It's All About Convenience....Kind-of

Dear Leslie,

I agree. It is going to be harder than I thought. I had a three item list of things I was going to buy before the new year, and of course I didn't make it to the store. So on Sunday, I had some time to myself and I started thinking about what it was going to be like to try to find size 7 slim jeans at a thrift store that a child with extremely sensitive skin will feel comfortable in and I started to panic. Then I started to really think about what my new reality of shopping will be like.

This is how it has been for me. Make a list, get in, get out. If it takes longer than 3o minutes to find what I need, my head starts to hurt. The fewer choices the better, so I usually stick to smaller stores for clothing. If I can find a good deal easily, that's great, but I will pay more for convenience.

I started to mourn the convenience of Target, Gap Kids and Internet purchases and the feeling started to feel strangely familiar. It's almost the same feeling I had gearing up to cut out sugar and start eating only whole foods. It means that things just aren't going to be easy any more. I can't just grab something to eat from McDonald's (Target), I have to take time to make it (find it). I actually have to harness my desires. I couldn't eat Kalani's cookies and cinnamon rolls anymore which actually left a void because we ate treats together for fun and entertainment....umm, do I shop for fun?

Ah, self-honesty. I always tout the fact that I hate to shop, which is true...kind-of. I hate shopping for things that I need and get frustrated when I can't find them. I do, however, like to buy on a whim. I, like you, at times wander around stores to see if there is anything else I "need". I don't usually buy a lot, but new towels or place mats have been known to give me a little thrill. I like to buy the kids little treats when we go places. And then I realized that, embarrassingly enough, a good portion of our family outings revolve around trips to Ikea, outlet malls, or other such destinations. I'm also shocked, shocked I tell you, at how often I think about buying things, even if I don't actually buy them. I thumb through the cute toy catalogs, fill up a shopping cart on websites (and most of the time don't check out), wonder what would make my house look a bit nicer or more organized, and think about what type of clothes I would like to wear if I actually decide to buy them. So, yes, I shop for "fun".

So here's what I hope will happen this year. I hope that I will feel as good buying second hand and redefining "need"as I do when I eat healthy food. Like you, I have a feeling that not being around all the "junk" will be extremely liberating and that I will find new, more important things to focus my thoughts and time on. I think my home will even shed some pounds and feel a whole lot better. And even though it will be a lot of "work", I think that I will feel a more real sense of satisfaction buying used and being a better steward over our money and our earth.

Amy