I knew i'd 'made it' in life when

[GrannyGrissle]

i realised 90% of the plant pots in my house/garden are terracotta, not plastic. I used to dream of this and have added to my collection year on year. I now feel immense pride in the quality of my plant pots! AIBU to ask what small/insignificant things signify to you that you too have made it in life? (Not interested in metal cans on wheels/dwelling structures made of bricks or stone/jewellery/trophy partners ).

Well, my eyes have been opened about the mug drawer. I have never seen anyone keep mugs in a drawer - in a cupboard (like me) or on shelves or hanging from hooks or a mug tree, but never a drawer.

Most of my mugs are nice(ish) ones. I only have a couple of crappy free ones left. I certainly don’t need as many mugs as I have, so I will chuck the crappy ones out and then I will have finally made it in life!

Doesn't Nigella have a mug drawer ? I seem to remember one somewhere

I don't know about making it but I knew I was past it when we started having to drink the Bordeaux that we'd once bought to store. I don't think I really believed I would ever be old enough to drink that wine.

When my youngest DD3 reached the age where I could wave goodbye and spend a night or two away without her wailing for me to stay and never ever leave her side until the end of time. Freedom!

We don't run out of toiletries (make up wipes, toilet roll, shampoo, toothpaste) or cleaning products because I can buy them in the supermarket shop if and when I fancy. It's great!

My neatly organised cupboard of Spare Things (lightbulbs, batteries, toothbrushes etc) makes me feel like I've really arrived. My mugs are still all mismatched promotional tat though, so perhaps I have a way to go yet.

Nigella does indeed have a mug drawer. I am so uncool!

My neatly organised cupboard of Spare Things

I have spare things, I know where they are but they're not neatly stored in one cupboard.

But I know where they are. That's grown-up, right?

I store my mugs bottoms up. Am I doing it wrong, then?

I think sometimes I forget that I made it 20 years ago. I only recently realised I didn't have to continuously be annoyed at the absence of lids that fit two of my pans. I could just buy lids. Similarly last year I had the same realisation with our knives. Our whenever I'm getting a job done in the house I airways have to wrangle with myself over cheapest option versus what I want and can easily afford. I suspect I will carry this trait with me throughout life!

Oh absolutely, IJustHadToNameChange, it's like knowing where your passport is. It doesn't have to be in a special Folder of Important Things, just as long as it can be located in under five attempts (e.g. rooting through a chaos drawer/ridiculous ultrasafe hiding spot).

This is the first house I’ve ever had that’s properly organised! No cupboards of shame any more! (Mostly because of a gargantuan effort to get shit organised before we moved and we’ve only been here 5 months )

When I realised we eat out regularly without it making us skint for the month.

When we first moved in together, a meal out had to be carefully budgeted for, we eat out 3 or more times a month now and it isn't an issue.

DH told me I had made it because I went on a business trip and was collected by a chauffer holding my name on a sign

@IJustHadToNameChange bottoms down all the way. In hospitality I got taught that facing up keeps the air circulating, bottom down they can get stale

Honestly the mug drawer was just mentioned in passing. It wasn’t meant to be an arbiter or having made it but if Nigella has one then...

Of not or

@Namechange128

Ah! So I've been doing it wrong.

Not a proper grown-up after all.....😢

I have a mug drawer, for same reason as mammmamia no wall cupboards.

I didn't realise it was cool - well impressed with myself.

Store them bottom up though, so still got some way to go

Is your tree one of the Balsam Hill ones, chinchilla? I bought one last Christmas, and it's BEAUTIFUL.