Dump Your Toy Box
It’s always encouraging to know that you’re not alone. Apparently quite a few of us have been struggling with a broken Frugal Want-To. I hope you got some sleep, like I did, and you’re feeling better. I’m still tired and battling it. Three sick munchkins and recovering from my second round of the flu this season doesn’t help warm fuzzy feelings, but my outlook has definitely improved. Thanks to those of you who prayed for the rest of us!
In the last week I’ve seen several gals that offered other suggestions about how to battle a broken Want-To. Counting blessings was on the list a couple times. Sometimes though, mentally counting isn’t enough. Sometimes you’ve got to take those blessings out, look at them, feel them, smell them, hold them and use them. I encourage you to do just that.
When was the last time you…
• just sat with your kids and did what they wanted to do for an hour?
• had a good belly laugh?
• pulled out all your “good” (thrifted!) china and enjoyed a spot of tea?
• got out your good stationary and wrote a note to someone you care about?
• walked outside and took good deep breaths, smelling the fresh air?
• sat with your spouse and talked about nothing but giggly, flirty stuff like you used to when you first met?
• pulled out the photos or photo albums and relived the good times?
If you haven’t done some of that recently and you’re feeling burn out, I encourage you to embrace your blessings in a more tangible way.
I’ve slowly been working my way through spring cleaning this past month. Hubby and his dad retiled the kitchen and entry floors while I was away with my mom. There is dust from cutting the tile everywhere. After having the walls, floors and furniture for most of the downstairs deep cleaned, today with the kids help, I pulled out everything from the kitchen and dining room, put it in the living room, cleaned the dust out my cupboards and reorganized the stuff as I put it back. (Note to Self: Don’t ever considering doing something this crazy again while having 3 sick kids and recovering from the flu yourself…)
As I collapsed for a breather and surveyed the carnage on my living room floor, I felt so blessed and satisfied. I’ve got some of the best stuff! I have china, depression glass, real silverware, antique carnival glass, flour sack dishes, copper molds and other odds and ends. And it probably all cost less than $100 – that’s less than some pay for one place setting of china! Most of my good dishes are thrifted finds or treasures from my grandmother’s home, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t beautiful or functional. My all time favorite set of plates and cups with saucers was picked up at a yard sale for $5. To me, they are priceless.
My mom has a picture of me setting in my empty toy box. She took it after we came back from a week’s vacation. I was almost 4 and had taken everything out of the box just to make sure that my stuff was still there, like I had left it. Sometimes we grown ups have to pretend we’re 3 again and dump our “toy box” just so we can admire our stuff. Only this time, I think we should do it so we can count our blessings. We should make dumping our “toy box” a priority, especially when we feel like we are missing out on The Next Big Thing. It will remind us of what Great Things we already have.
So when was the last time you organized your kitchen? 
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2 Responses to “Dump Your Toy Box”
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Janel, I *love* this analogy…and your concrete suggestions.
It’s a lot easier to be content when we can remember all that we have tucked away!
January 24th, 2008 at 8:52 am
This is so true, but at the same time, I have the next week off and I will be purging, which is also difficult! I think purging and frugal hoarding are yin and yang…purging makes me feel free again, but frugal hoarding saves me tons of money…I just have to find a balance!
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