Less is More

Adrian van Leen for openphoto.net

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:11b-13, NIV).

I realized today that it’s time to vacuum our carpet again.  Only problem is, Ryan and I don’t own a properly-functioning vacuum at the moment. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we’ve been borrowing his brother’s for quite a while now. 


Come to think of it, there’s actually a rather large list of household items we’re lacking at present:  one-cup plastic measuring cups (every time I need a cup, I get to practice my fractions, doing two half-cups, or one ¾ cup plus a quarter cup), a new toaster (whenever the toast pops up, the little white lever pops off, often falling into the crack between the counter and the fridge), an electric mixer (so I don’t always have to squish cookie dough with my hands), a plug for our kitchen sink drain (a balled-up wash cloth just doesn’t cut it), a clock for our guest bathroom, plastic containers for leftovers, a grill for our balcony, a comforter for our guest bedroom, a printer, a desk for when I write and when Ryan works from home…the list goes on and on. 


I realize some of these things are cheap, but the point I’m trying to make is that there are quite a few items on our wish list, and because our budget won’t allow for us to go on a Bed, Bath, and Beyond shopping spree, we’re forced to wait for what we want and get creative in the meantime.


So far, we’ve been creative by purchasing used furniture from thrift stores, like our kitchen table and chairs and our coffee table.  And as I’ve already mentioned, we’ve also had to borrow a few things, like the vacuum.  And for Alice’s nursery, I sanded and repainted items retrieved from thrift stores, like picture frames, shelves, and even the changing table my mother-in-law found for me in Fargo. 


I know plenty of women who are a lot more resourceful than I am, and I look up to them.  These are the women who clip coupons, make Pinterest a part of their daily routine, buy and sell like pros on Craigslist, make their own laundry detergent and cleaning products, cut their kids’ hair, make quilts, refinish old furniture, swap maternity and baby clothes with their friends, plant vegetable gardens, can fruits, and sew their kids’ Halloween costumes to save their households some serious cash. 


I aspire to be thrifty like them, and not only for the financial benefits.  These women have skills, they have smarts, and they have knowledge to pass down to their children and grandchildren.  I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it all, like the woman described in Proverbs 31, but I’d definitely like to keep working on expanding my resourcefulness.  I’ve found that the more I learn, the more I feel like a real woman.  I know that might sound cheesy, but it’s true.


I really feel that having to figure things out and work around financial hang-ups develops character—character in me, but also character in my home.  Maybe it’s just my own personal style, but there is something I find so charming and homey about having a mix of old and new in my surroundings—about having a carefully-selected hodge-podge of antiques, new purchases, and do-it-yourself décor all arranged together in a way that’s uniquely me.  There’s something so cozy about it—something that makes me feel so full and warm, like the way I feel when wrapped up in a patchwork quilt, with its own hodge-podge of fabrics, patterns, and colors. 


In spite of the frustration I occasionally feel at not having everything I want right away, I’ve decided I wouldn’t have it any other way, because through having less, I actually gain more.