I made one New Year’s Resolution this year and that was to live with less. It’s an umbrella goal that covers the materialistic, indulgent nature of my being. I’ve been at it for a whole 19 days and I’m making some progress.
Specifically, I need less messes, stresses, and idle time. I am a consumer whose 27 coffee mugs runneth over with stuff that I don’t need. I have enough pairs of shoes for a centipede. I need an army of arms to sport my rainbow of wristlets. It would take me 7 lifetimes to finish reading my personal library, yet it keeps growing. I can go through an entire school year without repeating an outfit. Speaking of school, I like grading papers in colors besides red. I found a sale on green pens, and could camouflage a Pennsylvania autumn into spring.
I’m not bragging. I’m complaining. I have too much, and aside from a few favorites, like my red boots, most of my purchases don’t bring me continual joy.
Even though, I am an amazing couponer, I am in constant guilt about shopping so much. A favorite way to end a busy day has been to online shop while sipping wine. Warning! Drinking and driving a cyber shopping cart is dangerous. I crash into a lot of bargains that would be a whole lot cheaper if I cruised past them. I can’t tell you how many things I have to send back. I can think of better upper-body strength programs than weight-lifting return boxes to the UPS drop-off where everyone knows me by my address label.
My cluttered closets clutter my clock. My cluttered closets clutter my clock. My cluttered closets clutter my clock… nice tongue twister. Try it. Seriously though, I waste a Big Ben amount of time, money, and space with shopping, buying, and returning
Beyond closets, I stuff my fridge, freezer, and pantry. Not a tongue twister. Just a fact. Once I ran out of brown sugar during a blizzard, so I have a complex about not being able to bake cookies during a snow day. Now I keep enough brown sugar to fill a sandbox and have leftovers in case I actually bake. I have issues with overstocking the freezer with junk that my kids don’t even like anymore. I can’t keep track of their fickle taste buds. Currently, we have six boxes of Mrs.T’s Pierogies, four varieties of pizza rolls, two bulk boxes of corn dogs, and a freezer burnt partridge in a pear tree.
I am never going to become a minimalist, break up with Amazon.com, quit looking at BookBub, nor turn in my Giant Eagle Advantage Card. I have been realistic about this and am simply putting a pause button on my purchase power. If I want something new, I have to really discern if it’s going to enhance my time and space or rob from it. I vowed to add nothing to my wardrobe for an entire month and am already ⅔ of the way there. I thought I’d feel as naked as a stripper, but I’m still fully-clothed. As far as eBooks and audiobooks, I am only allowing myself three per week. Believe me, this is a sacrifice. I’ve been sticking to my grocery list and not going near the freezer section. Oh and I switched my wine nightcap to chamomile tea, so I have more control over my online consumption. My recent tweaks have lead to more:
Less spending = More saving
Less wine = More water
Less pierogis = More ice cubes for the water
Less sugar = More spice
Less clutter – More space
My journey to less has been good so far and I already feel healthier, more organized, and productive. I’m thankful to have more than enough and will be grateful when I can omit the word “more” in regards to materialism.
May all your goals be met with positive outcomes. If you falter, let me buy you a solution. Just kidding! I’m on a budget. Just try again. We’re all a work in progress.
Days of Part-Time Sunshine 