My 7 year old brought this home from school a few weeks ago. I snapped a picture and emailed it over to Sue because I thought it was a good poem for Homemade Frontier.
Only I’m not sure how to use it. It might just be that, old. Let’s take a closer look at the poem and see how we can make it work.
Use it up.
I can use stuff up, that’s a feasible goal. Though if I’m being honest most of the stuff I gather up to donate or throw out, isn’t used up. Unless it’s a cheap plastic toy, it’s used up and in 12 pieces after 20 minutes. I would rather donate outgrown clothes for someone else to use than cut them up for rags. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Wear it out.
I am particularly guilty here. I hate shopping and just get whatever fashionable item is on the mannequin. Which after one season is uncomfortable and no longer trendy. I’m working on being a better shopper and bringing home comfortable well thought out clothes.
Make it do.
Right, like recovering furniture to make it new again. And taking in or letting out clothes to fit better, mending stuff. We can do that. I mean, it’s hard work and will take some skills but we can do it.
Do without.
Wait just a minute. What do you mean do without? Like, nothing new from IKEA, cause that’s just crazy talk.
So maybe switching from our current consumerism of stuff to old Scottish austerity is a stretch. Maybe our current day poem should be
I think the “do without” seems like the hardest one, but often is the easiest. We lose track of how many things we have that we haven’t touched in months if not years.
Exactly. As soon as you say spending freeze there’s a whole list of stuff needed. It’s like a diet.
I think we could easily do without. It’s the impulse to throw it in the cart that’s hard to break – but once at home you often don’t miss it.
It’s the buying habit that’s hard to break. New things for good spirits.
THANK YOU. This is my mantra and I wish my husband would get with it already. I hate spending money because I think you can do almost anything with what you already have. I’m the queen of “making it work” and also wearing it out. This is one reason I want to start sewing — I look at tutorials for things and think…I could do that same thing myself and it would cost HALF that amount!
Please teach me. I am a just get a new one kind of girl and it does not make me happy.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this! Since I was a girl I shopped at thrift stores (even when my dad was embarrassed and said, “We CAN afford to buy things.”) I like “hunting” through the racks of clothing to find stuff that was more unique and less trendy. I liked the idea of saving and recycling. I am trying to teach my children the same. Sure it is nice to have something new every once in a while, but by what standards? Children grow quickly and fashions come and go. I don’t need to be ruled by the run-way or what the stores tell me I need, although I’ll admit I am slightly tempted. Great Post!
Thank you. I’m just getting into thrifting, though I buy a lot of the kid’s stuff second hand. I am not a good hunter when it comes to shopping.
I like not being ruled by the run-way.
I love this! I’m a terrible shopper, but I’m learning from my couponing guru friends how to get the most bang from my bucks. I love recycling though, and composting. It’s addictive after a while.
It does become a habit, which is great. I’m a terrible shopper too, get it and get out, that usually leaves me spending more and buying too much.
Love it!
I love the saying, and your take on it.
But what I love most, is your realism with it.
Now *that’s* perfection!
Thanks Galit. There were several rough drafts trying to embrace the doing without before I accepted that it was too high a bar.
I like it because it’s realitistic and do-able. And it doesn’t sound judgy and ‘better-than’ for those of us who have good intentions but don’t always follow through!!
Exactly! And sometimes a girl has to get something new at IKEA. Right?