never replaced. Most my newer clothes & the furniture I wasn’t lucky enough to inherit were used or curb finds (not a lot of clothes, because my oldest clothes are from just before everything started to be made to be disposable, but some types of garments break down over time no matter how much you baby them.)

Despite a nicer place to live now I basically still live like a student (mismatched dishware, minimal linens, few purpose-built items) with very few exceptions all revolving around my actual passions (all my coffee gear was retail, some better cookware, I buy game consoles & very select games new) or if someone gives away a thing I’d like to have (a laundry hamper! Fancy.) Most internet-connected electronics have an active duty life of seven to ten years before repurposing though certain offline items with low processing demands or no new input data are more in the 15-25 year range (AV equipment & various -meters.)

I do optimize all my purchases, rather than prioritize minimum time spent on any one shopping occasion, but would rather BIFL once. Most people I know who buy the first X on the shelf (almost no matter the price) end up having to repeat the process when it turns out to be crap, sending a bunch of junk (& money) to landfill in the process. sonofsven’s wood stove story resonates, waiting 10+ years for a good deal on something I want to have has always paid off for me.

If Tiny Differences Exaggeration Syndrome is your X-axis, a Y-axis of expense shows a bell curve: in the middle, you can chase a lot of stupid spendy upgrading, but if you live on the outside edges, not at all picky about things you don’t care about but extremely picky about what you do, you end up not buying much at all while you remain perpetually satisfied with what you own.

[StarBright]

Opening my son's squeaky dresser this morning reminded me of other things we haven't upgraded:

My daughter is using my dresser and nightstand from childhood. They are really lovely, mostly solid wood pieces (though the dresser top has a varnish layer that is looking cloudy). They even still have the Ewok stickers that I stuck in the top drawer when I was 4 :)

My son is using a dresser that was my college "learn how to refinish furniture" project. He is also using my comforter from college. His nightstand/storage is a hope chest that I inherited from some family member or other.

Our bedroom set was a $30 craigslist buy in 2009 that I refinished (very nicely, if I do say so myself). They are 1930s, art deco, and had been badly painted in bright kids colors when I rescued them. Sanded them down and then stained them almost black and put new hardware on them and they are still going strong (though the drawer liners could use refreshing this summer)!

[rockeTree]

We’ve avoided the furniture upgrade trap! Still using cheap IKEA furniture many years after friends started buying expensive stuff that costs 10 times more.

Our Ektorp sofa isn’t anything special to look at, but it is comfortable and feels indestructible.

Ektorps forever!!

Still rocking a Lund Hogan here, if they still made the covers I would bet it gets another decade but I am on my third one since 2005 and the ebay alert hasn't pinged in a long, long time. We shall see how it goes.

[Just Joe]

My people! ;)

We're passing along our 25 yr old CUV to offspring#1. Our OS#2 has my parent's 20 year old SUV. OS#1 is selling on their ~20 year old car soon. We're upgrading to a three year old EV. We should be set for the next decade or more car wise. We carpool but we need a second car for times when DW has an activity or demanding working schedule or due to our parents' ages, one of us needs to go out of town for the weekend to help. Or I go camping with the OS.

Our furniture is a blend of "it's free just take it" (relatives and friends who just want it gone and don't have a truck but want to upgrade), cheap (I'd like to sell it for ~$100 but it was $900 new just last year, not the right shade of color) and the stuff we've bought over the years. Hygge - right?

Our family room tables were not expensive when we bought them and they need refinishing. We bought them when the kids were little. We didn't get too upset when coasters didn't get used or someone wrote on a table or whatever. Offspring know better now that they are grown of course but back then we picked our battles. Bedtimes, homework, chores, be nice to your sibling - all more important lessons than avoiding wear on tables. We were never going to have an off-limits 1970s style living room with everything just so. We've lived in all the rooms. 

Upholstery is a challenge b/c we have cats. One cat has a habit of picking on upholstery even if the scratching post is right there. ugh! ;) Cat brain. 

As our nest begins to empty in the next few years (presumably) we'll have plenty to send with the offspring. Then we can buy matching things and get more protective of our then nicer things.

Kitchen stuff is new b/c we remodeled but details still need doing. That should all last for ages b/c we'll take care of it.

We don't upgrade technology anymore until the old tech wears out. I have a free LCD TV laying on my workbench right now. Project with one of the offspring. Needs a power supply for ~$30 but I'm letting OS#2 lead that project. However they are distracted by a dating situation right now.

A clean house however is a good feeling. DW and I just completed a busy period at our respective jobs so we need to spend Saturday doing chores with the offspring. A general reset. I just need to announce it so nobody invites friends over for a few hours or plans to go anywhere. Break out the vacuums!

[johnnyqnola]

Bought my 1998 4Runner in 2008 with 104k miles. Just passed 200k last week, and she has never let me down. DH has changed cars thrice in that time, once a downgrade to free up $6k to put down on a rental prop. He currently has an '06 Acura that we bought in 2019 for $7500.

Phones/laptops are only replaced when they die or can't be updated anymore. Mine is an iPhone8 and DH has a 7.

Most of the things in our house except for our mattresses and 2 leather chairs are quality secondhand items. Many of them were free. Lots of bougie renters in our hood who throw out trendy, mass-produced furniture when they move, which I drag home and resell online. Our 2 chairs were a splurge at $2k each, but they're handmade from NC and they'll last decades. Our sofa was $4000 when new, but we bought it used for $250 in good shape and have had it for 7 yrs. Time to re-stuff the seat cushions, and we'll get at least another 10y out of it.

[glacio09]

I was just thinking about this yesterday. I have about 6 target tank tops that I got 10 years ago. I use them for lounge wear, back up workout shirts, under shirts, everyday shirts. You name it, they are the catch all of my wardrobe that I don't even think about. Yesterday I was thinking how nice it would be to go some that are more sweat wicking, but I can't justify the cost when I have such tried and true shirts at home already.

[iris lily]

I didn’t buy upholstered furniture until I was into my 40s. We got our chairs and sofas from the alley where people place them for monthly bulk pick up. Granted, this was in the before times of bedbugs.

I shop thrift stores for clothes, seldom paying more than five dollars for tops. I buy a fair amount of clothes for DH from the thrift store. The only thing we can’t get with regularity is blue jeans.