Ok, so if you have read any of my other posts about our big purge then you know it occurred in the later part of 2019. I told myself then, that I wouldn’t shop for as much junk, or would try to really think hard about my purchases in the future so that we never end up in a position to need an actual dumpster in order to get rid of the actual garbage in our house. Ok, so I knew I had a challenge in front of me because, well….I love to shop, especially for stuff for the kids, and stuff for the house, and gifts here and there, and I mean, when there’s a good deal…well it’s a good deal, so….Anyway!! I went way overboard with Christmas 2019, and added more junk to the house, because…it’s CHRISTMAS!! I love Christmas by the way! So then comes March 2020, not really that long after the purge and low and behold, all the stores close! As if to say “You may think you need stuff….but you really DON’T NEED ANYTHING….well maybe some groceries!

It has been a breath of fresh air not to be in some of the stores. It’s a relief not to have to spend a day running from this store to that store for the most random things. It has been nice in a way to be able to shop so much online and be really specific about what we are buying. I have become somewhat comfortable with my inability to acquire more stuff in our house. Some of the decision making has been made for me, simply due to lack of access to stuff.

Now, in June 2021 the stores are all reopening…access to stuff is here. It’s kind of exciting and yet also makes me feel like “why do we need the stores to open?” Well obviously we need the economy to be healthy again, but I have talked with a number of my friends and between us, it kind of seems like there is less urgency to go out and buy stuff than before.

What I really find interesting, is that when I am making lists to go into the store I have categorized my list into three different priorities.

The top tier

The top tier items are the items that I actually need. They are the items that I am actually having to go into this particular store for. The items where their price is simply their price and I am at the point that I can’t wait for a great sale, I just need to get them now at whatever price they are!

The second shelf

The second shelf items are the items that I am going to need over the next 6 months likely. If the items are on sale, then it might be worth getting them to save a bit of money or time later.

The wish-for-its

The wish-for-its are the items that would have to be on an AMAZING sale! Or I would have to be shopping close to a birthday, or a special gift type holiday to justify buying it now. Generally, it’s just a wish list on my phone and “I” may or may not ever actually buy the items.

I find that because of COVID, I have been able to practice creating my shopping lists in a very different way than I ever could before. I used to think that if I had even just a few things on my list it was enough to justify heading out to the store. I could always use some groceries at the same time, and I may find other stuff I need. Now it’s much more precise, AND I need more than a few things on it to justify an afternoon outing. After all, I enjoy my time so much more when I am just sitting outside sipping a cold beverage!

With our purge and the mindset of decluttering happening just prior to COVID, it has been a great way to practice living with what we have, and practice living with less.

Now I have to see how much of that was simply because the temptation was removed, and how much of it is my brain actually being trained.

Only time will tell.

Thanks for coming home!