On a random, yet loosely-related, other note – I used to make bracelets out of forks and spoons :) And in which cases the type/quality/design of the utensils were very important, haha…

And you know why? Because when you love something, it makes you happy and makes you smile forever, not just when you buy it. And that right there is the difference between wanting something and loving something, I think. Your life should be filled with things you love, because then it’s filled with things that make you happy.

Including your spoons! Two years after buying new flatware, it still makes me smile when I pull open the drawer to get something. Imagine your house being filled with things like that. Imagine having a bad day and curling up on a super comfy couch with your favorite, perfect blanket, eating ice cream out of an adorable bowl with your “congrats on your new job” spoon. Yeah. Put a price on that.

She’s not saying to buy anything you want. She’s saying buy only what you love. Two very difference concepts. Also, standard personal finance concepts still apply!

When you’re at a store and you see something cool, in that moment – do you want it, or do you love it? Most of the time you just want it, right? So put it back and walk away. Money saved. Now if you really do absolutely, without a doubt love it, can use it and have the money for it (which you might since you are no longer buying random stuff), go ahead and buy it. Or put it on a list and save up for it.

And I apply this to EVERYTHING…including my spoons! Which I honestly do love. I’d much rather have one thing I love than half a dozen random things I thought were kind of cool at some point in the past.

Offering things to people is nice and thoughtful. Pushing things on someone that doesn’t want them is NOT. Also, minimalism works against you here. Pack rats will look at your place and think you have so much space for MORE stuff. I look at my place and think, “There is way too much crap in here.”

Pictures and practicality and practice. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Also, I don’t know about you, but there’s lots of pictures of me wearing favorite shirts and such. The pictures are much more “satisfying” from a sentimental view and the clothes just take up precious storage space.

Also, stop saying can’t. You won’t get rid of it. Now you sound like a stubborn 6 year old refusing to give up his blanky. Don’t be a stubborn 6 year old. :)

Haha, you do raise a valid concern, yes, if taken to the extreme :) It’s more about what you do with your “extra” money though, outside of getting your annoying spoons and furniture, haha… But you’re right that our favorite stuff is prob more expensive! Hadn’t thought about that one before.

I’m sure this was not what you intended with this post, but I think there are a lot of us super excitable folks who would go a little insane without the frugality controls we’ve placed for ourselves.

Baby steps, my friend! We’re all making them :)

It would be neat to compare it yearly with those that *are* researched to see how much of a difference it makes :)