Enjoy It Longer: Extending The Life of Your Furniture
Finally, it’s here. Sitting in your living room – or your bedroom, depending on the piece itself – and it’s everything you hoped it would be. It’s a piece of furniture, one you researched, dreamed of and was consumed by with how much you wanted it. You spend a little time adjusting it to its perfect angle in its new home, delighted with your purchase.
Fast forward two months, and it’s become part of the fabric of your home. So much so that the reverence you first showed for it has vanished. And it shows. It no longer has that shiny new feel; it’s beginning to have dents and scratches on it from careless use. It’s not the pride of your home and it will only worsen as time passes.
Realistically, keeping an item at “brand new” quality isn’t going to happen – unless you live in a show home. Everything must deteriorate through use, but it can happen far quicker than it has to. If you want to retain that delight in a new item for as long as possible, then there are a few things that you can do…
1. Buy Good Quality To Begin With
Zing, it’s the Obvious Button being pressed there… but sometimes, it needs to be said. If you buy cheap, lower quality furniture then it’s going to degrade quicker. There are plenty of options – such as a plethora artisan suppliers, House of Oak Furniture or even vintage stores – that marry together affordability and good quality. You want something that feels robust, not like a gust of wind could knock it over.
Trying to extend the life of a piece that has never been designed for sustainability is never going to work. So invest in pieces that have longevity at the forefront from the beginning.
2. Be Careful With Cleaning Products
Most modern cleaning products contain an ingredients list so long it has to be printed in tiny letters to be remotely visible. These products can be excessively harsh as a result. They want to be able to promise “amazing cleaning prowess”, so they throw everything in there.
If you then use this products on a regular basis, that cleaning prowess becomes a problem. Try and reserve the harsh cleaning agents for big problems, like particular staining. For every day cleaning and dusting, a microfibre cloth with water is going to be as effective – and leave a lot less damage.
3. Use Protectors
It might seem obvious to use a coaster to protect a coffee table, but the same theory applies across all furniture. If you have an item that’s going to be used regularly, then it’s worth considering investing in worktop protectors. These are designed for kitchen use, but they’re essentially just a robust sheet of glass. You can place them over any item you choose to provide an extra layer of protection in the way a standard coaster does for a coffee table.
You can find worktop protectors at most home and DIY stores. They’re inexpensive, look good and are heat-resistant. Give them a go; you won’t regret it.