Moving On...

If you ask me how many items left our house during the past 31 days, I am afraid I cannot tell you a set number. If you ask me if it was more than 12 items a day - per the original plan - I would say without a doubt, yes. And if you're wondering if I have noticed a massive dent in the amount of stuff floating around our 2,000 sq. ft house, the answer would be, sadly, no. Oh sure, I might notice a slight difference in our closet or bedroom, where piles were purged and items relocated to their appropriate places, but what the last month showed me was that we not only have a lot of stuff, we are drowning in it and didn't even realize it. So was January's purge a success? Yes, in that it opened my eyes to the fact that this is only the beginning.  

As we walk into the second month of 2022, the goal (of 12) that was set for February was to move $12 a day into our savings account by cutting out Starbucks stops and other fluff expenditures. The timing of this is quite good as we just received word that the contractors are finally coming to replace our leaky roof. The bill for that will be painful enough (and probably make me want to flee to Starbucks for a little pain relief!), but it's also a good time to put a little back into the pot, even as we take out a chunk to handle this home repair. 

Like everything else in this life, it's all about choices. So even as I choose saving over a skinny decaf caramel macchiato, I must also choose the great over the good. As I did a final sweep through my closet this week, I pulled out several really good pieces. These are items that are in nice shape, that I paid good money for, that still fit my style (even if the size no longer fits), but that I know I either haven't worn in the last season (or two or three) or won't wear, because when I do I am constantly tugging or pulling or tucking because it's too short/long/small. They are good, but they are not great. 

At 40, I've decided that life is too short for good. 

So making the choice to choose great over good, to choose comfort over discomfort, to choose a healthier savings account over a month of mochas, feels less like a sacrifice and more like the smart thing to do. Maybe it comes with age or experience, or perhaps it's just more carryover from the last two years, a reminder of what's important and what's not. Whatever the case, the lessons of the last month have been good ones, and I'm looking forward to continuing "the purge," even it if comes without an overpriced beverage in hand. 

Here's to continued learning, simpler living, and money to pay the bills! Welcome, February.