How often do you replace large household purchases?

[Silverclocks]

Things like three piece suite, other furniture, curtains, carpets.

I've just realised that my living room curtains, that I think of as "new" are more than 15 years old

The sofas must be nearly 25 yo (I know they're older than DS1, so they've been through the wars!)

I has disappointed to see my stair carpet has a bald patch, but it is 20yo

I recently replaced a 30 yo dining table and chairs, which actually was still fine, but it was cheap when new, the first thing we bought for our first home and I decided to upgrade.

I do like to buy good quality in the hope it lasts, but are these timescales reasonable/normal?

Or do "most" people modernise more often?

i do think that replacing some things can bring you a feeling of happiness, which you can't buy. Having shabby old things can leave you feeling uncared for and depressed (hate out of fashion sofas, depressing bedding and towels). That said I am very frugal day to day. But sometimes upgrading does a world of wonder for your mental health.

Like most people, when they break or no longer work. We have just had a new kitchen fitted, but I have kept my 18 year old washing machine because it still works. We have been married for nearly 41 years, and in this time we have only owned two sets of dining tables and chairs, two lots of sofas, two washing machines and two tumble dryers. Fridges and irons haven't lasted as long as these, but have only been replaced when no longer working.

Our pine furniture (teak occasional tables, coffee table and bookshelves) in the living room looks rather dated, but I can't bring myself to spend ££££ to replace them.

We replaced carpets when we had an almost full house renovation.

We didn’t replace the sofa because we now have two living areas. Decided to keep the old leather one as I find the wipe clean aspect handing with kids. But the cushions are starting to go. Will try and hand on until the youngest is no longer trashing everything.

We had some old chairs recovered. It probably cost as much as buying some new ones but there was nothing wrong with them, they just didn’t match the new decor.

Other stuff I try and get rid whilst there’s still some life left in them and they go to the local furniture charity store. We sent a wardrobe and a few bedside tables a while back.

we are 'keepers'
we buy good (not nevessarily expensive) stuff, take care of them and replace when beyond repair.
mostly neutral(ish) design that can be updated with accessories.

mil is different, she redecorates (incl new furniture, new tiling in bathroom/kitchen) every 5-10 years.

I think the key is to buy decent quality if you can afford it, and go for neutrals where possible. Add colour by painting walls or with cushions (not that I ever replace those either). We started out with a lot of free (or very cheap) furniture and then bought decent stuff once we'd saved up. We're not big followers of fashion though, so neither of us is bothered by stuff that looks out of date (not that most of it does, but we do have a few things that belonged to my Great Aunt which are very dated).

A lot of things, hopefully never. One of my sofas is 200 years old, the others mere striplings at 15. Our flat has wooden shutters which just get oiled and repainted every other decade.

I'm hoping to get another few years out of my car, which is now eight years old. If I can get it to 15 I'll be pleased, ecstatic if it survives to 20.

As PP say though, domestic electronics do seem to break down more frequently. I'm on my third washing machine in two years (the motors keep burning out) and the dishwasher is about to go too. And don't get me started on vacuum cleaners.

We recently replaced our 11yo sofa. It did have a few years left in it, but was the wrong size for our new house.

TV is 11yo.
Bed is 11yo.
Other furniture varies.

This is our home for the next 10 years or so so we are gradually getting good quality stuff that fits rather than the cheap stuff that sort of fits in our army houses.

When they fall apart! I've just sold my house and left the 13 year old curtains for the buyer plus sold her my 10 year old suite ... anything not to move stuff!

Most of our furniture is old and unlikely to be changed any time soon. Our dining room table and chairs were new in 1928. Some of it is Georgian.

Our curtains and dining furniture were bought in 2000 when we moved into our first flat, still using both. Carpets were here when we moved in 2002. They are shit and really need replacing but it’s a hassle.

Our sofas and kitchen are quite new at only 15 years old.

Both dses are still using the towels they had when they were born, they are 19 and 17 now🤣

I’m not one for just replacing stuff, if it works it’ll do.

I've had my favourite towels for 38 years. They really are tatty now, but I love the size and the colour and have never had any others I like as much.
I have newer towels hanging on the towel rail, but only use my old hidden tatty ones. I need to give them to the dog rescue.
In answer to your question, OP - when I absolutely have to!

Bedding, every 4 years or so, my luxury. Everything else, when it wears out.
I’m still using DD’s school PE towel for swimming several times a week … she left school in 2010.
Not as bad as DM, who has only recently disposed of bedsheets that went sides-to-middle in her wartime childhood and still uses her MILs second-best baking pans.

I have two Laura Ashley sofas that are 23 years old and an IKEA sofa that I bought the day my nanna died in 1994.

I recently up cycled the dining table and chairs.

I do change curtains though every few years as it's a comparatively cheap way to update a whole room. The "old" ones go to relatives and friends usually, never binned.

I've got some really old stuff but a lot of new things. Only recently have we been able to afford good quality furniture and when we moved we needed extra furniture as well as different things to fit the new space.

I love buying things for the house though. I'd rather spend on home than a holiday.

Anything we get rid of gets sold or given away unless it's completely broken.

My sofa and chairs are over 70 years old. My grandparents bought them in 1953 and I think they were second-hand then. I got them when I bought my first house and they had sold theirs and so I furnished my house with their cast-offs. I had the sofa and armchairs recovered around 20ish years ago, and one of them needs some attention, but they're solid frames and good pieces of furniture.

Our carpets were new when we moved in, 15 years ago, they are knackered but we can't afford to replace them. It's just carpet, it doesn't really matter that much...

Mostly we replace when something breaks and can't be repaired. I'm not one of those that has to have a whole new look every few years, I can't really see the point and I don't follow 'fashion' in home furnishings.

My tv is 22 years old
My toaster is 32 years old

We replace things only when they are worn out, broken, etc. Never just because they happen to be 10 or 15 years old.

Our sofas are 20 year old MultiYork. Our carpets are about the same, Dining table and coffee table are 1990, dining chairs are about 1930 but have new seats.

The only things I replace if they aren't broken, are mattresses, and curtains when they have faded.

Normally when they break or become tatty/unusable.
Updated the living room in 2019, still paying for the settee so that's staying for a good 15+ years.
In the past couple of years we've had to get a new integrated Microwave/Fridge Freezer/Washing Machine/Tumble Dryer/Matress/Hob extractor fan.

We've been in our house 11 years so things are starting to go...thankfully not all at the same time 😱

Most furniture 5-8 years, sofas about 4 years, curtains 3-10 years, white goods 8 years ish, carpets 7 to 8 years.

Only if I move house and something doesn’t fit (have downsized twice in the last decade.

White goods when they break and can’t be repaired- my dishwasher and fridge freezer are 18 years old. Everything else has had to be replaced at 15 years.

I replace things when they either don't work and can't be repaired anymore, or they actually start to look dog eared. The only exception is when I redecorate a room, then I replace soft furnishings to match the new colour scheme.

My bedroom furniture is about 150 years old solid carved wood- picked up 40 years ago for £5 at an auction, when everyone wanted “modern” fibreboard tat instead! The bed was bought new, but is now 40 years old. It got a new mattress 20 years ago.
My 3 piece suite is nearly 30 years old, but it has removable washable covers. I got it a new set of covers about 15 years ago.
My carpets usually last 15 to 20 years. I had to get rid of some after a moth infestation though, 10 years ago, so I buy synthetic now instead of wool.
I did get a whole new upstairs bathroom 5 years ago - to replace the nearly 50 year old coloured suite that was the original when the house was built! Downstairs is still the original 50 year old loo, but has a “new” 20 year old walk in shower.
My only fast turnover seems to be lawnmowers - the motors burn out after about 8 years!

When they wear out.
The last item I had to replace was the washing machine bought in 1998

Depends when they wear out. We try and buy good quality so that's not often. However, we sometimes probably leave it too long as well!

My kitchen I was still calling new until I realised my daughter had just been born when we did it...and she is 26! Problem is, we can afford it, but can't be bothered with the hassle. The one we fitted was good quality, so it's only things like handles etc that are broken the rest ain't going no where.....but its old fashioned, for sure.

Our sofas are really good quality still, leather and almost look like new. But are burgundy.....again, old fashioned. Plus mu husband bought a one off cream recliner which he loves, so they don't coordinate.

Linen we still have some from when we married 30 years ago! Sheridan bedding and it's still lovely. Although we do have some that are newer and, again, really good quality. I'd soon throw them out if they didn't clean well and stopped being comfy.