I’ve been contemplating this 30 day challenge for a while now (since November actually). As I’ve thought through how I spend money, I’ve been embarrassed by all the things I “needed.” Part of this January challenge began in late November when I began to really start cleaning out my closets, again.
This time, though, I have been ruthless. Do I really need three sets of sheets per bed when there is a family who just immigrated to the US and has none? How about Barbie dolls? First of all, I’ve never liked them. They were all given as gifts for birthday parties (that idea, by the way, is going to be revamped this year. I’m so tired of seeing gifts my kids have been given tossed aside after a few days. What a waste of money!) So one afternoon Caroline and I fixed their hair, got them dressed, boxed them up and donated them to a better home.
I live in a world of excess. When I shop at the grocery store, an entire aisle is devoted to water. What? Do we really need 20 types of flavored water when half the world doesn’t even have clean water? It’s easy to get sucked into seeing all the things I “need.”
By not going to stores to “just look,” I’ve found that I don’t want as much. And I also find myself, already, getting the itch to do more. My kids won’t be able to last too long without new clothes and shoes…they are all growing like weeds. But I’m not. So I’m taking this challenge one step further for me; no clothes shopping until May. Then it will be the necessary items only.
I have a feeling that the longer I pursue this life of less stuff, the more fulfilled I’ll be. Plus, I won’t get so irritated when I open a closet and bins of clothes and stuff put away “just in case” hit me on my head!
I was born in Jos, Nigeria many years ago. I spent the next nineteen years living in Liberia, Kenya and Ethiopia.
YAY! YAY! YAY!!!!!!! I might hop on that “no clothes till May” bandwagon. And with the cold temps we’ve had this winter, I doubt we’ll not need to wear anything but jeans and fleece for a long time. I wanted to tell you that if you get the “itch” to shop, for anything, then go clean a closet or organize your dresser drawers. It will nip that urge in the bud, and your house will be super clean as well!
Hi! I’ve been a lurker on your site for quite a while…sorry I’ve never stopped to say howdy before. I have learned SO MUCH from you-thank you for writing! We’re in process w/ AWAA to adopt a baby girl from Ethiopia, which is how I found your blog.
I just wanted to share an idea that I started for bday parties when my oldest was six. Around here, it seems that all bday parties are ended with the giving out of elaborate goodie bags, which we frankly don’t have the money for. And I wanted to avoid the receiving of gifts we don’t need and don’t particularly care for.
My solution? On the invitation, I asked that everyone, in lieu of a gift, please wrap & bring a used book that they were ready to pass along. At the end of the party, we played like “hot potato,” passing the books around the circle of children. When the music stopped, everyone opened the book in their hand (assuming it was one they didn’t bring). The birthday boy got to trade with anyone he wanted, and everyone else had a new-to-them book to take home! Solved both birthday party problems for me!