Simpler.

     I have decided to downsize. Downsize what, you might ask? My life. My upbringing was a simple one. We didn't watch much television. In fact, we only had one old tv with a dial knob and  4 channels. We played outdoors a lot. We didn't have heaps of toys or a mess of unnecessary things. We had just enough toys and we relied on our imagination for fun. That is what has inspired so many of my stories and writings, my imagination.

    Today, I was shopping online (like a bad girl) and it occurred to me as I put my 16th item in my shopping cart, that I have mounds of unnecessary things. Not to mention, the last time I shopped online was 2 days ago. Shopping is my downfall. I have a slight addiction to the thrilling feeling of getting something new. Online shopping is like sending presents to myself! How wonderful! 

But I wear the item once or twice and then, (unless it is a favorite) I'm bored of it. How self indulgent am I? And it doesn't stop there, Scarlett has a closet full of clothes here in NY and in MA. She barely gets to wear her outfits more than once. I find outfits in the back of her drawers that she outgrew and never wore. Ridiculous.

The honest truth.....

      Well, In a time when I wasn't so happy, I had escapes. Writing and jogging were a couple of them. Those were both good escapes. However, shopping was my Zanax. It made me feel better when I was down. Over the years, it has become a habit.   

     All these things are not needed. 

I am the number one person to say "Material things don't matter".

So here I am, a hypocrite.

I need and want to live differently. Of course it is nice to get something new for yourself once in awhile. And I don't always buy new. I shop a lot of second hand and thrift stores. I am a auction and flea market junkie. But between those items and the new items, it's really over the top.

    A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post, My Scarlett List, for my daughter. It was a list of promises to myself, which will allow her to become the best person she can be. How can I raise her to be thankful and appreciative when I pile her and myself with self indulgences? I know you can't really spoil a baby but she won't be a baby forever. What happens when she sees my closet ROOM and starts to wonder why Mommy needs an entire room for her clothes, when most people have a closet.

    I am bringing this madness to an end. Haha. I want to live simpler. 

I cringed at my cart full of Easter presents for Baby Scarlett & decided to take some of them out my shopping cart. She's not even a year old. She will be happy if the Easter Bunny brings her a cardboard box. I narrowed it down to 2 books and a basket of baby animals. This is an example of what I need to do to my entire life. Not just clothes, but everything.

So how am I going to do that?

Think simpler.

    For instance, I am redecorating my home in MA. It is something that I have been trying to do since I bought it over 2 years ago.  I want my home to be cozy and cute. So, instead of buying a million things at once, overbuying & spending too much, I am making a list of everything I need for my home, and buying one thing a week. It may take longer to finish, but I won't overspend & it will be fun to watch my home grow. I am going to try and refurbish old furniture. Maybe take things from one room and try and use them in another room. Think outside the box. 

Remember my living room plan that I made HERE...... It was just a miracle that those Anthropologie Curtains were sold out in the length I needed!! Who spends $200 on one window panel!?!?!?!?!?! I will find something similar and it will look just as great! I'm pretty frugal and flea market season is right around the corner.

    I am going to use my outfits as many times as I can. I can't possibly have worn everything more than once. Mix and matching can make an outfit look brand new.  I will do the same for Scarlett. Since she grows out of her clothes quicker than weeds, I will shop a lot of second hand. I get so many compliments on Scarlett's clothes and most of them are bought at a thrift store or vintage.

     Last, I am going to shop with a list. And stick to it. Ty will have to help me with this part since it's no secret, I can find something to buy in any store I walk into.

     Ty and I are very family oriented. It makes us happy to be together. We enjoy spending time with each other and as a family. We watch Scarlett play and explore. We watch her grow. 

I want more of this. Because these things are love.

I want to live a simple life.....