Post-flood shopping

As of Wednesday the 9th, our entire home has new flooring – something called vinyl plank. It cost a lot of money, but it looks great and is totally water-proof (at least as described by the seller) because it is made of PVC material.

It was a big purchase but it is actually the gateway to many more purchases. Now the hunt is on for a bed (king-size please), and thus new bedding, pillows, comforters, etc. Now that we have a floor, we can order and install new cabinets in the kitchen, buy a new refrigerator, look at paint colors and purchase paint and painting supplies. Having a floor in place means we can get new furniture for the living room, the family room, the bedrooms.

In other words, an overwhelming flurry of shopping is on the horizon and nothing is more full of differing opinions than when a couple shops for household goods together.

I’m a guy, and in these matters I think primarily in terms of function. Looks are certainly in the mix, but function – indeed, ease of function – sits at the top of my considerations. Many/most guys are similarly wired. This is the basic reason why guys shop faster than ladies. Here’s something I need – seems to function well – looks okay. I’ll buy it.

Of course, ladies are wired entirely differently: We need an X. Let’s go look at a lot of X’s. What color X do you think is better? Which X do you like? I like that X, too, but what do you think of this X? I don’t want to make a choice of X’s today. Let’s come back and look at more X’s again later.

Mrs. K wants the same things as I do, but would also like them to be pretty. Hence, our considerations can be a bit different so that if I were buying, say, a shower curtain, it might go like this:

Him: “Look honey, it’ll keep the water in the tub – let’s get this one.”

Her: “That one is ugly. Let’s look at these and find one that matches the wall color and the floor and the towels.”

Needless to say, this is why we have a prettier home than if I were buying things alone. It’s about making our nest the best – a primal consideration for ladies, I think.

Now, bring this non-compliance of outlooks to the large and costly purchases we are looking to make to fill our empty home and … there can be a whole big lot of differences of opinion and if we are not careful, it may become a bit of a problem.

One truly amazing thing about our time together is that in 30 years Mrs. K and I never, and I mean NEVER, have had a shouting argument about anything. We’ve had our differences of feelings, needs, and opinions – but we are not people who find it necessary to have a loud discussion of those matters. We just don’t go there.

So maybe, shopping for all these household goods together – with our build-in sets of contrasting values and styles – just maybe, it will be some of the biggest tests of differing ideas we will ever go through.

Actually, we tend to agree on many/most things along those lines. And when there is a true conflict of ideas, one of us will find a way to give in. And most importantly, we never celebrate getting our way!

Well, hardly ever …