Something that has brought me so much joy through the winter months this year as well as given me hope for spring among the gloomy days has been arranging flowers for my home!
Can this be an expensive hobby? Yes, but I have worked the system now for a year and discovered a few ways to create lovely arrangements that don’t break the bank! My favorite thing to do is to put on an audiobook, go to the store, pick my flowers, and go home and arrange them. I get in some quality reading time, all well enjoying the beauty and serenity of arranging flowers!
A few places that have been so helpful (and cheap) for me when it comes to arranging flowers have been Meijer (a Midwest staple store!) and Aldi (you can’t beat them!). The Meijer I go to most has varying types of flowers and greenery, ranging from $2.99 to $5.99. I usually spend on average $25 a week if I go the Meijer route. This gives me the most diversity in my floral arrangements and is doable in my budget.
Now, if you want to be a super saver and not break the bank I highly recommend Aldi. They do not have as big of a selection, but you can get a full bouquet for $3.99 at Aldi. In this case I usually try to buy 2 different bouquets so I get a variety of flowers. In total I spend just over $8 a week on flowers at Aldi if I go that direction. This doesn’t stress out my budget in any way and creates some wiggle room for other things if we are keeping the budget tighter that month. This is the direction I go most of the Winter too, since the flower and greenery selection in Meijer isn’t the best in the winter months.
So what, why do I do this? What do I gain from it? I gain a sense of calm and control but in the most serene way possible. I usually try to get the flowers on my day off and enjoy the process. Like I said, I will usually put on an audiobook or at the very least a show I have been meaning to watch. While I create my arrangements (4 throughout my house in total) I begin to relax and reset. This is a GREAT weekend activity. I may not be a professional arranger, but I know what I like and I think that’s what it’s about. You start to learn what flowers last the longest (carnations are great for longevity) and which flowers shed everywhere, not to mention which really stink after a few days. I can’t recommend trying this out enough. It’s a great reset as you go into a new week, and something that can provide joy throughout your week as well!
Joyfully Jacquie 