Thrifty Time

When we think about the word thrifty, the first thought that comes to mind is using money wisely. But a"Thrifty Sissy" is wise in every area of her life. This especially applies to time. Now don't leave this page just yet. Maybe you have read a bunch of time management books or even taken a course or two in your lifetime. But still time flies away much too quickly. Even with all the knowledge we have gained it is increasingly hard to keep up with everything in the twenty four hours we have.

There is an old saying which applies as much today as it did when someone quoted it. "Inch by inch life's a cinch, but yard by yard life is hard." This is the first thing that comes to mind when I read these words: When we try to do too much, nothing much gets done. There has to be a plan, some focus, or we can become overwhelmed and give up before we ever get started.          

A example of this was Christmas with all the company, food, shopping, decorating, gift wrapping, cooking and parties plus all the regular everyday stuff it takes to live life. Even though all that extra Christmas stuff is over, how do we manage our everyday jobs which maybe out of control and overwhelming us? How do we begin to bring order back to our home and be thrifty with the time we have to make it happen?

The first thing is to start right where you are. Just handle what is right in front of you. Whether that's the trash which needs to be emptied or the dishwasher that needs to be unloaded. Just do something. Once you are in motion more than likely you will keep going. In essence it is liking digging out of a hole. You just keep scratching and you will get to the top. I have seen this recently with the Christmas put away/cleanup. It all looked like too much before I started but as soon as I did one thing I was motivated to do another, then another and pretty soon it was all done. It is easy to think things will take a lot longer to get done than they really do. For instance, the dishwasher needs to be unloaded. I can think, oh that will take too long. I don't have time to do that right now. But when I get up and do it, it only took three to five minutes. So instead letting those three to five minutes go by, I am being thrifty with my time (using it wisely) in going ahead and unloading it. In seeing how long a job really takes, we come to realize we do in fact have more time than we thought we did.

Nike has it right. JUST DO IT and let's add NOW to that slogan.

Happy "Be Thrifty" With Your Time! 

Throw Away-Give Away-Keep

This sounds like a rap song. The ideas are difficult. We are so attached to our stuff even if it is torn, worn out or unused. When we start this purging process our thoughts might be like these: Someone special gave it to me. We got it so cheap. I might need it later. Well, it's the new year. After our time of resolutions and reflections it is time to get busy. We probably got a lot of new things for Christmas or bought some at the sales. So now is the hard part, to let go of those things we either replaced or maybe we just need the space they are taking up. Either way it's time to be objective: throw away, give away or keep them.

It is a good idea to have some boxes labeled throw away, give away and keep. When you have the box full or you are finished with the area you are cleaning out, all you have to do is put the boxes in the car and they are ready to go to the donation center or the trash. This can help the tendency to over think what you have decided to let go and end up putting it back in the drawer or closet. Some times other people do not share you enthusiasm to get organized and make donations to the Goodwill or the trash. I speak from experience on this. My sweet husband is very generous but we have two different ways of handling too much stuff. He saves it. I give it away. Praise God, we have come to an agreement concerning this process. If it is mine, he is more than happy for me to do with it as I will. But his stuff is hands off unless approved.

Here is what I have come to believe. If it hasn't been used  or worn in six months or a year, the chances of using it or needing it are very little. In all the years I have purged, there has only been one thing I regretted giving away. That one was actually given away by mistake. It was hanging under another item and I did not see it. But guess what, I still lived and had other things to wear. I learned from this mistake to check hangers for multiple items.

So will you be willing to let those things go? Just look at it as blessing someone who may not have anything. We all have so much and you will have a lot less to mess with. By mess with I mean, to wash, iron,clean and store. Listen to those things call out:"Please release me, let me go."

Happy" Letting Go" to You! 

Start Your Shopping Now

It is never to early to start your Christmas shopping. In fact I bought several presents a couple of days after Christmas. Before Christmas, there were some things I would really have liked to buy but time and money had expired. So I went back a couple of days after Christmas and low and behold those things were marked way down. So not wanting to miss a thrifty opportunity, I snapped them up. Even though I have not made it around to all the stores where things are marked down, I am thankful for the deals I found.

In the past I have had most of my shopping done and the tree up by Thanksgiving. When I did this I did not get sucked up in all the hurry around, rush antics which happened to me this year. In December, as I stood in Joann's for one hour and twenty minutes getting some material cut and then the checkout line, I made a Christmas resolution. No more of this last minute mess for me. I am going to start my shopping the day after Christmas and continue to do it all year long. When it was done early I got to really enjoy the festivities and all the joy Christmas brings without the chaos that erupts because of poor planning.

I know Christmas has not been over very long but it is never to early to get ready and be thrifty.

Happy Early Thrifty To You!