I took a fairly major adulting step this week.

I bought a set of four matching glasses at the Christmas Tree Shop.

I figured, I have a nice apartment, and I have friends coming to stay for the weekend… and then I thought about my dishware and laughed because the majority of it is plastic and none of it matches.

I had gone to the Christmas Tree Shop to buy a shovel, but walking around, I was totally drawn into the notion of making a home – a thing I rarely bother to do.

And I thought, I don’t actually even own enough cups for all of us to have a drink at the same time without using mugs – which, to be honest, I’m not above at all, but I thought, how expensive is a set of cups of anyway?

And so, $12 later, I now own 4 matching cups. And a container full of matching silverware.

I almost bought some plates, but they were even more expensive and I am cheap and… baby steps. So we will eat anything off of mismatched plates. I also know I’ll be moving again by July and the thought of packing up all that dishware rather than just waiting a few more months was too much for me.

I also don’t exactly love shopping for home stuff without my mom, because I know we would’ve had a lot of fun shopping for it all together, and I’m very aware of it every time I’m in a home store.

So, laziness and sadness are fairly budget friendly buddies.

That aside, the amount of money you can spend on “home stuff” is just nuts – and it’s crazy how fast my mind pivoted to the idea that the items were necessary. Literally, only the idea of moving a ton of bowls and dishes twice (thank you, lazy me), stopped me from dropping like $100 of dishware.

And the kitchen isle in general, don’t even get me started, what the heck are all those tools? And in fun vibrant colors? I probably need them… I barely even cook. I do not need them.

Honest to goodness, not-in-the-middle-of-a-shopping-high-Mel knows we really only need a decent skillet and a good spatula because literally all I make when I cook is stir fry. If I’m going absolutely hog wild and trying to be fancy, I also need a pan to cook brisket in.

Even baking, I do like baking, but I feel like there’s an expense entry threshold. Once you actually own all the pans and bowls, and the basic base ingredients – flour, sugar, vanilla, etc. – the prospect of baking some random brownies doesn’t seem nuts. But the first time you bake those brownies, instead of spending $3 in the grocery store for already made brownies, you will spend like $94.57 on cooking supplies and baking pans.

This is quite the commitment to present and now also future baking to make that expense worth it. That’s a lot of brownies to even that out. That is a long commitment….

And now I’m buying the grocery store brownies.

Though friends and family, if I do actually buy that little house in the woods this summer, feel free to bring a brownie pan and some vanilla extract as a housewarming gift. :0) 

What are some of your adulting win purchases? Did you also feel like it was a slippery slide into “what even is this kitchen utensil I’m holding in my hand, but man do I like that it’s emerald green”?