Little bits of life that can save you money and make you happy

Re-arranging your furniture every so often will save you money!!!

Now how on earth will moving some furniture around save you money? Well, I am always thinking that I need something new (like a lamp or a book shelf or something similar), and yet, whenever I rearrange my furniture, I find I don't need something NEW, I just needed a NEW LOOK. So whenever I get tired of the couch, I just move it around. Or when I get tired of the way the bedroom looks, I move things around and WALAH! I am happy! And content. :)

Now my poor beloved, it takes him a while to get used to the new feel. But he is happy because I am happy and his is happy because I am not spending money! :D And I think he is used to his "crazy" wife by now. (Oh how I love my man!!!)

And something else that has taken me a LONG time to learn, but that not only makes me happy and content but also saves us money, is to find ways to use things I already have. For example, I love to collect fabric (for all that sewing I will ONE DAY do). And yet, I make the excuse that the reason I don't sew is because I don't know what I have. And a big part of that is true.

So I was downstairs and noticed that since we are deculttering the children's toys (they have so many toys that they spend 3/4 their time CLEANING them instead of playing with and enjoying them), that there is one of their shelves that is no longer being used. AND that shelf will fit PERFECTLY in the sewing closet (ok, it is the guest closet that is one long narrow hallway, but since no guest needs that much closet space I am making it my sewing closet). So instead of looking out to buy something OR waiting for my husband to have the day to MAKE me one, I will be putting that in there this week! YIPPEE!!! I can see my fabric and start sewing and teaching the girls to sew!

And they have a ton of craft supplies (graciously given to us by their Aunt and Uncle) that sadly they have not been able to get to. UNTIL NOW!! I organized them in the drawers of an unused desk that was just SITTING down there (for the one day they will have a computer for computer work). SO now I am going to put all the craft books on top (like a book shelf) and we can pick crafts to do out of the books and then get all the supplies at once!! (Now crafts supplies - THERE is a GREAT Christmas gift! They can be used and enjoyed for MONTHS on end AND gifts can be made to give to other family members - DOUBLE BONUS!)

And I have all of baby JJ's clothes in boxes still. Even the ones that were given us instead of being donated to Goodwill are in boxes. I have had my eye out for a dresser for a while. And all the while, his clothes are taking up space in my bedroom (which is supposed to be a haven for my beloved (especially now with work being so rough). SO, we have two dressers down in the basement. I asked my beloved if we could put one in baby JJ's room for now. While it is a bit girly (this was MY dresser when I was a child), it is a GREAT temporary solution until my beloved can make him one or we find one at Goodwill or garage sailing (be still my heart it is garage sale season!!).

And you know what? Instead of being all upset by what I *think* I need, I am content in knowing that I really do have all I need. It has taken me several years of marriage (and a poorly maintained house - ie. piles of clutter here and piles of clutter there) to realize this. If I take the time to pray and look around at ALL that we have been blessed with, I can truly see we have all we really need. Now if only I can get rid of all this CLUTTER so I have the time and resources to make it work. :) But I am encouraged today with my new findings and discovery. And hope that someone will be encouraged by this too.