Having More with Less

When I converse with men and women who seem more put together and orderly in their lives, I notice several common traits. Particularly, it seems they live simply, very simply indeed. In fact, they seem to minimize their choices wherever they can and then maximize their amounts. It appears to me they focus on having more with less.


Wardrobe

Organized people seem to have simpler wardrobes. For example, when they find a pair of dress shoes they like, they will buy two pairs. This allows them to go twice as long before the next shoe shopping trip. While they might enjoy shopping as much as you and I do, they also have many other priorities. So the shoes they find, purchase, and wear stay in their life for twice as long.

When they find hosiery or socks that fit well and are complementary in tone, they will purchase enough to last for a longer period of time, usually one to three years. It is one less thing they will have to worry about for many months to come. This is especially true if they mail order their hosiery or socks, find them on sale, or buy them at a discount outlet.

They have also learned that classical jewelry can be worn with most any outfit. So whether they choose jewels, gold, silver, or platinum, they have enough of these pieces to mix and match. Particularly if they are women, they will have bracelets, earrings, pins, and necklaces that are interchangeable. One time they might wear the bracelet and earrings, another time the earrings and pin, and a third time the bracelet and necklace. In other words, they always seem very put together. If they are men, their ring, watch, cuff links, and tie pins/clips (when they desire to wear these) are closely coordinated. You see, they have more choices with less.

In the same way, their wardrobe has fewer pieces, most of which are classic in design. In addition, the pieces are interchangeable. For women, the tops and blouses go with their pants. These same blouses and tops also go with their carefully selected skirts. And their jackets seem to go with most everything. Instead of purchasing more and more clothing, they have more variety even as they have fewer items. They learn to use scarves to dress up their outfits and give variety to their wardrobe, all with a few carefully selected pieces that can be kept in a small drawer.

The men seem to have a nice variety of clothing, but on closer inspection, they have fewer pieces that can be worn together in a variety of ways to create a great look no matter the occasion.

These same principles of “having more with less” can be applied to your spouse’s wardrobe, to your childrens' clothing, and even to the way you purchase clothes for yourself and them in the future. Buy pieces that go with an already established wardrobe to create variety without a lot of additional expense. Buy pieces that can be worn oversized for a bit to length the time a child can wear a coat, top, or sweater. Just think differently.

For example, one wise mother with five young sons looked at their wardrobes each year and when making purchases, tried to choose clothing that was durable, classic in design, and carefully coordinated with other items already in the boys’ closet. She made the most of having more with less.


Sundries

Just as wardrobes benefit from this principle, purchasing sundries such as shampoo, soap, deodorant, and other personal needs can make life easier and shopping trips less frequent. Having considered the many different possibilities, choose your favorites and purchase them in bulk to last a considerable period of time. There are fewer choices once you have made your purchases, of course, but then you don’t have to think about making more choices for many months. The shampoo you have chosen is what you get to use for a long time without another moment's thought!


Shopping

It is the same with grocery shopping, gift shopping, and any other purchases that are a regular part of your life.

For example, one couple of my acquaintance decided upon the gift they would give for weddings and then purchased it in bulk for the next year’s needs. Having been successful in that enterprise, they decided to purchase two year’s supply of wedding gifts during a particularly busy wedding season of their extended family and thus didn’t worry about gift giving for over 100 weeks. An hour’s session together to wrap the gifts and a storage area reserved for their prepared gifts was enough to settle this item in their schedule for a considerable period of time. When it was time to leave for the reception, they would add a bright bow and a personal note of congratulations (kept, of course, near the gifts for their convenient use). Indeed, they had more with less.

So when you notice a person of distinction, charm, and personality, also notice how he or she generally does more with less. And if you desire, try to emulate this quality. It will save time, help you feel more put together, and even cause others to begin to notice and maybe even duplicate your personal approach to life.

©2009 Marie Calder Ricks/www.houseoforder.com