Simple Pleasures: Cultivate Everyday Joie de Vivre
You can’t be on holiday all the time, of course, but you can enjoy that same carefree feeling right at home, right now
Laura Gaskill
April 10, 2014
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
Have you ever entertained the thought that your life would be sweeter and more pleasurable if only you lived somewhere else, like Paris or Florence? I certainly have. But while life may indeed be sweet living in a gorgeous foreign city, it’s very likely you can experience more joie de vivre right now, no matter where you live.
When you travel, you are opening yourself up to new experiences. You are ready to savor life, from the moment you wake up until you fall into bed at night — just imagine what could happen if you decided to live your daily life with the same passion and attention to detail you have while on holiday. Here are nine ways to sweeten your daily life, right where you are.
When you travel, you are opening yourself up to new experiences. You are ready to savor life, from the moment you wake up until you fall into bed at night — just imagine what could happen if you decided to live your daily life with the same passion and attention to detail you have while on holiday. Here are nine ways to sweeten your daily life, right where you are.
Take care of yourself as you would a guest. Show yourself the same care and courtesy you would offer a cherished friend staying in your home. Take the time to make your bed as soon as you get up, open the curtains and wear a nice robe while you brew your coffee or tea. Decide not to see small chores like making the bed as a hassle, but as something kind you are doing for yourself.
Savor your first cup of coffee or tea in the morning. For many of us, starting the day off on the right foot means enjoying a cup of our favorite coffee or tea in peace.
Why not do your best to make it extra special? Use a latte bowl or your best china teacup, put on the radio or some lovely music, and find somewhere beautiful to sit.
Why not do your best to make it extra special? Use a latte bowl or your best china teacup, put on the radio or some lovely music, and find somewhere beautiful to sit.
Spend more time in the fresh air. Whether it’s simply taking your coffee out onto the terrace of your hotel each morning or going on long walks exploring the city, when you are en vacance, it seems natural to be outside more often. But back home, all too often we get stuck in the same routines, cooped up in our homes and offices, rarely feeling the sunshine on our skin. What an easy thing to remedy! Try bringing your coffee or tea onto the porch, go for a walk on your lunch break or take an after-dinner stroll. On the weekend spruce up your outdoor space to make it more enticing, and make a point of using it more.
Entertain with abandon. Don’t be afraid to invite friends over to your house! Most people are simply thrilled to be invited and couldn’t care less what shape your house is in, or if you can cook a magnificent dinner. Focus on the joy of sharing a lovely evening with people you care about, and don’t be afraid to delegate tasks — ask a friend with great taste in music to bring a playlist, or pick up fabulous appetizers from a local restaurant or specialty market. Offer aperitifs and nibbles as soon as guests arrive to put everyone at ease. Make the evening memorable by doing something a bit different after the meal, like putting on old records or playing a game.
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Enjoy the pleasure of a well-edited wardrobe. It’s not difficult to have a small wardrobe (quite the opposite!) if it is filled only with pieces you love and wear. When you are editing your wardrobe, try channeling that carefree feeling of traveling with a smartly packed suitcase — everything is essential, flattering and goes with everything else.
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Make cooking (and shopping for) your nightly meal a special event. Instead of resenting the time it takes to get dinner on the table on a weeknight, try thinking of it as a special event to look forward to. Seek out new open-air markets and specialty stores where you can be inspired by fresh ingredients. When you get home, make the process of cooking as enjoyable as possible — put on mood-boosting music (how about opera?), pour yourself a glass of wine and get cooking.
Set a beautiful table for dinner every night. Why save your best for special occasions and company? Set your table every night with a tablecloth, real napkins and pretty dishes. Light candles, put soft music on in the background and dim the overhead lights. Savor your meal and linger at the table — if you don’t want to indulge in a sweet dessert every night, you could serve ripe fruit or just coffee and tea.
Take advantage of what your region has to offer. So often, we travel to experience new things but neglect what’s in our own backyard. Do you live somewhere with great surfing or hiking spots? Or perhaps there is a well-known museum in your area? Pay attention to what your own community has to offer — you might be surprised at what treasures you find!
Infuse your daily life with art and beauty. Whatever that means to you: Put flowers around the house, read more, listen to great music or inspire yourself by viewing great art, learning new things and saying yes to spontaneous adventures.
Tell us: What are your favorite simple pleasures?
Tell us: What are your favorite simple pleasures?
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Our community NPR/MPR station has great personnel who make classical music approachable. Having a good radio in the kitchen is a must for me. Also, I enjoy recorded books and have a player so that I can listen to a story while I cook (most recently have been cooking down our apple crop for applesauce and using the food mill while listening to Scandinavian detective novels). I've invested in good gel mats so that my legs can withstand a lot of standing on kitchen floor, but I also have a stool and a pull-out cutting board so that I can sit while chopping. We designed our kitchen addition to compliment our vegetable garden and hubby's hunting and foraging activities--we eat very very well and love every meal prepared with his love and dedication as a provider of organic foods. I'm a flower gardener and I plan my garden so that there are always flowers or dried materials for arrangements. Home-grown flowers and foods bring the seasons home to the interior of the house. I'm in late 60s now--hope we can continue this activity-oriented life for another couple decades.