Got an annoying creak in one of your doors? Here’s a neat trick: Just spray it with non-stick cooking spray, it’ll be as good as new! I’m not sure where I heard this, but I just tried it on my daughter’s squeaky bedroom door and it worked like a charm! Now I can sneak in on her at naptime and see if she’s really sleeping or not! Tee-hee…

Like my sister said, we are both on our journey to having less. As I’ve been reading and learning, I’m coming to realize how wasteful and overindulging our society is! We simply have so much STUFF! And it’s like we aren’t happy; we just have to keep getting more. In poorer countries some people only have two pairs of clothing, and maybe one or two bowls to eat from. And here we are, closets overflowing, cabinets toppling over with an overabundance of unnecessary items that we think we just have to have. And before long we get tired of the “old” things (though they are perfectly functional), and head out to buy new again.

I recently read a quote from a top fashion designer which has really made me re-evaluate my own role as consumer. He said,

“It is my job to make women unhappy with what they have.”

You know, that’s exactly it! Marketers are scheming, devising every plan imaginable to make us feel like what we have is inadequate, so that we go out and buy whatever they are pedaling, filling their greedy pockets. And we have been such suckers! And it’s not just the fashion industry, this goes for our vehicles, homes, appliances, home decor, and everything purchasable. How much longer will we fall for their devices, and allow them to manipulate us into feeling unhappy with what God has blessed us with? How often are we perfectly content with what we have, and then we are ambushed with a new fad or design that we just have to have and suddenly what we already posses is not good enough?

I have to admit, I am such a sucker for this! Especially watching HGTV, and home design shows where they go and remodel, or redecorate these homes and make them just gorgeous. Though the day before I was perfectly proud of the way my home looked, suddenly I’m feeling very unstylish, and like I need to go out and buy a bunch of stuff to redecorate with. What’s up with that? I know what it is, and the Lord Jesus warned us about it, it’s being covetous. I’m reminded of this verse:

“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

And so, I’ve decided to go through my home and get rid of all of the things that I don’t absolutely need. Boy, is it going to be hard! I’ve started going through my closet, and the kid’s closets, and getting rid of most of the things in there (that will be a whole other post). Next I plan on going through the cabinets and doing a thorough cleaning! Who needs 10 plates and 15 glasses for a family of 4? I know I don’t, and I’m tired of feeling like do. After the cabinets and kitchen drawers have been paired down, I’ll tackle the toys (yes again!), knick knacks (though I don’t really have that many to start with), books, toiletries, and garage items. It will take a while since most of my stuff is in storage (we’re in the process of moving). But these are my goals.

I’m also reconsidering some appliances that I’ve had on my wish list, including a bread machine. Do I really need one… I know I can do it by hand? What can I live without?

Maybe I can challenge you today to think more about your role as a brainwashed consumer, and to pray about being more content with what you have, and maybe even striving towards less. And as I journey on my road to less, I’ll be sure to share my thoughts and efforts!

You don’t have to have a long clothes line to be able to hang dry a lot of clothes. Here’s a lesson from the Chinese: to conserve space, they hang shirts, blouses, and dresses on clothes hangers before putting them on the line. They also clip socks and washcloths to the lower edge of other things.