My new garage space 😎

Most people these days aspire to more than they have, or can probably afford, and find the means to purchase the things they want, (not need), through consumer finance. Credit. I am no different I guess, although I don't have credit cards of any sort and only have lending for my home and one of my cars...

Sure, it's still credit debt however it's very little compared to what many others have.

The other day I was visiting a friend I only see a few times a year and came across this garage space. The one you see pictured. I don't know about you but my garage doesn't look quite like this and I found myself becoming inspired to create this sort of clinical environment in my own somewhat muddled and confusing garage.

I've been thinking about all the amazing additions and subtractions I can make to my own garage: Hidden cabinetry and storage, LED lighting with spot-lighting for work areas and to highlight my vehicles, gun safe hidden behind a panel within the cabinetry, purpose-built workbench, new flooring (I was thinking polished concrete), an audi-visual area exclusively featuring Bang & Olufsen equipment with a bar, mini-kitchen and some comfortable seating for when my mates come over. I was also considering a mezzanine area with glass walls overlooking the entire garage for my office area. Of course, it would all need to have an integrated WIFI-controlled air conditioning system, a sophisticated monitored security system and booby-traps to deter the curious...

Hmm...It's not going to happen of course. I mean I could borrow the money from the bank and make it happen, but I don't really want it to happen, you know? I'm content with what I have.

Seeing my friends garage made me want it for a short period of time. I mean it was pretty amazing after all, however I'm not him and don't have his resources. It didn't stop me wanting it though. That's the thing about consumerism; It makes us want more than we need and with clever marketing we get brainwashed into getting it, or some lesser version of it commensurate with affordability. We often place ourselves at a great disadvantage for things too. The average Australian has credit-debt of 120% of the sum and total of the value of everything they have combined. Frightening figures.

e.g. The total of everything they have combined is $300,000 and they owe $330,000 in credit. Only one word to say here...What the fuck!? (Ok, that was three words)

Would I love to refurbish my garage? Well, yeah of course, but when I consider the benefits of doing so against other things I could be doing it doesn't seem that important or relevant.

Choice one	Choice 2	Decision
Refurbish garage	Go to Europe and see family	Europe wins ✅

My wife and I tend to put much more importance on experiences than material things and have done so for a long time. Sure, going to Europe from Australia is costly, very costly, although the emotional-benefit far outweighs the cost and certainly trumps the feelings I'd get from spending the same money on my garage for instance.

Having nice things is important for many people and I have to admit that I have a few nice things around me; The thing is that those items are not included amongst my most valuable. Important yes, but not the things I measure the value of my life by.

So, I won't be refurbishing my garage. I will be saving up for a trip to Europe in 2020 and possibly a 2 week USA trip in 2019 to go to SEMA. I will also be saving to take a trip to see my newly-born nephew (first nephew) and his dad and mum (my brother who is also on steemit but anonymously. I will also be going camping, hiking, kayaking, shooting, antiquing, walk-on-the-beaching, Netflix and chilling, BBQ-ing, four-wheeling and the hundreds of other value-add experiences my wife and I plug into our lives.

I don't know if all those things will happen however we design them into our lives and aim at them. "Aim for the stars, you might hit the moon" is a saying I heard somewhere and so we do. Who knows, hitting the moon might be cool right?

Note:

In case you are wondering...The car in the image is a Mclaren which you can investigate by following that Mclaren link if you wish.