Last week I wrote about how nesting is often an act of creativity. Creativity that seems to be particularly (though not exclusively) female. Like cozy decorative throw pillows, for instance, which are lovely and a must-have home staple. The same pillows, I might add, that defy my husband's utilitarian reasoning--why do we need these if we don't sleep on them?--as he begrudgingly puts them on the bed. It must be a girl thing.
But nesting is not just about creativity. It is also about economy. They don't, after all, call it home economics without reason. There is a certain resourcefulness (often a creative resourcefulness) that accompanies securing a nest. Like keeping a well-stocked pantry in the event of an unexpected potluck that your 7 year old forgot to tell you about until...oops...two hours before. Or taking advantage of the space under your bed to stash extra toilet paper rolls when they go on sale. Or having a freezer full of meals in the off chance (okay...often chance) that you don't feel like cooking dinner.
These things are hardly glamorous, for sure. Throw pillows are way more fun. But the economic side of nesting is one of its best features. Because I know myself--when I head out to Target to "pick up a few things I've run out of"...say...several times a week, I spend A Lot more money than I planned (BTW--have I mentioned my new pink patent leather peep toe pumps?). Having things on hand at home keeps me out of the stores and thus keeps money in my pocket.
Another great example of this is food. How many times have I ordered pizza when the fridge was empty and I didn't feel like cooking? Many. And how much does pizza cost compared to a few frozen meals? Um...for us, about the equivalent of four day's worth of homemade dinners plus lunch leftovers. You do the math.
And how about the economic advantages of creative resourcefulness? I posted on Monday about a cute set of baby quilts I made as part of this Nesting season. I didn't mention that 100% of the fabric was recycled from thrift store and closet castaways. Nesting this way was kind on my pocketbook, and also kind on the environment and local economy. They didn't teach me about that in home-ec class!
So in this season of nesting (for those of you who are joining me), consider embracing the economy of it along with the creativity. And next week we'll get into the enterprise of it! I can't wait!
Still to come this week--my first free giveaway, a very belated Marketplace post, and more nesting.
Previous Nesting Posts:
I appriciate your perspective on "economics" and creating. It is inspiring me to dust off my sewing machine and go to a thrift store and "recycle" some things into new things for my home! Thank you, your blog is a highlight for my day here in Parachute!
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