Elegance vs. Luxury

Simplicity is the height of sophistication. The most elegant room isn't necessarily opulent and over stuffed with things Elegance requires editing. If a room has too much stuff, nothing stands out. It becomes a jumble. For me luxury means having dinner in bed. This was easy when I had a tiny apartment and only had to walk ten feet to get from the kitchen to my bed. Luxury is having lots of heat. My first place had the heating pipes running under the floor. I was always warm. I had a good shower and a bus stop thirty feet from my door. I never got cold. I could easily pay my maintenance and I lived in the lap of luxury. Since my apartment was small and had little storage, I often had to get rid of stuff. Getting rid of stuff meant that my home was elegant and not very cluttered. The only way to live in a small place is to take something out when something new comes in. It was easy to do when I lived alone. It's a lot harder now that I have a partner and have to negotiate everything, but it's a good rule of thumb to live by. Something in, something out. Taking something out does not mean sending it to the landfill. I either sell or donate unwanted stuff because I believe in being responsible with resources. Live with less. It's easier to clean and dust a house with less stuff. Less also makes the really good stuff stand out.