Ginevra Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 The "rules" of this challenge are self-defined. Anyone can join in at any time. The aim of the challenge (for me) is to combat consumerism, wastefulness, mindless buying, and overspending. It is meant to nurture creative problem solving, ecology, frugality, intentionalism, and resourcefulness. To support these goals, I seek to buy nothing new. I aim to use existing resources, borrow, hand-craft, and buy existing second-hand materials to the greatest extent possible. However, I recognize that life is unpredictable, and family life increases this factor exponentially, so I will buy new in the following cases, when a non-buying option does not present: Food, health, and necessary household goods excluded. Requirements for school, work, or health and well-being which cannot be obtained used. Gifts, when a creative non-commercial option will not suffice. Anything animal or gardening related that cannot be obtained used. Fuel/energy sources. Posts will appear each Saturday, referring to the week that is ending. Post your successes, creative solutions, relapses and weak moments. It doesn't matter if you have a weak moment! Just keep swimming! How are my fellow mindful spenders doing? You know, I clearly have a "condition" having to do with books. I DL'd three books to Kindle yesterday, and I can't even claim it was well-thought out. One was a health book my friend at co-op was raving about and two more on blogging. Doh! Oh well. At least they are on Kindle and thus are not making a mess. I got my hair done. God knows *that* was not thrifty. Oh! One strong mark in the Win column, though it benefits dh's business and not so much our home finances: I fixed a computer problem! Seriously: that is saying something, because I have no claim as tech support. Using some You Tube videos, combined with a Geek Squad free diagnosis, I was very thankfully able to pull a faulty RAM. The computer now bypasses the faulty RAM and goes directly to Go! That's a pretty awesome feeling when you figure something out to good effect. :) Coming up on the thrift vs. spend radar, I plan to start some seeds in March. I have already separated my Very Old seeds from my Passable seeds, but I don't want to miss my ordering window and wind up with dead seeds. I know there is a method for determining germination rates, but I don't have huge amounts of reserve seeds. It would be pretty pointless to use ten seeds determining germination rate and then have only a few seeds left in the pack. Do I gamble on older seeds? Or should I just buy new seeds and stop worrying about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Just poured $300 more into our vehicle. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Bough dd2 a coat for next winter in clearance for $3.00, dd1's play is costing us a little bit. Spent $4 on the material for her mermaid tail, $4.00 on drinks for rehearsal and play nights and another $3 on shoes because the director didn't like the ones she had (the shoes were on clearance and can be used after the play for school). Also spend another $2 to decorate the crown box for said play. Though I'm saving on books by using a free trial of Kindle Unlimited, free kindle books and of course the library :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 The snow and slush and cold and a toddler that fights getting in his car seat are keeping us at home. I paid DS's fees for his gymnastics thing and bought some milk and veggies, but other than that we've spent nothing. I'm getting a bit cabin fevered. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Hmmm....this week had a lot of boy scout expenses. It's the "one thing" my boys do, but it has been helpful to be more aware of the frequency at which little (& big) things pop up. Another trip to the hardware store as we prep the house for sale. We took advantage of a 20% off sale.😄 Other than that, I have stayed home. The weather has been lousy and that has helped me curb impulses to buy stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I've posted a couple of times on here about how going out to eat is DH and my weakness. For the past two weeks we've been very good about not going out to eat. We agreed that since we love it there needs to be space for it in our budget, but we would NOT accept last minute invites from friends, "Hey! Let's go to lunch!" No. Instead, we will be very deliberate about when and where we go out. We'll go, but it will not be as often and when we go we will carefully select the best time/place. That said, we went to the Chinese buffet that we love for Chinese New Year. We love the people at this restaurant so it was a special meal and fit our new guideline. There were at least 3 times over the past week where we thought, "Hey, let's just order pizza!" or "Hey, let's head out to X!" and we resisted and ate at home instead. Unfortunately the two new recipes I tried out hoping to shake up our at home meals both turned out pretty blah. And, as usual, I was very tempted to get some odds and ends during my weekly grocery shopping trips, but I was able to resist and leave them in the store. For example, at Aldi when I walked through the aisle of non-grocery items, instead of thinking, "Oo! I want that!" about everything, I was able to think, "I already have something like that," or "But where would I put it, really?" etc. The temptation is getting easier to resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Spent 11 on a new bed for the rabbit. She outgrew our old ones. Our other rabbit really likes it so might have to break down and buy her one. I need to organize DD's room so might have to spend a little for some things for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiMi 4under3 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I was going to head over to Ikea to buy yet another Billy bookcase (#9) but instead I decided to cull some books. I ended up donating so many, that I gave two Billys to my sister (who was going to go with me to Ikea buy some herself). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Spent some money this week, but I'm happy with the purchases. Gas and groceries came in under budget for the third week in a row. I'm really happy with that! We went to see a musical, and some of our friends' kids were aging out of the program and we wanted to see their last show. Our kids spent years with this youth theater so it's nice to stay connected with those friends. We were able to snag discounted tickets, so $30 for three tickets to see Fiddler on the Roof- and it was a very good performance. We went out after with some friends, and it was money well spent. One of our friends had stage 4 lung cancer and has survived 18 months so far. She's such a fighter and is so inspiring. Statistics say that at the 8 month mark, 50% have already lost the battle. Last night we went to a Miranda Lambert concert (tickets bought in October) and had dinner out first. $21 including tip! The concert was pretty mediocre. But again, I loved seeing our friends. Today we bought a new yoga mat that is longer and thicker than the one we've had for years. And I bought socks for ds and dh. Also spent $22 on replacement heads for dh's electric shaver. Considering how much razor blades cost, I'm good with buying replacement heads every couple of years. So from last Saturday through today, we did spend some money, but I'm good with all the purchases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Use it up: We had a couple of small get-togethers last week and there is just too much leftover food. We're eating through all of that and then I want to eat from the pantry and the garden as much as possible. (Quinoa til we choke!) We have broccoli, onions and greens in the garden now, and fava beans and peas coming soon. The chickens are being very kind to us as well. Wear it out: Kids seem to have broken the pencil sharpener but I think it has a replacement warranty so I'm going to call and try to get it replaced. We have to do better habit-training with the kids about school supplies: maybe if I labeled the jars, at least the big kid could put his away better. Make do: * My homemade cleaners have really become an ingrained habit! I still buy dishwasher pods and scouring powder (Old Dutch or Bon Ami), but everything else seems to be a combination of Dr. Bronner's, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, etc. Need to make another batch of citrus vinegar soon--we eat tangerines incessantly this time of year and I should stock up on white vinegar now so I can stuff them with the peels while citrus is in high season. * I've also had great success this year propagating houseplants or just collecting them for free. Dining room is currently decorated with (a) succulents from a friend's wedding centerpiece, (b) succulents given away by a neighbor who was sick of them--I broke the main one up into four smaller groupings and gave two to friends, (c ) a spider plant that was sending off shoots into my mother's yard from the neighbor's house, and (d) a fragment of an ivy plant from my son's Montessori classroom. They've livened up the room greatly and I already had all the pots in my stash! Do without: We are not leaving the house tomorrow. DH is out of town and I think tomorrow needs to be a quiet at-home day. Maybe the kids can help me plant another garden bed. This week I hope to bring in some recycling for cash (we are in a bottle bill state), sell some books on Amazon, and continue to declutter the boys' clothes. I'm also going to order a dumpster from the city so I can start some massive decluttering work on the garage. A decluttering success from last week was installing a magnetic tool bar in the kitchen. This allowed me to chuck the grunky 10-year-old knife block and free up counter space. Also hoping to persuade the family to go on a trip to Legoland for DS1's birthday, rather than hosting a plastic-toy-attracting rager here. We'll see... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Make do: * My homemade cleaners have really become an ingrained habit! I still buy dishwasher pods and scouring powder (Old Dutch or Bon Ami), but everything else seems to be a combination of Dr. Bronner's, washing soda, baking soda, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, etc. Need to make another batch of citrus vinegar soon--we eat tangerines incessantly this time of year and I should stock up on white vinegar now so I can stuff them with the peels while citrus is in high season. * I've also had great success this year propagating houseplants or just collecting them for free. Dining room is currently decorated with (a) succulents from a friend's wedding centerpiece, (b) succulents given away by a neighbor who was sick of them--I broke the main one up into four smaller groupings and gifted two to friends, © a spider plant that was sending off shoots into my mother's yard from the neighbor's house, and (d) a fragment of an ivy plant from my son's Montessori classroom. They've livened up the room greatly and I already had all the pots in my stash! Kubiac, I love your whole post! It embodies what I'm trying to do here. I also have a spider plant with a bazillion babies on it. I just cut some off yesterday. I'm going to root them, though I'm not sure by what means they will find new homes. I'm going to see what the Universe brings before me and see how it was the perfect thing. :) Also, I do home-make cleaners, but I would still love to see some other recipes if you would post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunflowerlady Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Use it up, wear it out, make do, do without. Thanks-I love that. Makes so much sense. I was in CVS (again) this week and I was tempted to buy some supplements. Then I reminded myself that I have supplements at home that I forget to take. I need to work on taking what I have on hand before buying more. So, I will use up my supplements on hand before buying more. Dh and I spent some money going out to dinner. When dd goes to an activity in the evening, we like to go go out and get something to eat and spend that time together. I feel no guilt at all about it and consider it investment into our relationship. :) Now, here is where I share how I was tempted and almost went over the edge. :rolleyes: I had no plans to go to convention this year. Money is fairly tight and I want to do some home improvement projects. Plus, there has not been a whole lot in the way of workshops that are of interest at all to me. The vendor hall also has a lot less to offer for me because dd is high school age and I don't need all the cute little kid stuff. So, I went on the website "just to check it out". Of course, this year I found about half a dozen workshops that I might like. :rolleyes: I got obsessed with reading about all that would be going on. I looked at hotel rooms. I honestly thought I should just go. There is nothing wrong with going to convention, but I really want to do my home projects. So, I just sit and mentally figure up the costs for the room, registration, food etc. It is certainly not cheap. I could do quite a bit around my house with that money. Being mature is hard. :blushing: I want to do all the things! Right now I am leaning back toward not going. Sigh. Thanks for the inspiration, everyone. I want to start some plants now. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saraswati Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Took the kids out to lunch this week. Nothing else. We're getting ready for a move and spending all of our time house shopping. 😄 I have to go buy the kids toothpaste today. Still eating out of the pantry and freezer to empty them before our move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Oh well. At least they are on Kindle and thus are not making a mess. Be careful about those ebooks, and any digital matter, for that matter. They clutter up, too, and in a more sneaky fashion because they have no physical presence in your home. DH here has many terabyte drives for all of the photos taken and received over the years, and finding any particular one can be a challenge. Similarly, I now use Nook, Kindle, Kobo, and Goot eBooks apps, and have somehow quite innocently amassed quite the collection in some of these. While I can sort ebooks into shelves on my old Nook I can't do that in the apps, and I can't set up shelves that are seen by multiple devices. This means that when I want the kids to read an ebook I have to go search and find it for them, so they don't have to sort through all of the other ("boring!") stuff I have downloaded, too. Lack of ability to adequately organize my ebooks is one thing that keeps so many hard copy books on my shelves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 A current project of mine is reorganizing the kitchen cupboards and pantry. We have a coat closet-sized pantry with deep shelves where I had been putting food into long, skinny bins to pull out (like drawers) to access the stuff that got buried in the back. In the meantime, I had larger items (crock pots, deep pots, platters, etc.) buried in the lower cabinets simply because that is where they would fit. Dishes were in the cabinet above the dishwasher, where it was hard for the kids to reach them at all (our dishwasher is crowded into a corner, which makes it hard to reach to put clean dishes away). Instead most of the dishes we use daily now reside on one of those pantry shelves, and the other pantry shelves now house platters, large pots and casserole pans, and sundry small appliances. I have moved things about in the cabinets to clear one lower cabinet for larger food items (baking bins and cereal) and a couple of upper cabinets for all other shelf-stable foods. By doing this everything, food- and other-wise, is easier to see and access. I've donated away several kitchen items we simply weren't using, and am eying another round we seldom use. I've found old food well past edibility, and can no longer easily accommodate large grocery runs of impulse purchases. In short, my "too small" kitchen is becoming more useable, more accountable, and more livable. When family stops by I get a lot of strange looks about where I chose to put things now, but I quickly get some "Ahhh" reactions when I explain the set-up. Who would have thought that sticking to "traditional" storage places for dishes and food would have resulted in a more cluttered kitchen? Still to do: similar reorganization of fridge and freezer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Still to do: similar reorganization of fridge and freezer. I dread this, but need to do this, too. My kids have become very good about saving sauces and broths that are left over after a meal, but unfortunately, now there are 25 or so small food containers with a cup of sauce in them. I need to consolidate similar sauces together and clean out all those individual containers. We have just a couple of containers left, so it is about to happen due to critical mass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Also, I do home-make cleaners, but I would still love to see some other recipes if you would post them. Nothing you can't find a million times on Pinterest, but cut lemons and kosher salt is my secret weapon. I use them on copper-bottom pans, but also they are great for scrubbing out bathtubs and sinks and all that. Ideally I zested them beforehand, and after the fact, I can send them down the garbage disposal to clean that out. The whole works is biodegradable and would usually go in the compost pile, but I don't want to put large quantities of salt into the compost pile on account of possible negative impact on the soil food web. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 The conversation on organizing the refrigerator reminded me of a blog post I read the other day. Erica at Northwest Edible (she is an urban homesteader) gives a peek into her fridge here. A few bad words so the easily offended may want to shy away. But really--her hands-on life is astounding so the post is an enjoyable thing to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I got out of IKEA for under $40 with a solution for our hall closet and entryway. Woot! We had some old seeds I was gonna take a chance on...but I realized that they were molded. Yikes. We spent about $40 putting in some color at a homeschool community garden. That's a donation and we are having a lot of fun with the project. I dropped some money at REI getting new hiking boots and socks for my sons on clearance. Money well spent so we can hit the trails more often and they both had boots that were not only not waterproof but also getting way too tight. I've been shedding excess books via Facebook and local homeschool list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I organized my fridge with dollar store bins last year. It works well. And it was cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunflowerlady Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 My deep freezer might be going out. :( I moved the items into the freezer compartment of my fridge. It looked like plug may have been a little loose from the wall so an tried to make sure it was plugged in well. I will check it again tomorrow. Fingers are crossed.Not sure if I would replace it. Update-Yep, it's toast. Fortunately, there was not a lot of food in it, and dh noticed the problem in time to save the food that we did have in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Oh, I totally burned it yesterday. Necessary jeans purchases for DS15. I could have gotten them used; i didn't even try. I didn't have much time and, truthfully, I have felt like this child has been getting sloppy seconds of everything in recent history, so we went to the mall and got him two pairs of jeans, a new pair of shoes, guitar strings and a repair on his "dog tag" necklace chain. And we went to Smashburger -did you know there is a Smashburger here now? Awesome! My first time. I was able to get an Udi's bun and that was worth it all to me. ;) Yes, I'm justifying. But DS needed to feel propped for the day. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Update-Yep, it's toast. Fortunately, there was not a lot of food in it, and dh noticed the problem in time to save the food that we did have in there. That is a huge bummer! I would be in a world of hurt if my freezer fried. I feel faint just considering the possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 I decided to walk to DS1's school for pickup and along the way I found a $10 bill in the gutter and saw a rainbow; so mark that up as a win for simple living! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRobinson Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 A current project of mine is reorganizing the kitchen cupboards and pantry. We have a coat closet-sized pantry with deep shelves where I had been putting food into long, skinny bins to pull out (like drawers) to access the stuff that got buried in the back. In the meantime, I had larger items (crock pots, deep pots, platters, etc.) buried in the lower cabinets simply because that is where they would fit. Dishes were in the cabinet above the dishwasher, where it was hard for the kids to reach them at all (our dishwasher is crowded into a corner, which makes it hard to reach to put clean dishes away). Instead most of the dishes we use daily now reside on one of those pantry shelves, and the other pantry shelves now house platters, large pots and casserole pans, and sundry small appliances. I have moved things about in the cabinets to clear one lower cabinet for larger food items (baking bins and cereal) and a couple of upper cabinets for all other shelf-stable foods. By doing this everything, food- and other-wise, is easier to see and access. I've donated away several kitchen items we simply weren't using, and am eying another round we seldom use. I've found old food well past edibility, and can no longer easily accommodate large grocery runs of impulse purchases. In short, my "too small" kitchen is becoming more useable, more accountable, and more livable. When family stops by I get a lot of strange looks about where I chose to put things now, but I quickly get some "Ahhh" reactions when I explain the set-up. Who would have thought that sticking to "traditional" storage places for dishes and food would have resulted in a more cluttered kitchen? Still to do: similar reorganization of fridge and freezer. That is so true about "traditional" storage, especially in the kitchen. At a friend's house for dinner, the dish in the oven was done and another friend and I were looking everywhere for an oven mitt. 2nd friend called to the hostess asking where it was and she yelled back that it was in the drawer under the oven. 2nd friend and I both looked at each other with wrinkled noses and 2nd friend said "that's not normal, is it?" I said no. Hostess friend heard us and said she hated storing cookie sheets and pizza pans in there because they always slid back and got wedged between the drawer and the back of the oven. She's right!! That happens to me all the time!! Have I moved them since this revelation? Nope. Well, that was totally off topic! This past week for me was not great. I bought ds a new comforter set (with a sheet set included). Brand new. But I justified it because when his sister turned 3, she got a brand new comforter/sheet set too. I don't want him to feel like he only gets seconds. Anyway, he loves it. We went to lunch with friends on Sunday again this week. Its becoming a habit. The baby's arrival will likely curb it. Dh bought new headphones for his xbox. I worked super hard on the kids' room to get it organized and de-cluttered for showings (hopefully) since we are trying to get this house listed. I snagged bins, crates, baskets from all over the house to get it the way I wanted. It looks great, clutter-free (hard to do with homeschool supplies and books) and I was so proud that I didn't spend any money on organizing supplies. So 2 days later, what do I turn around and do? Spend $45 on organizing containers for the babies clothes, blankets and supplies!!!! Gaaahhh!!! In my defense, I had used up everything for the kids' room. I could not consolidate any more to free up a 3 drawer cart. So I bought a big one and a big basket for blankets. The basket isn't babyish at all and can be used in any room of the house for years to come. Well, hopefully I will be more mindful in the coming days. I've been doing good with books. Library, library, library!! I've been doing good with using up leftovers, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Argh. I bought books. Bad kitty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 $20 on Girl Scout cookies. It's kinda a donation, right?! :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 We've been mostly snow bound for the last week so not much spending here except groceries- others- belated Valentine's Night- dinner and a show- used gift cards for most of it- dinner still cost $15 for tip plus the rest. We ate at a (usually) nice local place that serves real food and (usually) doesn't give me gluten contaminated food, however a different waitress and cook than usual and I still went home with a belly that looked pregnant- it was yummy though We've been making do with our snow gear we have- I've borrowed dh's long johns and the kids have resorted to recycling plastic bags covering socks when they make it through all their gloves. We've been spending more on groceries yet again but we're doing very well with eating what we buy, which has been a ton more fruit and veggies so I consider that a win. Dh bought some work pants from someone at work - 2 pr for $15 vs 1 pr for $22 new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 $20 on Girl Scout cookies. It's kinda a donation, right?! :p Dh is not doing this challenge with me but he's gradually started being more mindful with his spending. Today he came home with a box of girl scout cookies. I don't mean one box. A box with about 7 boxes in it. He was like a little kid, and couldn't wait to show me, but he promptly hid them from our two college kids. He's never bought the cookies since I usually order them, and since he had to pay for them, he was talking about how expensive they are. Yeah, dh, it's a fundraiser, ya know. He said the guys who work for him each bought at least 5 boxes, but all the women either bought zero boxes or one box. I thought that was interesting. And the mom who sold them to him made a smart choice to not ask me this year, but sell directly to dh instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 So 2 days later, what do I turn around and do? Spend $45 on organizing containers for the babies clothes, blankets and supplies!!!! Gaaahhh!!! In my defense, I had used up everything for the kids' room. I could not consolidate any more to free up a 3 drawer cart. So I bought a big one and a big basket for blankets. The basket isn't babyish at all and can be used in any room of the house for years to come. It's okay; I think about this often, though I haven't done it yet. I've got my sock drawer organized in a beautiful Marie Kondo fashion. The socks are nestled snug in their little shoe boxes. BUT, my perfectionist comes out and whispers to me, "Just think how pretty this would be if you bought three baskets, perfectly sized to fit this drawer and all lined up like well-uniformed soldiers..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 We've spent a lot of money on future vacation items this week----airfare and such. We received a concerned email from our visa provider :lol: Other than that, dh bought lunch one day between client appointments. I bought a kindle book from an author I like to buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 others- belated Valentine's Night- dinner and a show- used gift cards for most of it- dinner still cost $15 for tip plus the rest. We ate at a (usually) nice local place that serves real food and (usually) doesn't give me gluten contaminated food, however a different waitress and cook than usual and I still went home with a belly that looked pregnant- it was yummy though Oh! boo! hiss! Before I changed my diet, I came home from restaurants in this state SO many times. Poor DH...he figured he just made a down payment on a hot kettle of TeA, and what does he get instead? A wife, curled up fetally in bed, trying to wait for the belly pain to subside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 It's okay; I think about this often, though I haven't done it yet. I've got my sock drawer organized in a beautiful Marie Kondo fashion. The socks are nestled snug in their little shoe boxes. BUT, my perfectionist comes out and whispers to me, "Just think how pretty this would be if you bought three baskets, perfectly sized to fit this drawer and all lined up like well-uniformed soldiers..." I did the "don't wad up your socks" thing and I actually do love that arrangement! DH thought I was crazy, but it works better because I only have one small (8" x 5.5") basket for non-hanging clothes (socks, a belt, underwear, earbuds, and... extra checkbooks, lol) and balled up socks just roll out. I already owned the basket for my closet, but I did buy the larger baskets for DH's stuff. Not very Marie Kondo of me, but I thought he'd balk at having his stuff in K-cup boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I've been doing pretty good. I did buy my kids some clothes for summer, but they were all on sale. I hope to go to garage sales this summer to supplement next year's wardrobes. We have a good consignment shop, but it's a good 50 minute drive and the weather has been horrid. I have a thing with books too. Don't feel bad. :) ETA: I did buy my twins Monopoly jr. they kept begging to play the original version, and we have been snowed in for 2 weeks. It ended up actually being a great purchase. we play at least 3 times a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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