I bet you are on the edge of your seat with anticipation of which Rule of Three I am blogging about. There are so many... will it be about medicine, writing, theater, aviation, survival skills?... maybe about Mathmatics, economics or probability?... (I am an accountant you know)... or maybe about computer programming?...(I also have a degree in that) All of these things have their own Rule of Three. And I am going to talk about... None of them! I made my own!
Back in the day when I had A VERY STRICT BUDGET, but was still trying to furnish my home, I created what I call my Rule of Three. Basically, if I wanted something I need to ask myself this question, "Can it be used in three places" or "Can it be used three different ways". If I couldn't think of three places or uses, I would sadly walk away. But ultimately, I began loving my rule. The main reason is because if you start applying this rule, it is so easy to re-arrange and mix things up (what I call "shopping" in my own home) to create a fresh look (as opposed to buying something new). I would estimate that at least 70% of my decor and some furniture follows this rule. Even if you aren't into saving money, this rule will also help keep the clutter down.
This is one example of an item (or set rather) that I could easily justify three uses for. I know it's confusing that my example is a set of three... but it has nothing to do with the Rule of Three.
In the dining area with faux fruit.
On the kitchen counter with candy or cookies!
In the bathroom holding q-tips, cotton balls, and tissues.
Sometimes you can look a little deeper and get a little more creative...
How about a sleek tablescape made with the canisters only.
A cake plate made with one base and a charger.
And even a luxurious looking finial with one base and one top only.
Now, I'd say that was a good purchase. No buyer's remorse after that one!
Take a look around and look at the things you already own. Please share any things that you found that you can use the Rule Three on for a fresh look!
Wow that's amazing! You're so creative
I used the Rule of Three when cooking dinner for my family. I noticed they ate better when the food on their plate was simple, hot, and colorful. Now that I'm an empty nester, I'll use your rule for shopping. Thank you. Until now, I've used the Rule of One--use everything I buy. For me, memories make the best keepsakes, so I don't save my "good stuff" for holidays. We eat burgers and fries on Blue Willow and drink water out of party glasses. My friends sometimes think it's over the top, but they always remember that burger!