The 2009 Love What You Have Challenge

You are cordially invited to join me in the 2009 Love What You Have Challenge (I made that up). Here's what the challenge is: work on caring for and using and keeping up things that you have, thus being content instead of wanting new things. I realize that I often find myself wanting to buy new things, instead of appreciating what I have. So, I've given myself this challenge.

Here's what Andy and I have done so far:

• Painted our living room.
• Changed all the electrical outlets in the living room from almond colored to white.
• Cleaned and organized the shelves, hutch, closet, and bookshelves in the living room.
• Organized and deleted files on our computer.
• Installed Office 2007 on our computer (for only $9.95 thru my work).
• Cleaned and organized our pantry.

Here are a few things I've already noticed:

• I was wanting to buy a scarf to drape on my mantle and I had one that works nicely that I didn't even realize that I owned in my entry way closet.
• I also found attachments to my shop vac that I didn't know existed.
  
• We own several duplicate books. I'm pretty sure our church would love to have them in the church library.
• We own books that we didn't know we own that we now are wanting to read.
  
• I have lots of crap that I don't need or want that I've already thrown in the garage for a garage sale in the future.
• Drawers are the worst/most rewarding things to organize.
  
• We need to eat random foods in our pantry. I didn't realize just how much there is.
• I love the feel of a freshly painted room. It makes it seem all brand new.
• White outlets really do make things look updated.

I have big aspirations to paint, organize, and go through all the rooms in my house. We'll see if it happens...

In the meantime, I cordially invite you to join me in my made-up challenge. I'd love to hear your results!!! I'll try to keep you updated on mine.