A labour of love
Labour Weekend always brings the promise of a three-day break from work. For Brown’s Bay couple Ben and Lucas, it meant a weekend of “get-stuff-at-home-done” hard labour. Their to-do list was daunting, covering everything from a furnishings upgrade to summer planting, and they worked tirelessly to create their sanctuary at home. Albany Mega Centre, with its one-stop shopping convenience, was the perfect place for everything they needed to get their spring home refresh done.
They kicked things off on Saturday with a homewares hunt, heading straight for the home stores at the Albany Mega Centre. They started at Farmers Home where they found eight large cushions in bright, springtime colours to bring a little extra warmth, comfort and energy to their home. “This feels like a fresh start,” Ben said, squeezing Lucas’s hand as they debated colours and textures. At Adairs, they found a large floral print for the wall, a bright yellow throw for their dark grey lounge suite and a beautiful bowl for the coffee table. The final stop was at Lighting Direct, finding a modern lamp for the corner table.
Back at home, they gave the lounge a deep clean and arranged all their new pieces. The difference was huge, and as they sat back with a glass of wine to admire their work, Ben laughed, “This looks like an entirely different room!” Already, they could feel their hard work paying off.
Sunday was garden day, and the garden centre at The Warehouse was their go-to for everything green and growing. They filled the car with potted plants and flowers for the front garden and tomatoes, lettuces, strawberries and cucumbers for the back garden beds. Lucas, ever the romantic, added a couple of rose bushes, grinning as he imagined their garden in full bloom.
Back at home, they rolled up their sleeves and got to work. They spent hours weeding, pruning and planting, transforming their outdoor space into a green oasis. Midway through, Lucas realised they needed more potting mix and fertiliser. Without hesitation, they zipped back to the Mega Centre and found what they needed, plus some new outdoor lights and a funny garden gnome! By sundown, their garden was transformed. Maybe it was the new lights, but Ben and Lucas had a warm glow about them as they sat back and admired their handy work.
Come Monday, they were on a mission to tackle the finer details. They returned to the Albany Mega Centre early in the morning on the hunt for storage containers and an array of kitchen and laundry organisers to end the chaos in their cupboards. Between Briscoes and Bed, Bath & Beyond, they found everything they needed. They even splurged on a new coffee maker from Noel Leeming, deciding they deserved a bit of luxury after all their hard work.
Back home, they dived into a whirlwind of sorting, scrubbing, and rearranging. Closets were organised, drawers cleared out, and every surface gleamed. By the afternoon, the house looked and smelt brand-new. They both took a moment to look around, feeling an enormous sense of pride – and relief.
Ben put the new coffee maker to work, handing Lucas a fresh brew. “We did it,” he said, sinking into the pile of new cushions on the sofa. Lucas smiled, taking a sip, “Can you believe we got everything at the same place?” They both laughed, grateful not only for the weekend but for the convenience of having everything they needed nearby.
For Ben and Lucas, Labour Weekend turned into more than just a home makeover; it was a reminder of the joy in building a life together – one throw pillow, garden gnome, and coffee mug at a time. And as they stretched out in their refreshed lounge, they made a pact to keep this tradition going every year, turning each Labour Weekend into a true labour of love for their home.