No-Spend Challenge, Week 2 with a Lesson in Using What You Have
Last week went by in a whirl.
Our church is looking for a new pastor and it was a crazy week of preparing for a new one to come for a visit. I apologize this is coming to you so late in the game but as I've always said, better late than never!
This past week as I mentioned was crazy and so I don't remember what days I did what. I do remember though that there seemed to be a presounding theme throughout our week and that was to use what we have.
The one thing I've been so amazed with by staying home is how much time I have to get things done.
Before I was doing mindless errands to get things I thought I needed which in fact, upon a long, hard look turned out to simply be wants. Oh, maybe not wants in the way of saying I really want that carton of yogurt tubes but more of an issue of mindlessly keeping up with the Joneses.
I didn't even realize I was doing it but it was in my head that the kids wanted go-gurt tubes because all of their friends had them at snack time and by golly, they had wanted them too! But when I realized it I put a stop to it. If we have yogurt in cups at home then by-golly they can grab themselves a spoon and take a good old-fashioned cup of yogurt. Ta-da! Mindless shopping and spending minimized.
This week by being home I've also noticed two things happening:
1) I am going to the gym a lot more!
Weird that I said by being home I am going somewhere but shut up, it's my blog and I can write weird things. ha!
It's true though. As I mentioned before we did not cancel our gym membership but instead challenged ourselves to make the most of it's value. As a result I've gone every single day. I am sore in parts of me that I didn't know existed but it is also a rewarding feeling to know that I am doing something good for myself, burning stress off, and using that gym membership to it's fullest. Our gym also has daycare, swimming, a waterpark area, a big gym for the kids, a video game room, an art center, and a rock climbing wall. So our gym is something we go to a lot and do a lot of different things at.
2) I am cleaning this house up!
This past week was the first time in I don't know how long that I actually got caught up on the laundry. It was a great feeling! Being caught up on the laundry also brought out some feelings of overindulgence when I discovered that both of our kids have so many clothes that I can't put all of them away when they are all clean.
So for each drawer we stood in front of it and weeded and sorted, and hemmed and hawed over everything until we had gotten rid of enough that everything fit. It is definitely a weird feeling to get rid of things that still fit and are still perfectly good but I will be donating them so I feel good about that at least.
So both of those things (massive time at the gym and laundry) I had not had time for before when I was running everywhere and getting things we simply didn't need.
Can I get an amen about no more trips to Hobby Lobby?
The other thing we've been doing is actually USING what we have! I've pulled out blocks and cards and books that had been buried because we have too much. I've noticed the quiet as they rediscover simple things that we already have.
I've also done my nails with nail polish I already own. I mean, I already have it, why not use it up? Anyone else guilty of buying things and then never even getting around to using them? What is up with that?
When Emma and I would have girl time together previously we would go buy something or go out to eat. Now we are doing our nails together and it is so much fun!
I could go on forever with examples, yo, but in short, we're using what we have, cleaning what we have, and moving what we have (at the gym!)