we could just buy some nice wood flooring for upstairs, some furniture and other consumables.

but the cats would probably pee on the flooring, and my wife would spend too much time thinking about which furniture to buy so it would stress her out.

better to stay with the decade old couch, which we know is beat up but which continues to perform its essential couchly duties, and keep the slightly icky carpet upstairs, and get a cheaper rate.