5 Crazy Things I Do to Keep Things Together
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Life can be crazy. The unexpected is sure to raise its head and knock your best plans off course. “Simple living” is a good thing to strive for, but sometimes it’s elusive.
Here are five kinda crazy things — at least in the world’s eyes — that I do to keep things a little more sane at my house. Please keep in mind that in NO WAY do I think these are must-do’s for anyone else. Like I said, I know that these are kinda crazy for the times we live in. But, they help me and my family.
1. I have my toilet paper delivered.
Oh, yes, yes, I do. About a year ago, I realized that we were constantly running out of toilet paper. I would cringe each time someone would tell me we were out. Running off to the store — when there were no sales to be had — became a regular thing. And no, I didn’t/don’t really have the brain power to follow the toilet paper sales.
Instead, I started ordering it on Amazon. Using Subscribe and Save, I have a regular delivery programmed. I watch for sales on Amazon, not hard to do when Kosher on a Budget regularly reports the toilet paper deals on her Facebook page.
(No, we don’t keep kosher; we’re not even Jewish, but I’ve found some great deals through Mara’s site.)
I’ve found such freedom in having the toilet paper delivered. I can’t tell you why. It’s pretty silly, really. But, I can totally ignore the paper goods aisle at the store and it is so freeing!
Plus, my people are all prepared when they need to do their business.
2. I don’t sort laundry.
A few years ago I decided I wasn’t going to sort the colored clothes from the whites. No longer do I need to wonder if this yellow shirt counts as white or colored, I just toss it all together. So far, so good. (I wash linens and towels separately and in hot water.)
Then to take it one step further, I put the kids in charge of their own laundry. So, I don’t have to sort the different piles either. Quite freeing and saves me so much time.
3. I am not afraid of fast food.
Well, sort of. I am picky about my fast food, limiting it to places like In-n-Out Burger, Rubios, or Chipotle. While I would love to feed my family healthy, home-cooked meals every night, that’s just not the reality. I have to be able to outsource. And In-n-Out Burger, the closest to our house, makes a pretty mean burger.
I even have everyone’s order programmed into my phone. We’re so complicated, that this helps me in more ways than one.
4. I don’t watch TV.
I grew up as a TV junkie. Today I’ve got too much to do. We had cable for awhile, mainly for sports, but now that’s gone, too. I can’t imagine how much time I would waste if I were watching TV. I know that for me it’s an all or nothing proposition — and I’m better off without Downton Abbey or American Idol.
Really, I am.
We do have Amazon Prime so we can watch movies and programs after the fact. This summer we’ve really enjoyed Foyle’s War which we treat like a movie. We’re not hooked to a time and place when we have to watch. Nor is flipping on the TV a habit. (And they just took it off Prime Instant Video, so now we’re even less likely to watch it.
5. I don’t wear make-up.
Last year I had to splurge for some make-up in order to do a couple TV appearances. I hated every minute of wearing it on my face and washed it off as soon as possible.
Do I have flawless skin? No. Do I look as young as I might if I wore make-up? No. Do folks see my unsightly pregnancy-mask-that-never-went-away? Yes.
But, do I have to wash my face every night? Or spend time in the morning putting my face on? No. And for me, this totally works.
Like I said, I don’t think these are things that everyone else should do — or not do, as the case may be. Instead, I offer them as examples of things that you can tweak to make life a little easier for you. Find your own groove, and make it work for you and your family.
We could start a no-makeup revolution!!!! I’ve seriously worn make-up one day in my life and that was the day i got married. Not a fan, don’t need it and don’t want to waste the time and money. No one looks disgusted when they speak to me and small children don’t run the other way so I guess it’s ok!
The craziest thing we do is to hire a house cleaner – even though I am at home. Right now, it’s only for seasonal deeper cleans, but our goal is to prioritize this more regularly. A (very) clean house is important to my husband, and at this stage in life, I am not able to clean to that standard while keeping my sanity. I actually wrote a post about it on my blog this morning: http://helpmeetyourgoals.com/2013/09/09/goal-setting-and-priorities/
I think that’s a good kind of crazy.
I almost exclusivly shop at Trader Joe’s. It is small and easy to navigate with three small children and on our walk home from preschool. Pretty much if they don’t carry it, we very rarely eat it.
Since you like Foyle’s War, check out Lewis, also on Amazon. Same production people. We watch it the same way, as a short movie.
One-stop shopping is a great idea! I wish there were a store that actually sold everything I buy but there isn’t.
I am not on facebook.
I don’t use a ATM
I use envelopes to divide up my cash each month and put the “leftovers” in a vacation envelope.
I don’t have a smartphone. Just a simple cellphone.
I use lists to keep myself organized.
Cindy….I could have posted your items myself!!! They’re such second-nature to me that I don’t see them as different but I guess to other people they are! My husband thinks I’m crazy for not having Facebook or a smartphone but I know myself and I know that I would waste so much time with these items. We’ve also learned to live a very disciplined money life without an ATM card.
It is so encouraging to me that I am not alone in my “crazy” survival ways. Thank you for sharing your list.
Nice to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t sort! I do wash towels/sheets separately but that’s only because I prefer to wash them in hot water whereas I use warm or cold for everything else.
I wash the linens separate as well for the same reason. 🙂
I do the same…and I think my clothes are just as clean as if I would sort! And I like to do my linens in hot water, too.
I do all those things LOL – actually at our house I’d replace fast food with takeout – we don’t have easy access to the better places you have – plus I have less kids LOL
I buy a LOT from Amazon! Now that I shop more ‘natural/organic’ etc I find myself mostly at a few stores – NONE of them have all the normal grocery selections or good prices on the ones they do have – so I rely partly on Amazon to reduce the number of times I visit those regular grocery type stores.
I don’t miss tv at all – we do have netflix and amazon prime – kids watch – I watch a few hours a month – not that I don’t waste time but not that way.
I will say I do wear makeup most days now I’m approaching 50 [ugh that pg mask – had it for YEARS!] but really just a quick swipe of eye makeup and done and I can do it in under 90 seconds LOL – sadly now I’ve stopped my ‘cycle’ I’m breaking out again like my teens! Sigh – so that makes things a little more complicated. blech
One thing I do regularly that people think I’m nuts for is write myself notes in my calendar like the one I just added for May 2014: “start looking for sales on Goggles!” or the one that just popped up for Sept 1st “You have lots of jeans – they’re in the back of your closet shelf”
Because I can’t remember a)anything including b)where I PUT anything – works for me
That calendar thing is very helpful — I put reminders on my Google Calendar like “The Xmas stockings are in a blue box in one of the green Xmas tubs.” I would never remember otherwise!!
THAT is a fantastic idea. I’m going to start setting up reminders today. I’m always trying to be more efficient, like buying birthday gifts several months in advance if I see a good sale, but then I either forget that I bough the gift or forget where I’ve hidden it. Lame!! Setting a Google calendar reminder is the perfect solution. Thanks!!
Oh I forgot
6. I also keep a small tablet with me at all times to write things down. It makes me feel sane.
I don’t know if anything I do is crazy per say, but I do things different than most people my age/in my community. ( I live in the Reno/Tahoe area and I feel like 85% of people live outside their means here)
1. I wear my hair short/ get it cut at a barber (instead of a salon) I spend about $120 a year on my hair, including products, instead of $120 a visit
2. I DO NOT go to Wal-Mart. I go once a year (twice max) I do go to SAMs club with blinders on. It is just my husband and I so I stock up on all toiletries, non food, etc. once every six months or so
3. My husband and I have three checking accounts, we each have our own then a joint account. He pays all of the bills and I match his bill payments in savings, everything after that is ours to keep and spend as we wish
4. I also don’t wear makeup. I bought some for my wedding and that’s it. oh and I don’t sort laundry either.
The craziest thing I do is…..
5. Live within my means. I know its crazy. But honestly I have a varying income because I am in the service industry and I always match my husbands bill paying into savings before I have any personal money. That means some months I get my nails done, some I don’t. Some months I treat us to dinner some months I cook all meals at home. I do allow myself spending money, but we don’t go into debt.
Yeah, #5 is pretty crazy. We do that, too. 😉
I have all the fast food orders on my phone as well. I’ve also sent them to hubby’s phone so he also has the list so he can pick up food on his way home if needed.