I spent quite a bit of time yesterday browsing Unclutterer. I was immediately drawn to the site because I love organization and organizational tools. I might not be all that great at staying organized, but I love the idea of it nonetheless. And I'm working towards becoming more organized.
One fun tip I saw was to "use it up." Find yourself with a stockpile of consumables of some sort? Don't buy any more until you've used up what you have. In my efforts to save money, I have created myself a giant stockpile of body wash. I'm not even sure how many bottles I have, but I know they've been with me through multiple moves. I'm pretty good about not buying more, but every so often, I'm just drawn to a new scent or a great sale. But I'm going to do my best to not buy any more until it's gone. Even if it's on sale. Stocking up is one thing, but stocking up to extremes is unnecessary.
I also love all the pictures of workspaces. It makes me want to do a lot of work on my home office! But first things first - I'm still continuing to declutter my home, one small space at a time. After that's done, then I can think bigger.
Showing posts with label simplifying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simplifying. Show all posts
Monday, June 2, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Continuing to Simplify
A place for everything and everything in its place.
The above is a saying that I have always loved. That doesn’t mean that I’ve always been organized, but I like the idea of having a designated place for things and keeping the things in that place so they are not only out of the way, but so that they are also easily located.
I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to giant organization stores like The Container Store and even IKEA to some extent. I’ve always had a slight obsession with bags and baskets and boxes and have to repeatedly convince myself that no, I do not actually need that shiny new organization tool.
One thing I have noticed, though, is that the saying “Out of sight, out of mind” is slowly starting to come true as well, partly because I do have specified places for things. For example, all my shoes are stored either in their original boxes or in clear Rubbermaid containers. They are all neatly stacked on shelves in my closet so I can walk in, look at the boxes, pull the one I want, and be done with it. A few weeks ago, I realized that my work appropriate shoes were all on their last legs, worn beyond repair, and that it was time to look for a new pair of shoes or two. So I bought some new shoes, came home, went to put them in the closet, and found another pair of work appropriate shoes that I had forgotten I owned.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with having multiple pairs of shoes that I can wear to work, so I didn’t return my purchased shoes, but it was like finding treasure in my closet.
This find makes me wonder what else I have that I have forgotten that I own. My apartment is not that big, but I do have very nice closets, and when I moved, I paid the movers to pack and load, and my mother helped me unpack and put things away. I had just finished the bar exam and while I cleaned out some things before packing, I also told myself that was something I could do after I moved, since I was paying the same amount no matter what the movers moved.
I’m continually working on weeding out my clothes. I was going through photographs this weekend and realized I still owned an outfit that I wore for Christmas when I was 19. Now, that wasn’t even ten years ago, and I realize that many people still own and wear clothing that’s ten years old, but I shouldn’t be wearing clothes I wore at 19. Nor could I tell you the last time I wore that skirt or top. So those got put into the donation pile (which has grown quite large and I really should find the local Goodwill).
I’m also trying to pare down my bookshelves. I have a number of books that were given to me by previous owners that I have yet to read. I’m working through those and then listing them on one of the various book swap sites.
While neither of these tasks is particularly frugal (though I do get credits towards other books by swapping my read books), it has led to re-discovering things that I forgot I had. I don’t need anything new, when I have all of these things right here, like the shoes that I re-discovered or the multitude of books that I have kept and want to read again.
Plus it’s just nice to open my closet and not feel like it is a mess of things crammed together. I often feel like I own too much stuff. This is just another step on working towards simplifying and keeping only what I need and what I truly want to keep.
The above is a saying that I have always loved. That doesn’t mean that I’ve always been organized, but I like the idea of having a designated place for things and keeping the things in that place so they are not only out of the way, but so that they are also easily located.
I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to giant organization stores like The Container Store and even IKEA to some extent. I’ve always had a slight obsession with bags and baskets and boxes and have to repeatedly convince myself that no, I do not actually need that shiny new organization tool.
One thing I have noticed, though, is that the saying “Out of sight, out of mind” is slowly starting to come true as well, partly because I do have specified places for things. For example, all my shoes are stored either in their original boxes or in clear Rubbermaid containers. They are all neatly stacked on shelves in my closet so I can walk in, look at the boxes, pull the one I want, and be done with it. A few weeks ago, I realized that my work appropriate shoes were all on their last legs, worn beyond repair, and that it was time to look for a new pair of shoes or two. So I bought some new shoes, came home, went to put them in the closet, and found another pair of work appropriate shoes that I had forgotten I owned.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with having multiple pairs of shoes that I can wear to work, so I didn’t return my purchased shoes, but it was like finding treasure in my closet.
This find makes me wonder what else I have that I have forgotten that I own. My apartment is not that big, but I do have very nice closets, and when I moved, I paid the movers to pack and load, and my mother helped me unpack and put things away. I had just finished the bar exam and while I cleaned out some things before packing, I also told myself that was something I could do after I moved, since I was paying the same amount no matter what the movers moved.
I’m continually working on weeding out my clothes. I was going through photographs this weekend and realized I still owned an outfit that I wore for Christmas when I was 19. Now, that wasn’t even ten years ago, and I realize that many people still own and wear clothing that’s ten years old, but I shouldn’t be wearing clothes I wore at 19. Nor could I tell you the last time I wore that skirt or top. So those got put into the donation pile (which has grown quite large and I really should find the local Goodwill).
I’m also trying to pare down my bookshelves. I have a number of books that were given to me by previous owners that I have yet to read. I’m working through those and then listing them on one of the various book swap sites.
While neither of these tasks is particularly frugal (though I do get credits towards other books by swapping my read books), it has led to re-discovering things that I forgot I had. I don’t need anything new, when I have all of these things right here, like the shoes that I re-discovered or the multitude of books that I have kept and want to read again.
Plus it’s just nice to open my closet and not feel like it is a mess of things crammed together. I often feel like I own too much stuff. This is just another step on working towards simplifying and keeping only what I need and what I truly want to keep.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
More about housing
I've been continuing to ponder what to do about my housing situation. I'm really not sure that I will be ready to buy a home by the time my lease is up in September. My main thinking on this is that my current detail at my job will be over at the same time, and I will be either returning to my old job or (hopefully) starting a new job. I don't know that I want the stress of a new job and moving all at the same time, especially when I won't know exactly what kind of money I will be making.
I'm pondering the roommate thing - seeing if I can find someone that I know who'd be willing to move in for a while. I'm thinking of just renting out the room, charging a bit less than half rent, but not having to worry about moving all the furniture I already have in the other rooms. Of course, the roommate would be welcome to use all the rooms in the house (save for my bedroom), but that prevents me from having to move or get rid of any of the other furniture that I have.
I've been doing some intense decluttering in preparation. I've been cleaning out my closets and my drawers, and I have a pretty decent sized pile of clothing to take to Goodwill when I get the chance. It's a good feeling to be getting rid of all of these items, things that I know I will never wear again. The goal is to be able to empty all the things out of the second bedroom so that I can take on a roommate if necessary, and it's easier to do it slowly rather than all at once.
I'm pondering the roommate thing - seeing if I can find someone that I know who'd be willing to move in for a while. I'm thinking of just renting out the room, charging a bit less than half rent, but not having to worry about moving all the furniture I already have in the other rooms. Of course, the roommate would be welcome to use all the rooms in the house (save for my bedroom), but that prevents me from having to move or get rid of any of the other furniture that I have.
I've been doing some intense decluttering in preparation. I've been cleaning out my closets and my drawers, and I have a pretty decent sized pile of clothing to take to Goodwill when I get the chance. It's a good feeling to be getting rid of all of these items, things that I know I will never wear again. The goal is to be able to empty all the things out of the second bedroom so that I can take on a roommate if necessary, and it's easier to do it slowly rather than all at once.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
eBay Mania!
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been working on decluttering my home. That has meant throwing some things out, starting a pile for Goodwill, and listing items for sale on eBay and half.com. I've been a half.com seller for quite some time (great way to get rid of textbooks, even those you think are out of date).
I had four auctions finish this week, and all four items sold! I'm very pleased about that. Two sold at the list price, which isn't great, but hey, if they hadn't sold, I was just going to donate them or toss them, so I'm happy to have a few extra dollars in my pocket after all fees are paid and items are shipped. Two sold for more than I had hoped, which definitely brightens my day. I still haven't received payment for one, and I'm a little apprehensive about that, as it sold for $50 to an eBay member without much history, but I'm going to do everything I can to protect myself on that sale.
The downside to selling on eBay and half.com for me means that I have to visit eBay and half.com and see all the things they have for sale. Movies that are on my wishlist being sold for under $2, great books, etc. I just remind myself that I can't buy anything right now. This month's budget is finished, and until I have saved up for my upcoming vacations and various bills, there will be no fun spending.
A lot of people say that selling on eBay isn't worth it because you don't get a good value for the item. But in my opinion, if I'm not using the item, it's not worth anything to me. Something shoved in a box in the back of a closet has no value, no matter what I paid for it. Sure, I'm not going to sell something I bought for $100 for 99 cents, but if I can get $50 for it, I'll be very happy.
I've decided to keep a spreadsheet of what I sell and don't sell and all the various fees associated with the sale to see a true representation of how much money I'm making (or rather, recouping) by these sales. So far, even if the open auctions don't sell, I'm still ahead a decent chunk of money. Every cent helps!
I had four auctions finish this week, and all four items sold! I'm very pleased about that. Two sold at the list price, which isn't great, but hey, if they hadn't sold, I was just going to donate them or toss them, so I'm happy to have a few extra dollars in my pocket after all fees are paid and items are shipped. Two sold for more than I had hoped, which definitely brightens my day. I still haven't received payment for one, and I'm a little apprehensive about that, as it sold for $50 to an eBay member without much history, but I'm going to do everything I can to protect myself on that sale.
The downside to selling on eBay and half.com for me means that I have to visit eBay and half.com and see all the things they have for sale. Movies that are on my wishlist being sold for under $2, great books, etc. I just remind myself that I can't buy anything right now. This month's budget is finished, and until I have saved up for my upcoming vacations and various bills, there will be no fun spending.
A lot of people say that selling on eBay isn't worth it because you don't get a good value for the item. But in my opinion, if I'm not using the item, it's not worth anything to me. Something shoved in a box in the back of a closet has no value, no matter what I paid for it. Sure, I'm not going to sell something I bought for $100 for 99 cents, but if I can get $50 for it, I'll be very happy.
I've decided to keep a spreadsheet of what I sell and don't sell and all the various fees associated with the sale to see a true representation of how much money I'm making (or rather, recouping) by these sales. So far, even if the open auctions don't sell, I'm still ahead a decent chunk of money. Every cent helps!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Mid-Month Budget Update
It amazes me just how quickly a few little things add up to a blown budget.
That's right, halfway through the month and I've blown my budget. Not by much, and after some juggling, only in one category, but it's still hard to see on the spreadsheet. Since I am working on YNAB and getting to a zero based budget (and having a month's worth of expenses in reserve), it really won't cause any problems. Just frustration.
My goal is to have a month's worth of expenses saved by the end of this month so that next month, I can bank both of my paychecks for use in May. I should get there this month provided my tax return shows up (something happened with the communication between the IRS and my bank, and so I'm getting a check mailed).
I am just kind of surprised how quickly my budget got out of whack this month. I don't feel like I spent out of control, and yet my spending is pretty much done for the month once all the bills are paid and the money is put into savings for upcoming bills. I've quickly realized just how out of control my spending was in the past. Six months ago, a month with expenses like these wouldn't have made me think twice. Now I'm realizing just how easy it is for money to disappear.
In all honesty, I don't feel like I overspent this month, even with the budget issues. I had a couple of things come due that I had forgotten about (and somehow, I ended up with a 2 year virus protection renewal rather than just one), and I made a few bulk food purchases that will last me months. I ate out more than normal, but I was also out of town, so that was a given. What I did learn is that I need to continue to put small amounts of money into all my budget categories so if I do have a month where I spend more on, say, household items, it won't break the budget.
The goal for the rest of the month is to try to keep spending as tight as possible, and continue to cull through my belongings to see what I can sell (and donate). This weekend I placed a few things on eBay, and already one has sold, leaving me with $25 after shipping and paying the fees for all the items I listed. Another item seems to be going through a minor bidding war. My packrat tendencies continue, but I'm going to try to get rid of a few things each weekend to both clean out my closets and pad my budget a bit.
That's right, halfway through the month and I've blown my budget. Not by much, and after some juggling, only in one category, but it's still hard to see on the spreadsheet. Since I am working on YNAB and getting to a zero based budget (and having a month's worth of expenses in reserve), it really won't cause any problems. Just frustration.
My goal is to have a month's worth of expenses saved by the end of this month so that next month, I can bank both of my paychecks for use in May. I should get there this month provided my tax return shows up (something happened with the communication between the IRS and my bank, and so I'm getting a check mailed).
I am just kind of surprised how quickly my budget got out of whack this month. I don't feel like I spent out of control, and yet my spending is pretty much done for the month once all the bills are paid and the money is put into savings for upcoming bills. I've quickly realized just how out of control my spending was in the past. Six months ago, a month with expenses like these wouldn't have made me think twice. Now I'm realizing just how easy it is for money to disappear.
In all honesty, I don't feel like I overspent this month, even with the budget issues. I had a couple of things come due that I had forgotten about (and somehow, I ended up with a 2 year virus protection renewal rather than just one), and I made a few bulk food purchases that will last me months. I ate out more than normal, but I was also out of town, so that was a given. What I did learn is that I need to continue to put small amounts of money into all my budget categories so if I do have a month where I spend more on, say, household items, it won't break the budget.
The goal for the rest of the month is to try to keep spending as tight as possible, and continue to cull through my belongings to see what I can sell (and donate). This weekend I placed a few things on eBay, and already one has sold, leaving me with $25 after shipping and paying the fees for all the items I listed. Another item seems to be going through a minor bidding war. My packrat tendencies continue, but I'm going to try to get rid of a few things each weekend to both clean out my closets and pad my budget a bit.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Living a simpler life
I still find myself thinking about Frugal For Life's entry on Tiny Rooms, Tiny Homes. I've been doing a number of google searches for pictures and stories from people living in houses made by Tumbleweed Homes (I'm not coming up with much).
I'm not sure why the idea of living in a tiny home fascinates me so much. Part of it, I'm sure, is my love for boxes and containers and the idea of everything having its own little place. I think the other part is that I'm always fascinated by the idea of simplifying my life.
I am very much aware that I have packrat tendencies. Not to any extreme, but I have trouble getting rid of things. "I might need that later!" For example, I'm working on weeding out my closet. I tried the "backwards hangar" trick, where you put all the hangers on the rod backwards, and then when you wear something, you put it back with the hanger on the other way. I have maybe worn 25% of what's in my closet. Of course, I started this last fall, and a number of the things still unworn are summer clothes, but I think it's time to weed out the winter clothes at the very least. I came across one shirt the other day that I've struggled to get rid of. It's gorgeous, but not so much gorgeous on me. Clearly, I would benefit from donating this. And yet I hang on to it.
Another example: I buy McCann's Irish Oatmeal. It comes in beautiful cans. I buy the cans in lots, so I get a pretty decent discount. In my cabinet, I currently have four empty cans stacked up because I can't get rid of them. They're so neat looking! They would look great with plants in them! The odds of me ever doing this? Slim to none. While I won't ever be able to bring myself to recycle them, I can probably find some crafty person who would happily take them off my hands.
I think that part of my weekend plans will be to try to weed out some of my possessions. I know I have a few things that are definitely eBay worthy, and other things that will do quite well as donations to Goodwill. While I don't think I will ever be able to get my possessions down to what will fit in a 100 square foot home, a little bit of simplification never hurts.
Last, but not least, as you may have noticed, I've joined the BlogHer Ad network. I don't know about you, but I've been pleased with the ads that have been presented, and I love the links to other blog entries that change every day. BlogHer is currently doing their annual survey, and if you have the time, please check it out and give your opinions!
I'm not sure why the idea of living in a tiny home fascinates me so much. Part of it, I'm sure, is my love for boxes and containers and the idea of everything having its own little place. I think the other part is that I'm always fascinated by the idea of simplifying my life.
I am very much aware that I have packrat tendencies. Not to any extreme, but I have trouble getting rid of things. "I might need that later!" For example, I'm working on weeding out my closet. I tried the "backwards hangar" trick, where you put all the hangers on the rod backwards, and then when you wear something, you put it back with the hanger on the other way. I have maybe worn 25% of what's in my closet. Of course, I started this last fall, and a number of the things still unworn are summer clothes, but I think it's time to weed out the winter clothes at the very least. I came across one shirt the other day that I've struggled to get rid of. It's gorgeous, but not so much gorgeous on me. Clearly, I would benefit from donating this. And yet I hang on to it.
Another example: I buy McCann's Irish Oatmeal. It comes in beautiful cans. I buy the cans in lots, so I get a pretty decent discount. In my cabinet, I currently have four empty cans stacked up because I can't get rid of them. They're so neat looking! They would look great with plants in them! The odds of me ever doing this? Slim to none. While I won't ever be able to bring myself to recycle them, I can probably find some crafty person who would happily take them off my hands.
I think that part of my weekend plans will be to try to weed out some of my possessions. I know I have a few things that are definitely eBay worthy, and other things that will do quite well as donations to Goodwill. While I don't think I will ever be able to get my possessions down to what will fit in a 100 square foot home, a little bit of simplification never hurts.
Last, but not least, as you may have noticed, I've joined the BlogHer Ad network. I don't know about you, but I've been pleased with the ads that have been presented, and I love the links to other blog entries that change every day. BlogHer is currently doing their annual survey, and if you have the time, please check it out and give your opinions!
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