{I have a two-fold problem:}
{1.} My husband tells me this EVERY DAY:
Seriously, he loves this picture, and if he doesn't quote it verbatim, he at least mentions my hoard in one way or another almost every day--possibly even hourly. The guy really wants to park his car in the garage, what can I say? And being that it's yard sale season, I think it may only be a matter of weeks before the Hoarders camera crew shows up at my house. Which leads me to the second part of my problem...
{2.}...I have a really hard time passing up a deal, even if it's something I don't need. I've gotten better, and actually put several things back at yard sales last week--the kind of thing to which Mr. Fab responds "You want a cookie?" Not a big deal to some, a BIG DEAL for me--I'm a sucker for a sale tag. I'm the reason dollar aisles and clearance racks were invented. I won't buy a $30 dress, but I'll spend $50 on crap I don't need because it's "a deal" when I should have just "splurged" on the $30 dress and left the store with $20 in my pocket (that actually happened last week)--you know how it goes.
Anyone else with me on that one?^^
Bottom line: too often, deals entice me to spend way too much money on junk I don't need (I mean I always find a use for it eventually, but until then, it's just clutter), thus negating the beauty of the deal. Anyone else also spend $40 at the dollar store like every time they go? Damn that cool dollar store stuff and cheap picture frames!!
So...being that the Mr. would like his garage (and a good portion of the house) back and we'd like to tighten up the budget a bit so we can put away for some bigger projects and summer vacation stuff, I've decided to give myself a self-imposed shit-ervention (did that sound gross?). As I looked around the house I realized that I have a mountain of projects that I could actually finish (a novel idea, I know) for $20 or less, thus thinning my hoard pile , fattening my wallet, and happying my husband (okay, made up word, but it fits). And I REALLY don't need anymore crap--at least, that's what I'm trying to tell myself in the mirror every morning--I don't think it's working yet.
Thus was born the:
{The sale is June 8-10 @ St. Andrew Catholic church in Riverton for any of you Utah people, and like I said: IT'S GOOD!}
I'll be giving myself a $20 bill every Monday and anything I didn't spend the week before will "roll over." I've been a little hesitant about this because I usually hate when tutorials talk about how much something cost them and the cost didn't include the supplies they already had on hand, but I'll give you the grand total and how much I spent to finish the project, and hopefully your frugal creativity will still be sparked.
Here's just a small portion of the list of projects I need to complete {links are included}:
Couch Re-upholstery
Office/Guest bedroom (a project I started a year and a half ago)
Playroom (also started a year and a half ago)
$10 desk
Dresser (which will be for sale) (but probably no longer campaign style unless someone wants to hit me up for it ASAP)
More cabinet projects like this and this
Adelie's room (this is probably like 10 projects in and of itself)
Laundry room
And this doesn't look much better. And does that picture say MARCH!?!? That's just embarrassing!
And a few things in the pile I've never shown you should be coming too.
So I think this will take me like 1/4 of the way up the project mountain, but I won't have to rent a storage unit (which Mr. Fab says is 100% OUT OF THE QUESTION) and Hoarders can postpone their visit to my house.
I notice that there were a couple swear words in your post. I have a huge fear of swearing on my blog because I don't want to offend people.
ReplyDeleteYou have empowered me to swear. I don't know if that's a good thing, but thanks. :)
My husband and your husband both have the same complaint about "stuff". They should get together and go bowling while we shop.
You are too funny! And I commend you for all you HAVE done! I remember your beautiful cabinet makeovers and some of your other projects. You are too hard on yourself like most women. Can you do that rule about not bringing anything new into the house until something goes out?
ReplyDeleteI'm bad at sales so now I just don't go. I've set rules for myself...one rule at a time. Like with my craft projects. I can't start a new one until I finish an old project. Another one I use for cleaning is that once I get a room organized, nothing can be placed on the floor that wasn't already there. I bought a robotic vacuum and that has helped me clean and also helped me keep the room straight else "Edna" gets stuck and won't clean...got me some motivation there to keep things off the floor! Do you work outside the home? If so then chores should be 50/50 in my book. Why women think it states on their birth certificate that they are obliged to "do it all" is beyond me but then again I am twice divorced so don't listen to me! LOL! And I commend your husband if does his share. Good luck and just take baby steps. I try to use the morning to get a meal prepped and ready to throw together, clean up around the house, do dishes, laundry etc. Afternoons are for projects and right now my priority (as much as I'd love to grab a paint brush and slap some paint on SO MANY areas of this house) is picking a room and going through things, organizing and straightening....no cleaning until the straightening of that room is done. It's taken me awhile but I am making progress and seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Every room that gets organized and is kept straightened frees me up some more time and since each room is organized at the same time I am gaining time in not having to search for something. Anyway, I'm not "cured" but I am in "remission"! LOL! You go girlfriend!
I just found your blog and I love it! You really crack me up. My hubby rolls his eyes when I come home with a pile of 'deals' from yard sales and then proceeds to keep quiet as I donate half of those 'deals' the next month...lol.
ReplyDelete