Good as new

It’s always fun to get something new, but there are many things that can’t be replaced very often. Here are some ways I’ve found to get that same feeling of excitement in the interim.

A brand-new car!
I feel pretty good when I take my car through a $5 gas station car wash. But I feel great when once a year or so, I splurge for a full detail—polish, wax, and shampooed carpets. It can be a bit pricey depending on what you get, but it’s cheaper than a new car. Or, if you have a garage or other area where you can work on your car, you can do it yourself.

New apartment
One of my favorite things about a new house or apartment is the freshly installed carpet. Even though I try to vacuum regularly, any carpet can get grungy over time. I recently discovered the joys of owning and operating a steam cleaner, and it’s a lot easier than moving to a new apartment. Steam cleaning takes longer than regular vacuuming because you have to do multiple passes and refill/empty the tanks, but I actually found it kind of fun.* It reminded me of what my stage crew teacher used to say about sweeping the stage. He liked doing it because it was like a form of meditation.

New computer
I can get a good six years out of a computer. To get that “new computer” feeling, I recommend a clean install of the operating system (make sure to back up your data first!) and the addition of some fresh RAM. Don’t forget you can also physically clean your machine.

* Disclaimer: I really did enjoy it, but I also enjoy sitting in front of a front-loading washer and watching my clothes spin around. Seriously. So, I hope that sets the right expectations.