It occurs to me---sometimes I'm late to the party---that the church serves two polar-opposite purposes for us. It gives us a place of retreat and solitude, and it gives us a place of connection and gathering with other people. Most of my life, I've craved the former, but as I grow older I see more and more the need for the latter.
I'm increasingly interested in minimalism, and the other day I was listening to a podcast on the topic. They said something about making sure the things you possess still add value to your life. I would add: then assess whether that value exceeds the price you pay for them. That's something we've needed to periodically revisit during the nearly-five years this reno project has taken.