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Buying Less, Making Do

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Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do, or Do Without @ AVirtuousWoman.org

A Time to Clean: Day 18

The idea that less is more is a good one, don’t you think? The problem comes when we don’t actually put the principle into practice. Hmm, that could apply to a lot of things!

It’s so easy to  come out of a store with bags of things you didn’t intend to buy when you walked in. Like when you go shopping for a new green blouse to go with that skirt you love and you come out with three blouses, a pair of jeans, a hand towel, a candle, a dress for your daughter, two new scarfs, and a pair of boots. All because they were on sale or better yet – on the clearance rack! But you couldn’t find a green blouse in the right shade. So you decided to try the other store and see what they have.

Buying Less

There comes a point when making the decision to buy less really makes sense. In fact, buying less makes so much sense because buying less means less stuff to clean, organize, move around, make room for, dust, and clean again.

Not only that, but buying less could save you a ton of money!

Sometimes living a simpler, less stressful life means that not only do you declutter on a regular basis so that your home stays clutter free, but you actually buy less new stuff and make do with what you already have.

We all like shiny new things. It’s fun! But do we need every shiny new thing that comes onto the market? Could we be happy with what we already own?

Could your money be better used by saving for retirement, helping to build a new church in New Guinea, or donating to your church? What would happen if we sacrificed of our own wants a little more?

Making Do

Making do with what we have is really more about contentment and stewardship than anything. It’s about reusing, recycling, and repurposing. It’s about living a life that isn’t about things but about people.

Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do, or Do Without @ AVirtuousWoman.org

I try to live this way. I’m going to try harder going forward! It’s so easy to be caught up in the latest new thing or the latest fashion or the lastest trend. Or to feel like we’re happier when we have new things. The problem with filling up that void in our hearts with temporal things is just that – it’s not lasting. Instead of seeking happiness by buying new things, we should be seeking true JOY which only comes from our Father in Heaven.

“The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” Psalm 126:3 KJV.

I’d much rather hear God’s voice saying,Well done, my good and faithful servant. You helped build many churches in my name and so many people were reached for the Kingdom!” than hear Him say, “You filled your home with the treasures of this world when you could have shared more with my people.”

How will you purpose today to live with less, buy less, and make do?

Today’s Goal

  • Have you struggled with buying too much stuff instead of being content with less? Pray and ask God to show you where you need to make changes.
  • Pray about making hard decisions – about what things you should keep, preserve, or let go.
  • Pick up a journal and write down your thoughts about what He has shown you or print my free prayer journal.
  • Choose an area in your home you want to tackle.
  • Fill at least one bag or box full of stuff to give away.
  • Take a picture of your bag. Share it on Facebook or Instagram – use hashtag #atimetoclean2017 {optional}
  • Leave a comment below about what you chose to get rid of and anything else God has laid on your heart.
  • Do your best to wake up early tomorrow and spend time in prayer. Use your prayer journal.

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4 Comments

  1. This topic is one I have been struggling with for awhile. I am a frugle shopper so i constant buy too much for cheap. My kids have mountains of clothes, I have products galore because of couponing and its just too much, too much time and space. When I started this challenge I removed the shopping apps from my phone because amazon was a go to time waster. My house feels better, the habits are hard to curb but our bank account likes the habita as well. Thank you for continued inspiration.
  2. First please excuse bad English, it is not my language. These are very important things you write about here but it is also a luxury problem. A lot of people in this world do not by things they do not need for the simple reason they cannot even get what they need to survive. It should not be so very hard to stop be a selfish woman (man) and if you have so much money that you can by things/clothes/stuff that you do not need you just stop that non-Christian way here and now and start giving that money to someone in this world that really need it to survive. Just do that every month. You will not have the money to spend on things you not need and some poor, suffering people will have the chance of a better life. In my family we support a child in India and a singel mother in West Africa every month and we very seldom give gifts in form of "stuff" but send money to a charity instead. When it comes to clothes and toys and furniture (and things...) we by second hand and take good care of it, and "make do and mend" (or how you put it in English). Everybody can learn how to mend clothes (they can if I could) and fix things that are broken like toys. It is good for environment and for family and world. I will also say that I am impressed by all of you that homeschool your children. I would have liked to do that but in my country it is forbidden and if you do not send your child to school they will take your child from you and put it in care. Our school system is horrible and they teach children awful things (about HBTQ being a normal thing and worse). Thank you for a very interesting and inspiring blog. I hope you can understand this and if I seem rude or something disrespectful I do not mean to be, it is just bad English. /Molly

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