Disclaimer: It may seem counterintuitive to some to write a post about satisfaction like this when we promote deals every day. The purpose of this post is not to say that you should never spend money. It’s about encouraging you to be thoughtful and intentional about your spending. You don’t spend simply because you’re dissatisfied or because you think buying something will solve a problem or problem. Organizational tools can help you become more organized, but only if you have the discipline to use them. Also, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy things to beautify your home. But instead of thinking that the only way to make things better is to buy something, I encourage you to also appreciate the beauty that already exists in your life.
Everything we do here is to serve you as best we can and encourage you to be intentional with your life and your money. That means you’ll see us posting great deals to help you save your hard-earned money… but you’ll also see us posting great deals to help you save your hard-earned money… but also love your life the way it is and the things you already have. You’ll see us posting inspiration and encouragement to be happy with what you have. I hope this post inspires others who need a reminder like I did.
A few weeks ago, I walked into Target for the first time in a while and was immediately surprised by what I saw…
I was going to buy three very specific items that I had been planning on buying for a while. But as soon as I entered the store, I was bombarded with all sorts of things I really “needed” to improve my life.
I looked in the home decor section and there was nothing matching in our bedroom, no cute cushions (we literally had to throw them out about a year ago because our toddler ruined them with body fluids), I remembered there were no curtains and the bedspread was dirty. The carpet in our house is incredibly worn out and there is nothing hanging on the walls. All of a sudden, I felt like I needed to upgrade my entire room to make it look better.
The organization aisle at home was filled with matching baskets, racks, and shelves that teased me. The current state of our closets is far from that. I use cardboard boxes and a few mismatched baskets to store things. Maybe you should invest in a matching system to make it work a little better??
The next time I walked by the children’s clothing section, my three youngest children had cute new clothes to replace the old ones that were worn over and over again (with stains and a few holes). I felt the need to buy it. .
I felt like the entire store had failed me. I once passed by a puzzle corner and thought to myself, “Maybe I should buy some puzzles that everyone can do together to strengthen family bonding.”
Before I walked into Target, I was very happy.
Now, after just a 15-minute stroll through the aisles of Target, I suddenly had to change almost everything about my life.
Honestly, I think that’s the overall goal of Target’s marketing strategy (and most store marketing plans).
They believe that what you currently have, where you currently live, what you currently wear, and your current family lifestyle needs a thorough overhaul, and there are just a few ways to fix it. I want to convince you that there is.
However, just because you buy something doesn’t mean you’ll be more satisfied, your house won’t suddenly become more organized, or your family will get along better.
Change starts with you, not what you buy or don’t buy.
A new organizational system is not organized. Deciding to change your habits and doing it will help you become more organized.
Even if a room becomes more decorated, it will not suddenly bring overwhelming joy. But you can decide to recognize what’s right in front of you and start loving it.
That’s exactly what I thought in the middle of “Target.” You don’t need anything more. We need to pay more attention to the good things that are already in front of us.
The mismatched rooms, dirty carpets, and not-so-beautifully-organized closets are a testament to loving and nurturing the four infants and toddlers who have slept in our room for the past four and a half years.
Tattered clothes speak of active, healthy children who can run and jump. And yes, I get so obsessed with paint that I end up spilling food on my kids (which means they’re curious and eating, and we have food!).
The truth is that I didn’t need any of the items I thought I bought at Target, but I had to shift my perspective to refocus on the good things I already had in my life.
So I left Target with only the three items I had already planned on buying. And I developed a whole new set of eyes to see the goodness in front of me in life.
Source: Money Saving Mom® – moneysavingmom.com
