How much is this really costing me?

I've been known to get obsessive, about decorating among other things. Recent obsessions have been: pillows, black and white fabric, and frying pans. Lately, it seems to be getting out of control with LAMPS/Lighting.

Here's how it goes down: It starts with a genuine need: I need lighting. My house is vintage 1969, and apparently, back then they did not believe in overhead lighting. Only table and floor lamps, and those hideous hanging genie-lamps on chains. Then, I find an inspiring picture in a magazine or online. Then, I become OBSSESSED with finding this look on a budget. I begin scouring GW and SA, I go to HomeGoods, Target, TJMaxx, BCF. I find a lamp for 49.99 that will work perfectly, but the one next to it, though the shade is not quite right is on clearance for 19.99. So now I buy that one and have to look for a shade...start process over again....but sometimes by the time I put it all together, I've lost my focus. Now the lamp is really not what I wanted in the first place. Its like a copy of a copy of a copy...it loses something with each incarnation.

About 6 years ago, I was in HomeGoods and found these lamps for 5.00 each. I bought 4, a good buy. I have 2 in my bedroom, with 2 new shades I bought at tuesday Morning for 14.99 each... also a good buy. There's one in my sons room, with this new shade I got at GW...but it has had many different shades on it throughout the years, I've spent anywhere from 2.50 to 14.99 on each shade.

This is my Stiffel lamp. I used to have my mom's Stiffel lamp, and I don't for the life of me remember what I did with it...but then I found this one recently at SA for 7.00. I liked it, and used a shade I already had. First it sat in my new LR. Now its on the desk in the den/kitchen. But the switch doesn't always work, that is annoying.

I got this at HomeGoods because the above lamp just never looked right in here. I really am not liking the shade...but I love the color and shape. It was 24.99 at HomeGoods, and I had a giftcard so it cost me nothing.

So, all in all, I've propbably spent, what, less than 100.00 on these lamps but countless hours looking for the right shade, and the right place to put it. Am I nuts or what? What is the real cost here? Would I have been better off just buying the lamp I loved and be done with it?

Actually, the one lamp I spent money on and still love is this Pottery Barn Kids floor lamp in my son's room. It was a big splurge at the time, but his room turned out so cute. His was really the only baby nursery I did "right", can you believe that? I missed out on doing my girls rooms the way I really wanted to, because, I don't know...maybe I was not that imaginative back then or something? That, or flat broke most of the time!




Any way, I see I have gone on FAR too long about lamps. And me, and why I do things.
Here are some faves:

PB lamp with Burlap shade...yummmmm... and West Elm bronze-ish metal base..ahhhh!!!