How decluttering can improve your finances ~ by deanna ar USA

With contributions from her husband Randy

The last few years hubby and I have noticed an improvement in our finances because we were purchasing less, in order not to add items to our home, when we were in fact working to declutter it. It was easy to see that I had not  shopped Coldwater Creek (my favorite) in a couple of years. In fact I had not been compelled to shop anywhere because so many items were decluttered that we hadn’t needed anyway, i.e. household items, hubby’s hobby items, tools, etc. About the only place I was shopping was thrift shops and, of course, grocery stores. I’m still learning what clutter is.

We didn’t set out to actually focus our decluttering skills on finances, but we were aware that we wanted to reduce expenses. We had talked about it often but didn’t really take enough action. I do think that having been actively decluttering for awhile and learning to release things, it was easier to release some things in our financial world too…like DirecTV (subscribing to Netflix and Hulu instead)…over $100 savings monthly. We’re now hoping  to reduce homeowners and auto insurance. We’re going back to a mail order pharmacy, it’s much cheaper. Our prescriptions are all generic now. We’ve also reduced the number of times we eat out each week. And we generally drink wine only at home now, except for special occasions. We’re in the midst of these changes now, so we’re eager to see how much this is going to affect us monthly. Last month was great! But we are finding that, like most decluttering, this too is a process.

I was not raised to declutter. My mother saved everything. Even though I did it in spurts, I never considered that it was ok to let some things go. However, I’ve been decluttering clothes (mine and hubby’s) for several years. But we traveled halftime for hubby’s work so, not being home much, I just couldn’t get started on decluttering the house. It helped that I had been reading several minimalist blogs regularly. I already knew that if I wanted to clean out my closet, then I could read my favorite style blog to get motivated. When I found Colleen’s blog and started reading it, it quickly became my favorite. I was so taken with her style and how active many of the readers were. So I started reading her archives and learned a lot of things I’d never considered before and became so very motivated to get rid of stuff I wasn’t using or didn’t love (even when it involved finances and entertainment).

These are a few of the things that have helped along the way:

1. Natural progression…the more you declutter, the more you want to declutter.

2. It’s ok to destroy pictures (or pass them along to relatives), especially duplicates, unflattering pictures, people you don’t know…

3. I thought some things were off limits. But what about those who lose everything in floods, tornadoes, etc…instant decluttering!

4. I thought I knew myself well, but after reading about fantasy selves, I’m now questioning what part is fantasy and what part is the real me.

5. Decluttering is addictive, so is shopping.

6. Reducing finances is also decluttering. What an “aha” moment that was.

7. It’s ok to return a gift(s) that you no longer use, need or want. And it can sometimes be done without hurting anyone’s feelings, especially if you’re forthright about it. Or…you can regift.

8. I have decluttered things recently that I would never have considered before…like my baton, my mandolin, some favorite clothes that I no longer wore, and on and on.

9. The less “stuff” you have, the fewer decisions you have to make. I love that. When I’m decluttering, one criteria I use is, “Do I really want to have to make this decision again at a later date?”

10. The more careful I am with my criteria, the more hubby is willing to trust me…that I will not declutter his stuff without asking. And he’s been decluttering more on his own. Hurray!

#9 is my favorite. It’s amazing how excited and happy decluttering can make you, giving you that sense of freedom from stuff.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

A guest post by Andréia

So, there is Christmas just around the corner and the dreaded shopping season is on its way again. Some will start shopping now and not stop until Christmas day. Some will not shop at all. Some will spend way more than they can and have a January and other months filled with angst at unpaid debts and regrets at impulse shopping.

One way to celebrate Christmas, for those of us who celebrate it, is to not buy gifts at all. But we want to celebrate the season and gifting one another seems a very warm way to do it. But the gifting has to have meaning and be useful. Otherwise we end up cluttering up the homes others we love and taking clutter home in return. And by clutter I don’t mean bad stuff, or ugly stuff, but stuff that will lay unused and forgotten in our house, thus being…clutter.

Since I became the “Master of my own House” (aka. I am the one who does ALL the Christmas shopping, lol) I have designed strategies and ways to get what me and my family needs and come January, be debt free.

Here are my strategies:

1. First, foremost and always: Have a budget! That means, set aside money to spend and don’t go over it, with no excuses.

2. Select who you are gifting: Most of us have a network of contacts, that being at work, at your children’s school, at church or whatever other activity you are involved throughout the year. There is not enough money to gift every one of those people. If you want to gift those who are not close to you, but deserve some recognition, make a list of relevance (this list can include your child’s teacher, a monitor, a church member who made a difference to you…) and gift them with small, consumable things. Sometimes a small consumable item is more appreciated. Set aside a small amount of money (around 15% of your budget should be enough) to buy a bunch of nice little consumable for some people you appreciate, but are not close. A nice soap, a different sweet, something small, cheap, but nice, will show appreciation and not make you sink in debt. If you can buy local handcrafted consumables, it helps your local community and the prices are often modest.

3. Make a list of people you exchange gifts with: We have family members that gift us and to which we gift in return. Listing then is a good way to keep track of how many gifts you are buying and to allocate how much money you are spending on each person, within the budget you set aside. I suggest you only gift those people who are really important to you, and with whom you have a tradition of spending Christmas with.

4. Ask what the person wants to get at Christmas: Now that you have established a budget (how much you have and how much you are going to spend on each person), ask the person what he or she is needing, WITHIN THE BUDDGET YOU SET ASIDE TO SPEND ON HIM/HER. If you are gifting a child, it is always great to ask the parent what the child needs/wants, rather than buy a larger than life toy (believe me, I know…. “sigh”…). It may sound crude to say “look, my budget for you is “x” dollars, what would you like for that?”, but it does save some grief and money, and you might be very surprised with the answer. Some of you might say that takes all the joy of Christmas giving, because there is no “surprise”. Once I wrote this on a comment in this blog and was criticized by another reader. Well, let me tell you, I rather someone I love spends their money on something I need or want, than on something they want to “surprise” me with and I might or might not like, or is useless, or whatever other reason makes it…clutter. Seems a waste of money to me. Only time I did like the surprise was when I got my Star Wars box of movies. But my husband was sure I would love it. And he was right.

5. Do a Secret Santa, or suggest it to the family: According to the amount of Family members you have, it might be impossible to gift everyone nicely. If you have a Christmas party for 30 people, plus your family, it gets heavy on the budget… A secret Santa will allow you to buy less gifts but nicer ones. Again, it is important to set a minimum amount spent and a maximum amount. The difference should be no more than 15% from the minimal and maximal amount. And encourage everyone to a little sleuth work to find out what their recipient would really like. You could even create a closed FB page, so everyone can list what they want, WITHIN THE BUDGET, SO THERE ARE NO FRUSTRATED GIFT GETTERS or givers for that matter. And tell the avaricious relatives that should they gift below the minimal they will have to reimburse the aggrieved party (well, maybe not, but it is a good suggestion nonetheless…LOL).

6. And last but by no means least ~ Buy in cash or debit card: This is the best way to not over spend. No credit cards, just hard cash. By paying with money you have, not only will you be more aware of what you are spending, but you also follow the budget because once the money is gone, it is gone. If you are already in debt, consider downsizing your Christmas gift list and budget and instead gift yourself with a debt free Christmas this year, and maybe there might even be money left over to pay of some of your debt as well.

Hope my suggestions help and enjoy your Christmas!

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

It is that time of the year again. Christmas is approaching and with it comes the shopping season. But I am not getting too deep into that in this post. I want to talk about children and their gifts. I have three young children and a host of well-intentioned extended family. That being said, it means that my children get tons of toys, every single year.

I can´t seem to put a hold on my relatives, but I have developed strategies not to be sunk deep in new toys. Mind you, I might seem ungrateful, but one child can have enough toys. And sometimes a interesting and or fun experience, or something a child really needs, can be way better.

How do we go about reducing the toy gifts and converting them to something more useful? If you have a large extended family, maybe Christmas is the time of the year to ask for clothes or a good pair of shoes for your little ones. Or you could suggest a special outing. If you have to pay for school books, a good idea is to ask a portion of the money that would be spend on toys to be designated to buy school books, or even go to a college fund.

However, you will meet with plenty of resistance. The older generations were the ones that had one new toy every year, if they where lucky, or none at all. Sometimes they are not thinking only about this child they are gifting now, but remembering their own disappointments of never getting that special toy or game, so they tend to overcompensate. With that in mind, approach them with calm, way before Christmas shopping gets underway, and gently suggest that your child is not deprived of toys, and that an experience would be greatly appreciated, such as tickets to a child’s favourite cartoon character movie, a fun sporting activity like roller skating or wall climbing, a visit to a zoo, theme park or museum etc. 

On the other hand sometimes we, as parents, are very pressed for cash, and a few good clothing items and new pair of shoes would be a help, because children need lots of clothes! I would like to explain that a little better. When we are grown ups, we don’t “lose” clothes so much. We gain weight, we lose weight, clothes tear from too much use so we need to buy new items occasionally. Children on the other hand “lose” clothes all the time. Sometimes an entire wardrobe becomes obsolete from one winter to the next. That lovely pair of trainers you kept for outings, suddenly is not fitting anymore, in a short space of one month. Thankfully I get lots of hand me downs, but I am equally passing on a lot of things that my children have grown out of, so bigger clothes are always needed.

So, now the silly season is coming, think about what your children really need or would enjoy rather than toys and conveying that to those well intention relatives who would probably appreciate your suggestions. I am sure children would enjoy something other than just another toy to add to the pile.  I remember going on outings with my grandmother and other experiences we had together a lot more than any material gifts I ever received. On the other had I also fondly remember a real nice doll I got one Christmas. I certainly wouldn’t remember that one special gift  had I received a dozen similar year after year. Our children will enjoy the season all the more when not being swarmed by it.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

This post was contributed to 365 Less Things by Deb J

Gift wrapping is one of the big “chores” of the Christmas/Hanukkah season.  A later post in this series will talk about alternative gifts for adults but for those who take part in gift giving among family and friends decluttering wrapping supplies can make a big difference.  Every year as you walk through the stores you see a big assortment of wrapping papers, bows, bags, gift tags and gift boxes.  I remember a time when we had a huge storage tub of wrapping supplies we would buy in the after Christmas sales and hold over for the following year.  We no longer have any of that.  We are gift wrap free and have been for about 10 years.  Of course, as I have shared before, we no longer give gifts as our family and friends have decided to “get out of the habit.”  Still, I’d like to share some ideas we used once we realized how much time, money, space and effort came with shopping for and storing wrapping supplies.

I think the biggest change we made was when we decided to no longer store wrapping supplies.  We decided to pick a theme color each year for paper, ribbon and bows.  We bought one huge roll of paper, a huge roll of ribbon and made our own bows.  Most of the time, we bought white paper or craft paper and then came up with the “color of the year” for the ribbon.  I especially liked the year we used craft paper and plaid ribbon. Even the gift tags were made of “craft paper” card stock with a swipe of color around the edges by a marker and tied on with thin strips of the ribbon.   Whatever you decide, it is much cheaper to buy supplies in bulk with the idea of buying only what you need for the one year. 

Many people have resorted to using gift bags.  We found a place where you can buy various sized ones in one color.  Then you can embellish them with stamping, stickers, rick rack, ribbon, etc. to fancy them up.  I know friends who make bags out of the paper sacks they get at the grocery store.  You just turn them inside out and either cut them to size or use them at their original size.  Lunch sacks work well also.

I think the best idea I have seen is a friend who made a variety of bags out of holiday fabric.  Every year she gives gifts in these bags.  She tells the receivers she will gladly take them back if they don’t want to reuse them.  She has found really cheap fabric in after Christmas sales and takes her time over the year making up the bags.  Another friend uses fabric to make pillow cases and then gives away gifts in them.  Nothing like giving two gifts in one.  She especially likes to make the cases in material that reflects the recipient.

Do you have any cheap, easy ideas for holiday gift wrapping that helps you with the prevention of storing wrapping supplies from year to year?

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Clutter is very much about being keener to acquire than to let go. We acquire things we need or want but once their usefulness to us has expired we hang on to them. I feel that there are three main reasons for that and they are laziness, fear and indifference.

Laziness of course refers to having the stuff there, being aware that it is a problem but refusing to deal with it because you just don’t want to make the effort.

Fear is all about thinking you might need it some day and keeping it just in case.

And indifference is being aware that you have clutter but don’t mind, don’t care or even like it that way. It can also be that you don’t even notice because you like being surrounded by stuff. 

I don’t intend to elaborate on that, the purpose of this post is to have a discussion ~ inspired by a situation in my life right now ~ about the insanity that acquiring can be.

So here is my story. As I have mentioned here more than once, I have an art space where I sell my handmade cards and, at the moment, beaded spiders. My space runs as an artist collective of, at present, six artist/crafters. Our price range begins at $1, for a handmade origami gift bow, and goes up to as much as $500 at times for and original acrylic painting. So as you can see our creations are many and varied as are our members.

There has been some contention recently, both internal and external, about the integrity of the value of an artists labour and real art v kitschy craft. And one of the issues is that people coming in to the venue, which also houses ten other art spaces, might opt to purchase one of our least expensive items rather than opting to buy something of greater value, either within our collective space or the venue as a whole. It boggles my mine that anyone would think they might be losing the sale of, for example, a $200 fashion item to a $5 string of origami cranes. I could elaborate more on this situation but that would just be expressing my emotional turmoil and discontent, so I will leave it at that as a lead into my the point about the strangeness of acquisition.

So let us assume that no one in their right mind is quietly making the choice between a $200 or $5 purchase and that they are purchasing the $5 item…

1. …because they actually like it or…
2. …they feel obliged to buy something while in the space and just choose the cheapest item they like the look of.

The second reason above is one of those situations where the better choice would be to buy nothing.

This of course got me thinking about the futileness of acquiring stuff just for the sake of it. It brings to mind the clever marketing many companies like Tupperware, and the like, who almost exclusively sell their products via party plan. In the past even I used to felt obliged to buy something when attending such parties. The host is your friend, they have provided a delicious spread for the event, and how much of a heal would you look if you just walked away satiated, entertained and empty handed ~ well orderless but same thing.

Then there is recreational shopping, where you just go shopping with no real need in mind and end up finding all sorts of things you didn’t know you “needed” and go home with a whole lot of potential clutter on your hands.

All these scenarios above are where most of the clutter comes from in your home. Combine that with the three reasons I also stated as to why it is not being removed and you can end up with quite a mass of clutter on your hands.

So the moral of this story is, don’t acquire for the sake of acquiring. Stuff doesn’t make you happy, at least not for long. If you curb your shopping habits you will also reduce the likelihood of clutter buildup in your home. And removing clutter only to replace it with more clutter gets you no where on your decluttering mission. That is the first lesson in avoiding clutter and it won’t do your bank account any harm either.

So, it is 10:09am and I have just sat down to have my midmorning coffee. And as per usual I’m comfy on the sofa with my laptop in front of me about to open Facebook and have a game of Cookie Jam. Yes I know, “What a waste of time!”. However downtime is downtime and we are all entitled to that. A little mindless activity to while away your relaxation time is totally acceptable in my book.

The other thing I do during my downtime is browse Pinterest for craft ideas. Oh, how I can waste hours on that. But it more often than not inspires me to jump up and get creating soon enough.

All that being said, and the reason for today’s post is, that one of my readers, Sally, sent a email last week asking me to write a post about alternative downtime activities to avoid resorting to online shopping.

A harmless game that doesn’t cost a cent and in no way clutters up your home is one thing. Cruising the internet for creative inspiration another, but online shopping, that is a whole other kettle of fish. Sometimes very costly and cluttery fish at that. Especially costly if indulged in by people who can ill afford to be wasting their hard earned cash or who already has a cluttered home.

Now don’t worry, I am not going to suggest that you could spend your downtime decluttering, because to most people that would come under the category of work. And even I am not that keen to declutter. Although I have been known to enjoy it enough to consider it downtime in itself, but would still not list it as a downtime activity.

Anyhow, I have stated my two downtime pointless indulgences but I am sure there are many more. For example…

• Reading
• Knitting or other easily portable craft
• Catching up with friends on Facebook.
• Meditating
• Watch some inspiring YouTube videos ~ Ted Talks or similar.
• Browse recipes online for later inspiration when organising a weekly menu plan or to get out of that ‘same old same old” cooking rut. (I should take my old advice here.)

…just to name a few. Also I googled ‘Alternative activities to avoid online shopping’ and found this little gem…

www.365lessthings.com – Day-157-alternatives-to-shopping

And also this one

How to Program Your Mind to Stop Buying Crap You Don’t Need

I confess I have been known to browse and buy from both old school craft stores and online ones as well, but for the most part, when it comes to shopping of any sort, just thinking about where I would fit an item and how much stuff I already own is enough to put me off buying things.

So does anyone else have some downtime activities that helps them relax that doesn’t involve online shopping. Why not share your experience in the comments.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

You know how the saying goes ~ “Tomorrow never comes.” Well someday is usually even further away than tomorrow. So keeping stuff simply because you might need it someday is a fools game if you are attempting to declutter. Especially if they are items that, in reality, you could easily manage without. For example, silly little single use kitchen gadgets that do the same thing as a knife. That mass of household stationery supplies that could supply a large office for a year. That thing-a-ma-jig to fix that thing that you don’t even own anymore. Just to name a few.

Then there are items you once used but think you might go back to sometime in the future. Such as clothing that you keep just incase you lose or gain weight. The chances are those items will be unfashionable by then. Also in both cases these categories of clothing don’t bring positive feelings. That heavy winter coat you used way back when you lived some place cold. Sports equipment from your younger days that your now ageing body probably couldn’t handle using.

And of course there are those items you spent a lot of hard earned money on but you either never used much or lost interest in over time. You keep them just incase the interest is rekindled, and simply out of guilt for the wasted cash. Keeping them doesn’t change the fact that the money is spent, while selling them will at least recoup some of the money and free up space.

Prior to my decluttering journey there were so many useful things that I had kept just in case I might use them one day. They are long gone now and although every now and again I find myself in a situation where I could use one of them, I manage to improvise and achieve the same result efficiently without them. And I might add that, I feel proud of myself for my ingenuity. Although in most case the solution is simple.

Then there is the case of buying things, when you see them at low prices, just because you might have a use for them one day. Well that is also a fools game. If by some miracle, someday does actually arrive, I am sure the item will still be available to purchase or a simple alternative would suffice. What most people have a need for all the time is money, so don’t waste it on “might needs” so it is available for the important things or better investments. So you are best to leave acquiring stuff that you only might have a “need” for it until then. Now is not the time.

Oh, how much someday clutter did I accumulate when in the honeymoon days of my scrapbooking hobby? Hundreds of pieces of printed paper that were too beautiful, cute or useful to resist that I would use someday. The same went for stickers, embellishments, ribbon and rub-on words. All items I convinced myself I would be sorry if I didn’t buy them because this might be a once in a lifetime opportunity or a bargain too good to miss. Where are many of those fabulous crafting items today? Sold, given away and some still in my craft room. Yes some of it got used but some of it has been undergoing a use-it-up challenge for five years now. Recently I have come to a point where I am using it up more quickly and it is a nice bonus that I am now making money out of it by selling my creations. However frequently I encounter situations where I can acquire more supplies cheaply and even free so there was no need to stock up back in the day.

In this day and age of rampant consumerism what are the chances that something bigger, better, cuter, more fashionable… will come along at the same bargain price or better soon enough when you actually have a use for it? Experience tells me that there is every chance. So there is no need for people to be purchasing items for the future, a future that could be very different than one imagines. This is especially so for items that aren’t even necessary in the first place.

So find the strength to get rid of the stuff you have kept for some day, and have the fortitude to resist acquiring any more of these items from this day forward. Live for the present because someday is never guaranteed.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter crockery and cutlery that would only be required under the same circumstances as the Thursday mission.

“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown

Much of what comes into my home these days is transient. Aside from groceries much of what does come in is free, secondhand, or both. And I have to say it makes it a whole lot easier to pass things on when large sums of money aren’t exchanged to acquire it.  

This week I have decluttered…

• 2 books – one free, one 10c, both secondhand and both not used in a reasonable length of time so both were taken to the thrift shop.
• 3 strips of fabric samples – all free from a friend, but after careful consideration I decided I didn’t have a use for them. One went to the thrift shop to sell as a craft supply. Two went to a fellow Renew Newcastle creative to be used in one of her millinery creations.
• 1 item of clothing – Given to me by a friend, was unused within a reasonable period of time so also was donated to the thrift shop.
• A variety of craft supplies – All either cheap, secondhand or free and all used to make cards to sell at my art space.

I have a rule these days for the stuff that I bring into my house. It is either used within a reasonable length of time or it goes back out the way it came in. I have neither time nor space for anything that isn’t of use to me. That doesn’t stop me from accepting stuff, it just means that it isn’t allowed to linger if unused.

I have to say it feels good not to be attached to stuff that way that I once was.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something that you’ve been keeping but really belongs in the trash.

“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown

Eco Tip for the Day

Don’t leave tasks linger for so long that you have to redo them such as drying the washing or folding it. This can cause you to have to waste more electricity rewashing and ironing. Need I also mention your wasted time and wear and tear on your appliances.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Níriel jokingly suggested that to complete last Friday’s mission she should eat all the ice cream in her house. It sounded like a good idea to me but then it got me thinking. Along with stuff decluttering one thing most people, in today’s Western culture, could stand to do is declutter their food choices. I know I have written about this before, and annoyed at least one person in the process, but it is worth repeating.

It isn’t aimed towards the idea that everyone ought to be thin, it is about having a healthy diet and an uncluttered pantry and fridge. And the best way I know of to avoid unhealthy foods is to not have stockpiles of it in your home. That isn’t to say you can’t have a little of it to indulge occasionally, but a weeks supply of chocolate bars, a fridge full of soda and a family sized packet of crisps to be gorged on everyday isn’t good for either the waistline, your body health or an efficient use of your pantry and fridge space. And, from experience, the older you get the more one should adhere to this line of thinking.

Ingredients like rice, pasta, potatoes, highly processed cereals, white flours, sugars, syrups… are all best used in moderation unless you are highly active people. Ingredients like this used to take up two shelves in a largish pantry in my home, now they take up one small drawer. Since a whole cake or a batch of cookies, for two people over fifty, should take longer to eat than the shelf life allows, I don’t bother to bake much these days. Therefore, when I do bake, I just purchase the ingredients I need, use them up and carry on as usual.

I know what sort of foods we particularly like and grocery shop for those kinds of ingredients. This doesn’t mean that I don’t experiment with recipes every now and again, it just means that I don’t go nuts buying all sorts of exotic ingredients that end up going out of date in my cupboard. If I do buy an ingredient that is a little different to usual, I will just buy what I need for the meal I am making or creatively use up any excess in another recipe soon after.

The kitchen is one of those areas in my home where I have boundaries for things, and what I stock must be contained within those boundaries. Having limits really does help one think twice about what to buy and what to leave on the shelf.

So what things do you have in the way of ingredients and or junk food in you home that you would be better not to stock or eat?

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something from under a piece of furniture. Stuff on floors make them difficult to vacuum or sweep.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

I have a friend who wants to be a stay-at-home mom.  She and her husband have been working to figure out how they can make it possible.  My mother has always said she wishes we had another bedroom for the guests that never visit.  These are just two examples of how you need to consider the cost.

What do I mean by “consider the cost?”  It means considering the cost of having what you have and how to afford what you want.  In the case of Mom’s wish for another bedroom you have to consider the cost of heating/cooling that room, the cost of additional time to clean it, the cost of a larger payment for the home, the cost of the increased taxes, and numerous other costs.  Is having that extra room worth the cost?

Consider my friend’s dilemma.  What can they do to make it possible for her to stay home with their children?  We all know that owning a home (even paying a mortgage) is cheaper than renting.  At least that is the case here in the US right now.  Like in the case above there are many costs to maintaining a home.  We know that the bigger it is the more costly it is to own and run. Along with the cost we have mentioned in the first example there are also the costs to owning and maintaining items like cars, lawn mowers, and other items.  They all have maintenance and replacement costs.  If you add up these costs and divide the total by your hourly pay (including taxes) you will come up with the number of hours you have to work to pay for these items. 

What does this have to do with decluttering you ask?  Consider the cost–the cost of maintaining the room, the maintenance and the necessity of everything you have.  I’m sure that Colleen can tell you that the home they have now costs much less than their previous home.  Society has lulled us into thinking we need much more that we really do in order to “get a life.”  Does your family really need the size of your present home?  Do you need that extra bedroom, that office, that bonus room, that third garage bay, etc?   Do you need those 4 TV’s, that extra car, that room full of craft supplies, that garage full of “toys” (or junk), those skis when you only get used twice a year, etc?  Life is always in flux and needs change. 

Let’s go back to my friend’s dilemma.  How did they resolve it?  They downsized.  Here in this area of Arizona the eco-friendly landscape is one that has rock, cactus and a few other low-moisture plants/trees.  It means minimal maintenance.  So they downsized to a home just the size for their family with an eco-friendly landscape.  They traded his truck for an economy model.  The huge kitchen was traded for one that contained just what they needed and used.  For everything they had they considered the cost and over half of what they owned made the cut. 

Are you considering the cost of everything you own?  How can that help you make decisions that will make things easier and less costly for you?

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something cold to the touch.

Eco Tip for the Day

Deb post today is a good example of thinking about the cost of things. The more you save on things you don’t need is of benefit to the environment as well. Everything we consume has some sort of effect on the environment. So don’t think about what you are giving up for the sake of the environment, instead think what both you and the environment have to gain.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow