I've Got the Urge

With the change in weather, my closet has somewhat transformed from sandals to boots, bikinis to jackets, and tank tops to sweaters, almost overnight. We had temperatures in the 80's last weekend, and now we are at a cool 65 with wind. I was literally swimming last weekend and now I am sporting a Gap hoodie. Even though we are not at home, I have started to feel like this "new" place is our home, and yet my closet is no where near appropriately outfitted.

When we moved I brought along some hot weather clothes and some cool weather clothes for all of us. But over the past week, the shorts have been stashed in the suitcases and I had to make a few trips to our actual home to restock for cooler weather. As it turned out, Carrick and I had some work to do on our fall wardrobes. I have way too many tops and not enough bottoms and shoes to go with them. Much of what I owned from last year was worn out and donated. Carrick has grown so much that many of the sale clothes I bought him last season when winter clothes were on clearance are too small. His ankles stick out below his pants and his shirt sleeves have to be rolled up to hide the fact that they are too short.

Lily on the other hand is well stocked for the cold months (but most of what she owns is also back at the house). She has a tub full of clothes I have snatched up at clothing swaps and from friends who gave us hand-me-downs. Not to mention the ample amounts of cute girl clothes I find at Goodwill that are still in great condition.  I am going to have a blast going though her bin and arranging coordinating outfits from all the random items I have collected.

So this weekend we went up to Flagstaff in search of Carrick's Halloween costume, and for a few staples at Target. I was also keeping an eye out for boy clothes that were budget-friendly. Kohl's didn't have quite what I was looking for, but we did leave there with a pair of pants and a shirt for Carrick. At least it was a start...After our Target run, we drove across town to the mall. I only went to JC Penny's because I found what I was looking for there. They had a sale on their Okie Dokie brand (for toddlers, that thankfully go up to size 6). Mix and match pants and tops were $5.00! Now that's what I'm talking about! I just hate paying $10.00 for pants that he's only going to wear for a few months. It's an age-old struggle that almost every parent encounters; not paying too much for clothes that will be outgrown, stained, or ripped in a matter of months.

I was also disappointed after our search at Target and Spirit Halloween for Carrick's T-Rex costume. Neither place had one. After we left the mall, I made a pit stop at their newly-relocated Goodwill. There I found several items I could piece together to create a T-Rex outfit. (Part of my plan is to re-construct some Incredible Hulk hands into claws and feet.) A little creativity with $9.00 saves us from the $40.00 it would have cost us to buy it online. 

That's really what it's all about when looking at a wardrobe. Taking stock of what you have, seeing what goes together, and filling in the gaps using some creativity. Some things you buy you might splurge on, other items you might want to pinch pennies. That's kind of where I'm at right now. I am in the process of taking stock and evaluating what I've got. It is so gosh darn hard to get through this stage, though. I want so badly to just go out and spend all my Fun Dollars on a new wardrobe.

The shopping spree yesterday only added fuel to my fire. I thought for sure that taking care of Carrick's fall wardrobe would satiate me for the pay cycle. It didn't. It only made me want to look for things for myself. The really silly part is that I should really be waiting until we are back in our actual house before I go too crazy buying new things. I'm not even working with my regular closet. At this temp home, I have a walk-in closet. At our actual home I have two three-foot long bars to work with. Kind of different arrangements....

I want to be smart with my Fun Dollars. I want to make wise purchases with them. I don't want to just impulsively buy clothes that I may or may not need, that I may or may not be able to  fit into my closet. *sigh* Restraint....That's the name of the game.