Last updated on February 15th, 2019 at 02:44 am
Hello, my dear ones!
Welcome to Week 5! Remember…..WE GOT THIS!
Well, can I just say this post title was meant to lure you in? You see, I know this need on a personal level! And, it is a critical step towards living a more meaningful, organized, and substantial life!
What do I mean exactly? Well, I used to be that girl. Ya know, the one who was tempted by, well……(can I be honest here?) just about EVERYTHING.
I was totally guilty of being an overspender, and I started to feel this way of life was not only irresponsible….
but also not within my personal ethos of living simply and not being wasteful — so, I slowly but surely decided it was time to tackle this issue head-on.
It’s ALWAYS a work-in-progress, dear ones. I still fight it. And, I sometimes still fail. That’s okay, because I always rebound. Why? Well, I have come to realize that how GUHREAT I feel when keepin’ it simple totally trumps how I feel when I have bought too much or overspent!
Trust Me.
The former me would go into Target for a prescription and come out with a pair of jeans I ended up never wearing again, yet another accessory that I ended up resenting because it was visually (and eventually mentally) cluttering my world, a throw pillow I just “have to have!” (or so I told myself), a dog bed that eventually got torn up (because, bored pit bulls), and a laundry list of other items I ended up……REGRETTING. Yeah, this is a big “DOH!!!!”
So, you see – I speak from, errrrr, experience. Oh, and did I mention I’d get home and then realize I had totally forgotten to even get the darn prescription???
Needless to say, my husband had to ban me from Target. Ay yi yi! Something HAD to give!
So, I decided to focus on QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. And, IÂ mean, in EVERYÂ aspect of my life.
Sounds easy, right? Well, it isn’t! But, we aren’t going to assume all these steps towards A Substantial Life are easy, are we? Nah. That’d be boring….
So, here is what I want ya to do:
DO NOT BUY STUFF YOU DO NOT NEED! I repeat (kinda to myself still, too).…
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DO.NOT.BUY.STUFF.YOU.DON’T.NEED. Ya hear me?
Avoid stores where they sell anything and everything: they are dangerous. You will spend more than you want on things you do not need. ‘Nuff said.
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Order online: I know, this sounds kinda dangerous, too (more on that later) — basically, just do what you have to in order to avoid your physical self in the actual store(s). Think of the time savings, here!
Limit yourself to only a certain number of a certain item: for instance, I only now allow myself to own 8-10 pairs of jeans and I also limit WHERE I buy my clothes.
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Meal Plan: (hellloooo, Tip Of The Week #4 –Â I’m lookin’ at you!) and only shop for the items on your grocery list needed for that week (or, from your Mealime list) – NO CHEATING!
Also, and this is important: stick to only about 10 or so recipes and REPEAT! Sounds so simple, right? But I’d bet a lot of you don’t do this! It is AHMAZING how much simpler our lives are when we #rinseandrepeat!
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Define your style, and then stick to it:
When you go shopping, or are anywhere that spending is tempting, ask yourself if that item really fits within the paradigm of your established style. Most of the time, when you simply ask your inner self this question, you’ll find this is a purchase you don’t REALLY need to make.
I have found just simply asking myself this, EACH TIME, makes a huge difference in my decision making and therefore my spending! Once said-style is defined, try your hardest to buy used! Whether it’s at a local thrift store, or on one of the many marketplace’s online or on social media — buying used saves money, decreases feelings of regret and overspending, and is totally better for the environment! It’s a win-win-win! Which segways into…..
Upcycle & Recycle — whenever possible! Whether that means shopping for cute housewares at a local flea market or thrift store, or purchasing fabulous brands used. Since I have completely limited myself to just ONE PLACE to buy clothes, it is absolutely INCREDIBLE to me how much LESS I spend!
And, by disciplining myself to just this one source, it automatically leaves me feeling less anguish, and I am actually easily just throwing the myriad of clothing magazines I find in my post box straight into the trash! Liberating! Now I even find myself enjoying frequenting thrift stores/antique stores/estate sales to find charming pieces for our home (I love oldy-worldy more than just about anyone I know!) – and it is the ultimate way to appreciate something that came before me AND recycle! But, the one piece of advice I’d give here is to NOT collect (cough, hoard); only purchase used items your home truly needs. Which, of course…..segways into……
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Pare Down: just work one room at a time:
This is my simple and clear advice and I speak from experience! Take one room per week, or one room per month if you don’t have enough time to do so weekly. Get rid of anything that doesn’t lift you up, make you smile, or represent pride within you. Regarding clothing, limit the number of types of clothing to around 5-10 pieces in each category (jeans, sweaters, t-shirts, dresses, etc) . I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t read the Marie Kondo book, so by all means do so if you need more inspiration! And now that she has a show on telly, watch it for inspo! But, if you are afraid you won’t find the time to read said book — just go for it! In the words of Nike, JUST.DO.IT. Trust me…..you will feel SO much better!
HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE RESOURCES:
- Clothing: Why pay full retail mark-up when you have Thred Up? Like, seriously – why???? (Side Note: while you’re at it, request a bag to “Clean Out” your own closet and make some $$$ back once someone purchases your used pieces! Heck yeah!)
- Meal Planning: This website will make your meal planning SOOOOO much easier! Mealime has completely changed my life, people! It’s concise, creates a grocery list for you, and thinks ahead for you. You’ll see!
When you actually commit to meal planning, you will be absolutely SHOCKED at how much money you save on groceries. Like…..it’ll blow you away!!! I commit to every Sunday, but if we are out of town or on one of our camping adventures we regularly take, then I commit to the following Monday or day after our return. I shop for ONLY THAT UPCOMING WEEK. This is critical, as it keeps your fridge and kitchen pantry from becoming overburdened ANDÂ the creation of food waste!
This part is critical to your success! Then, after I am done shopping, I prep and make my meals for the week. Then, once the next Sunday or Monday rolls around, I do the same thing but ONLY shopping for enough food for the week. This, friends, has been a TOTAL and complete game-changer for us regarding our grocery spending. A complete 180!
Interestingly, I do not suggest you sign up for meal planning services. With Pinterest out there in our world today, you don’t need anyone or anything getting creative for you for a price! You got this! You will end up spending too much and regretting said service. Remember, keep everything SIMPLE!
PEOPLE…….you NEED Thrive Market! Okay, okay – I totally know I sound contradictory to the comment above – but……
Well, first it isn’t a meal planning service! It is incredibly affordable for the quality of food you get, it is easy because it comes delivered to your door, and you will be doing the VERY decent self-service of only ingesting and supporting organic products! Go on, spoil yourself…..
- This & That:
Okay, so I know this seems contradictory, but I actually do suggest doing shopping via Amazon!
This way, you aren’t physically going into stores and being tempted by every little thing that your eye sees! I usually only utilize Amazon when I need something specific!
Yes, it’s easy to get distracted once on the website, but if you remind yourself of your own personal style and always remember to ask yourself if whatever it is you are looking at fits into said style, I think you’ll find that the outcome for you is exactly what it ended up being for me (which, honestly, came as a surprise!): just ASKING myself was like the alarm bell going off in my head that I was about to make a purchase I’d eventually regret!
It’s like asking that simple little question to myself (constantly) snaps me outta the “hoarder zone” and reminds me of what’s really important.
- Professional Organizing:
Organizer who is totally in touch with her realistic side? Meet Amanda Sullivan, friends! You will surely LOVE her book as much as I did!
And, of course, there’s always Miss Marie Kondo!
I also dabble in personal organizing….but more on that later!
Well, this is just the beginning! There will be plenty more information and guidance regarding how to choose quality over quantity and certainly more tips to follow, but no one knows yourself….as well as yourself! By this, I mean you know what you personally consider quality — so stick to your guns and work towards this goal in order to make your life easier and to breath a little deeper, and feel that satisfying fulfillment and contentment of decluttering everything: visually, mentally, and spiritually!
Like I said, dear ones……
Always Here,
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