Blog 05/01/12 : Have Less Stuff

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I have been thinking quite a bit about two of the bullets from the article I discussed yesterday.  The first was the tip on organizing a little every night-which I’ll talk about more tomorrow.  The idea of “just have less stuff” is simple and obvious, but at the same time so hard for us (myself included) to do.   Having less stuff is challenging because we live in an age where everything is easily accessible and where we can buy much more for less (hello Costco, BJ’s & Sam’s Club).  It is not hard to get carried away and end up with so much more than we really need.  This is how our spaces become cluttered and feel disorganized.  Smart shoppers make lists when they go grocery shopping to prevent overbuying–so why not make lists for everything else?

Last year I started to keep a list in my planner of all the things (mainly clothes, makeup, accessories and other non-grocery items) that I needed or wanted to purchase.  The list started as a way to keep me on budget and to help me save money. My rule was simple; if it was not on my list or an amazing, too good to pass up deal (i.e. pants on sale that fit perfectly) I would not buy it.  This strategy really helped me helped me to stay focused and save money.  It was so helpful that I carried the list over to my 2012 planner.  Try it for this season. Make a list of what you really need this spring/summer and stick with it.  You will be surprised at what you do not miss, plus you will have less to pick up and more money in your pocket.