Thrifty Thursday-Buying Used

I've never been much of a shopper.
Clothes, especially, just aren't that important to me.
I'd much rather spend any "mad money"on gardening tools or plants.


We are debt-free and plan to stay that way.
We decided to pay cash for as much as possible,
and use credit only when ordering things online.
(Some of Lil' Guy's food is ordered online 
to get a better deal on allergy-free items.)
When we do use credit, 
we pay off the balance each and every month.
One way we stay on budget is by thrifting.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I started thrift shopping for clothes for myself.
Now I can't see doing it any other way.

Take these scrub pants.

They are the perfect thing for someone with my "nighttime challenges".

Being over 50, I sometimes wake up too hot 

and have to throw the covers off.

These keep me covered, 

but are light enough to be comfortable.

The thrift store where I bought these items

has a great selection of clothes,

especially women's things.

Most t-shirts like this are under $4.

This shirt is tailored for smaller folks like myself.

It looks like it's never been worn.

A few dollars for a piece that I can wear with shorts, jeans 

or over a skirt is a good deal in my book.

I found this scarf for Sister.

She often needs a little something to cover her neck

to protect her during the colder winter months in NC.

These felt pieces were only a quarter each.
Felt can be used in so many projects.
I'm thinking of using them to line drawers.
Love the chocolate espresso color.



Finding bargains is one way to stay on budget.
The fun part is never knowing what treasures lie in store.

Have you been thrifting lately?

Master Closet, Organized

 It's been an organized frenzy around here lately.

Sometimes I just get that urge to purge

and tweak our storage systems.

One thing about keeping an organized home,

you can always improve on your methods.

The master closet was revisited this weekend.

   

Clothes had already been donated,

so just a bit of tidying up was in order.

These crafting supplies were moved 

to one of the shelves.

Now two pairs of shoes occupy the space.

 The air mattress kept for (rare) company was resting

on a crate that holds the collection 

of Bookswap books.

They were relocated to the shelves 

directly next to this area.

Shoes that aren't often used go here.

Everyday shoes are kept on a handy shoe rack

next to the front door.

These shelves were rearranged 

to better fit the contents.

This system has adjustable shelves

so that you can customize it to your needs.

Now the air bed and the files for Mimi 

use the space more efficiently.

Here's where the files were,

along with Big K's handheld Sega.

(Don't mind all of his Lego sets.)

The Bookswap crate fits better here.

Most of the Lego kits will be sold,

so the floor will be clear.

Behind one of the closet doors, 

we installed a linen shelf.

This houses the sheets and towels for the master area.

Linens for the other bedrooms 

are kept in a hallway closet.

 

A few things were added to a half-empty bin.

These clear containers are great to see 

what you have at a glance.

 The shelves are full, but not stuffed.

As this closet doubles as our safe room 

in case of bad storms,

 our emergency kit is kept here, 

along with a flashlight.

With the air bed and an extra blanket, 

all that's needed is to

carry in a few snacks and water.

We have a hand-crank radio 

that will also be stored here.

While hurricane season doesn't start until June 1st,

it's never too early to be prepared.

~I keep this quote hung by my dresses.
It reminds me as I get ready for the day
to enjoy and cherish each moment.~

Purging and organizing are continuous efforts.

When a new and more efficient space is created,

the sense of accomplishment is its own reward.

The time spent organizing saves time in the long run

for doing things more pleasurable.

Lost time is never found again.
-Proverb


Organize It!  link party

One Simple Thing-Color Coded Closet

Listen,

one of the things I think about least is what I'm wearing.

Clothes have just never been that important to me.

As long as it's comfortable and clean,

I'm content.

You know that show where they give someone

like $5,000 to spend on a new wardrobe?

All I could think of was,

how much that money could help so many people

buy food and other necessities.

I mean how many things can you wear at once?

I'd rather spend money at a nursery or thrift store.

Although there aren't a lot of clothes in my closet,

it does help to keep what is there organized by color.

Sweaters on a shelf are only used occasionally here,

but it's helpful to see the range of colors.

Dresses go from long (I only have two of those),

to short and from dark to light.

(That cream-colored one was my wedding dress.)

Everyday work shirts can be hung from light to dark,

but I use the white in the middle to give me a cleaner

separation.  It just works for me that way.

Keeping like colors together

makes it so easy to put an outfit together,

and you're out the door before you know it!

Color-code those clothes with your kids.

It's a great homeschool project,

especially for the little ones who are learning colors

and starting good habits.

One Simple Thing

 

Organize It! link party

One Project at a Time

Thrifty and Grateful

A few treasures were found

when thrift store shopping the other day.

I may have to start a 12-step program for jar hoarders.

These are so cool with the glass tops.

I found a few just last month.

Imagine my surprise and delight to add another

to the collection!

The perfect home for one of my favorite things.

A gal's gotta stay well-stocked, after all!

These Pyrex bowls are the perfect size for cereal,

ice cream or in my case, my daily serving of oatmeal.

Four of the six for sale were picked up for 25 cents apiece!

The last thing I think about is clothes.

Don't like clothes shopping, trying on clothes,

deciding what goes with what.

This unusual long-sleeved shirt caught my eye.

The detail on the body and sleeves

is unlike anything I have in my closet.

I do like stuff that's different.

Purchasing used clothing never really occurred to me before.

Now I think about it as repurposing something practical.

The best part

is that I didn't have to step foot near a mall.

A true blessing in itself!