I've spent my entire winter break watching way too much HGTV. And though I have gotten a lot of great ideas for decorating a home at some point in the future and have definitely decided I can't live in a tiny house, mostly all I've gotten out of this is that I'm either addicted to or annoyed with the shows. Here are my three favorites and the three I could live without.
Best:
1. Fixer Upper
Chip and Joanna are adorable. The houses always end up cute (even though they generally all look the same). I don't want to live in Texas, but I would if it meant they would redesign my house. I really would.
2. House Hunters
Honestly this one should be the one I find most boring, but for some reason I don't. There's such a wide range of families and locations and fights that I never know what's going to happen on the next episode. And I'm really bad at guessing which house they're going to choose... so maybe that's why I keep watching it... to see if I will ever get it right. But they also just show some awesome houses and I like dreaming about living in awesome houses.
3. Love It or List It
This one is the most interesting one to me. How they turn awful small houses into beautiful spaces that families choose to stay in over beautiful new houses is beyond me. But either way at the end the families have two beautiful options and I can never guess which they're going to choose. The remodels are just so incredible!
Worst:
1. Flip or Flop
Not going to cry about this one ending this year. They're just annoying rich people who make it dramatic when they have to spend more money but really it isn't a big deal to them they just like screwing with their business partner. I just don't like them. At all.
2. House Hunters: International
If I've learned anything from this show, it's that Americans are not very smart. Like yes, Europe can be cheaper than the US, but you have to think comparatively. I watched an episode the other day where someone wanted a one bedroom, one bath, modern apartment in Prague for $600 a month. Something comparable to that in the states would probably be $900-$1000 a month... So yes, that $600 a month apartment is cheaper... you just aren't willing to spend enough to get what you want! It's Europe... not a free for all. And they never listen to their real estate agent and European friends when they tell them that... never.
3. Anything about tiny houses...
I get it. Tiny houses are trendy, take up less space, cost less, and give you more freedom. But you can't expect to get all of the amenities of a 2000 square foot house in a 200 square foot space. It just doesn't work. None of the families seem to get that. And yes, you have to have a ladder! Stairs don't fit in your shoe box!
Moral of the story... I want to buy a house and have HGTV make it pretty. This winter break has been pretty great... and also will make for some expensive changes to my room at my mom's house when I move home in May...
