What's in Your Closet

I knew when I quit my job I would need a new hobby. Something to keep me entertained, something I could become good at and spend my alone hours working on. I've always worked and really worried about my sanity of having "mom" as my only title. So, I dusted off the old sewing machine my mom gave me for Christmas a few years ago and began working on small projects. Lately I've become totally immersed in reconstructing old items right from your closet after reading this blog: This girl takes old outfits she bought for $1 and transforms them into these unique outfits. Amazingly brilliant.
So, I saw Kevin giving a bag of clothes away and I asked him not to take them to Goodwill. There may be something in there I want to use. What do you know, one of his shirts became a cute little child's apron. Easy cheesy.






Isn't it funny how our urge as Americans is to run out and buy something you don't have. You run out of orange juice, you rush to the store and pick it up. You need a new shirt for an event, you go buy it. But what if your solution is right in own house and you don't have to spend any money to get it?

For example, Margo has a gross case of cradle cap. With Nora, we bought the $10 shampoo that was very mediocre, at best. This time I did a little research and read that olive oil on the scalp should brush the cradle flakes away. Gross, I know, but it's my child so it doesn't gross me out. Now ask me to brush your child's flakes away and I probably won't be as willing. Anyway, it worked. Like a total charm. Free.

I've been trying to do the same thing with the way we spend our grocery money. Do we really need all this food? This part has been a stretch for me because I really found pleasure in my grocery store time. I loved getting new food and stocking up our pantry. I read grocery shrink's e book and have been trying to change my mindset. My latest venture includes making granola bars from scratch. It's super easy, saves tons of money, and delicious. Just wrap them up in some wax paper and they make the perfect snack.




It's been fun (and humbling) to change our mindset of spending money. We thought we were frugal before, but when you look at what you buy and what you really need, it's amazing to see what you find. My sewing still stinks, but it's a work in progress.