So, Brother Brigham and I have a bone of contention - you know, the "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." We try hard to be obedient but what does one do, when it all gets used up or worn out and one simply cannot do without all at the same time? Or in our case, we just GROW?? I think our biggest mistake was never registering for the stuff we really wanted because we already had OK stuff from single days, but as of right now, lots needs to be replaced. So, here is my list and reasons for needing it.
TOWELS - 10 bath and 6 hand
We have been living with Ryan's bachelor towels for 7 years and the hooded towels Grammy gave the kids. They have all passed into the smelly after one or two days stage - ikkkkkkola!
SILVERWARE - at least 12 of each piece
Again, living with Ryan's bachelor set, inherited from Grammy. We run out of forks almost every day and knives by the time we have made a PBJ and a few pieces of toast.
SHEETS - 2 new crib (2 or 3 of the current stash are ripped and have ripped through repairs)
2 new twin (for the second set of bunk beds coming on Thursday)
2 new waterproof mattress pads
4 new blankets so the very crowded room looks put together and a little thought out
(not to mention bunk beds themselves and mattresses)
FABRIC - 4 new dresses for Aunt Di's wedding, plus fabric to make the back of the actual wedding dress high enough, also fabric for a cape for the bride (she wants red)
CURLING IRON - small - mine is ancient and no longer grips. We need it for Sunday little girl hair and Aunt Di's wedding hair
PAINT - yellow (lemon souffle, to be precise) for the bedroom - pink just will not do for a co-educational bed room.
I am feeling OVERWHELMED!
4 comments:
Ross has very nice and very cheap sheets and linens. You give me hope Marian that we'll be okay in our house for awhile.
First of all, i don't think Brigham ever really KNEW what it was like to run a household. The Utah Territory and the Church, yes, but the house no.
It is ok to get the things you need, or want when you want them. Mare you have 4.5 kiddos, they are going to use it up and out fast.
And from my own files....we'd been living with our single stuff for these past six years, it was worn but usable, but not looking all that great. I just decided one day, I needed some new towels, ones that looked fresh and more importantly stayed fresh after more than one use. Went to Target and found what I needed, for really good $$ too. Gave all my old towels to Goodwill to bless someone else.
Walmart has great prices on sheets. We got a new queen set last year for $20~dollars. They also have kids sizes. And a two set of crib sheets there is $10.
And go get that curling iron too....
A few things at a time are ok. And we don't have to live like starving students our whole lives either....
Everyone's allowed to feel overwhelmed once in awhile especially someone with 4 soon-to-be 5 little kids. I plan a certain amount of "household" expenses into the budget each month. If I want something big I try to "save" that chunk of money each month until I have enough. I'm allowed 1 big house purchase each year (furniture, art work etc.) I also ask for random things like curling irons as gifts... things I need but I don't want to buy myself. We also buy ourselves 1 family Christmas gift each year. I say towels, sheets, or silverware would make a nice family gift to yourselves!
We got a lovely set of Oneida silverware from Wally World, a.k.a. Wal-Mart, around Thanksgiving (family was coming and I needed for people to eat off a fork). It wasn't expensive. Go buy yourself some silverware and then stash to old stuff away for when you get a lot of people around and need extras (that is what I did). That way you don't need to feel wasteful, you will still be using the other stuff.
Ditto what Joyce said about sheets - also check Target, I just got a queen set of Jersy Knit sheets there two weeks ago - it was $20.
Good luck. Honestly I always think it is so fun to replace the old smelly things that are around; but I really like spending money, so maybe that isn't such a good thing. Thankfully I have a little Boren blood running through my veins and I know when to stop spending....
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