Boys Room

Last week we changed the boys room.  Hooray!  A couple of years ago, we got a bunk bed for them.  They have loved it!  I didn't realize how BIG it was going to be...but they love it, so it has lasted.
But finally I talked them into changing.  We made some purchases- cubby storage, bins, and a bunk bed.  This included a trip to IKEA- where I only bought the items needed for this room!

Starting with 'before'...this is real life, people.  It was so hard to keep this room clean!  The bunk bed had a built-in bookshelf, desk, and drawers...I was hoping this would help, but not so much.  It ended up taking over the room, and it was overwhelming for them to keep it clean.

                                                BEFORE:

                                                Let's get to work!!

                                                 AFTER!!:

That room is SO BIG now!!  

All of their stuff is in those bins.  'Special stuff', cub scout stuff, stuffed animals, lego instructions, trophies, and collections.  Some of their books are in the other cubbies (some downstairs).  They know where everything goes, and everything is so easy to access!  Ahh, this has been great.  Plus, they have kept it totally clean for a week now...and they both comment on how great that feels.  Woohoo!

As far as buying things- I have been searching for a bunk bed for months, so I knew this would be a purchase.  The other things in their room have left the room, so this was only a move toward a more simple life...which is the overall goal! 

No Stuff vs. No Spend

Update on our no spending (as of March 7):

It's going really well!  So far the only things we have needed to buy: a left-handed baseball glove for our lefty daughter (and I need to get some baseball pants for her too...since it's the one color we don't already have from our son), and a phone case for John.

Pretty great!

Deleting shopping apps, not going to Target (or TJ Maxx, Dollar Store, etc), and shifting my mindset have been the biggest help.  I don't think about buying more of anything, my brain is learning to not even want to accumulate.

There are things I wanted to buy, for sure!  Those decorations at the Target dollar spot I heard about are adorable!!  New organizing stuff!!  The new drugstore makeup that is just as good as the high end stuff!! But I just put it out of mind.  Out of sight- out of mind.  If I don't have to make the decision whether or not to get something every time I go to the store- I can do this!

Spending vs. stuff

Just to clarify, my purpose isn't a no-spend.  We have bought tickets to multiple things, we haven't cut back on food budget, and are traveling.  For example- I found tickets for $45 for a year pass to our local mini golf/go cart/laser tag place, and I think it would be so fun to get those!  That is the pace I'm at right now- its close, the kids would love it, and we can go after school sometimes.

"When you own less stuff, you find more money, more freedom, less stress, and less worry." -Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist

For us, this is about having less stuff.  And less stress, more focus on what matters.  We have always been very careful with our money.  We've never had credit card debt, and have always sacrificed and saved for things we want- car, renovations, tickets, travel, etc. or just gone without.  Which means we didn't buy hardly anything all the time for a couple of years in college!  We've been taught and instructed to not have debt and to pay off our home, so we follow that.

One thing I haven't figured out yet...the kids rooms.  I LOVE organizing kids rooms!  And I've done theirs many times.  But...there is still a mess in there.  Even when it's clean, it quickly piles up!  I've been working on a solution (which will involve buying stuff!) for the boys' room, and I am almost complete.  It's hard to figure out a balance of keeping their 'special' stuff, and then also make it relaxing, easy to clean, etc.  They can clean it...and I keep making it easy for them to take care of...but we haven't hit that sweet spot yet.  Getting there!  I have been trying to figure out the problems, and also thinking hard about solutions before I jump in and get anything.  I want their rooms to be relaxing and a place for them to go for their own space, so I am working hard to make that easier! (yes, we have gotten rid of things, yes, they have to clean it up very often, and yes, they can make it a disaster in minutes).

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day!

We have 3 kids in school who each need to take valentines to class.  With no spending, that makes this harder!  So far if you aren't going to buy things...it means you have to plan ahead.

This one was an easy one for us though!  Everyone just repeated what they usually do- the 3rd grader made a paper airplane for each student (3rd year in a row doing this!), 1st grader made hearts and put stickers all over them (3rd year in a row doing this), and preschooler used some pre-cut hearts I had gotten in the Target dollar section last year (or the year before?).

Those hearts were in my craft closet, and were so cute!  I bought them since they were a dollar for a bag of them, and at the time I knew I could use them for ANYTHING!  Make a little banner with them, glue them on to something, just spread them on the table- who knows!? But I hadn't used them.  So I was glad that I didn't buy valentines so I can use what I've got...since 'someday' might not happen!  I don't often take inventory of what I have before going shopping, so I have plenty of craft supplies for many projects.  This is encouraging that I will be able (forced, really) to use some of them this year! (Yes, some- not all.  Cause there is a lot.)

*John and I don't really give each other gifts...partly because if we really want/need something, we just get it.  So we aren't getting things, but we didn't do gifts.  We did get to go out to dinner!  Thanks to my niece who came and babysat for free as a gift to us!

First Month!

We made it through January!

This was a pretty easy month.  We JUST celebrated Christmas a few weeks ago.  I feel like there is a natural desire to spend less (and eat less?) after the holidays.

So far, some ways this has been easier is by not going into stores other than grocery stores (I'm too busy anyway!) and then when I deleted shopping apps and deal sites, it's re-programming me to not think about STUFF.

Also, I cancelled my monthly makeup subscription that I've had for the last few years.  I LOVE getting something fun in the mail, but really, I was underwhelmed by the products more often that not.

My sister in law has joined us (yay!) and it's been fun to hear about choices she has had to make.  She returned a subscription box as well (clothing), when she thought about the fact that she had plenty and didn't need more.  Love it!  It helps to keep me motivated to hear from her.

We did have a big trip in January- southern California.  We went to Legoland, Disneyland, and California Adventure.  And we didn't buy anything! (Well, we bought a lot of food...but no stuff).

I had the kids go through our minifigures before we left and they picked out a few to trade at Legoland (shops and workers have lego mini figures for you to trade).  At Disneyland we traded pins.  I was tempted to buy more pins last December because I knew we would go to Disneyland at least once this year, and we are going on a Disney cruise in July.  But I thought about the spirit of my goal, and that we have plenty (and even had a big pile of pins to trade!).  We did trade all that we had left, so before the cruise we will go through what we have and pick out which ones to trade.

Has anything changed so far?  Nothing huge.  I just have readjusted my thinking, and I have had a little more 'me' time, so I am trying to be aware of how I spend that.  I've actually spent some time reading, also cleaning stuff out...which is more encouraging since I know no more is coming in to replace!  At least not for a while!