Sunday Organizing.

I spent my Sunday turning my storage room into my own mini superstore. Doc, Detamara, Becca and I spent the entire day organizing my storage/stockpile room with the new white shelving I picked up sheving of weeks ago for half price from Shopko. I now have l0--five shelf bookcases of merchandise.

I would not let myself head to Kmart until I got the new shelving up, and everything put away to know what I already have.

Last weekend Doc refrosted the older freezer and we organized it. We are now eating out of both freezers until one of them is empty. We will not shop until we get it used up. I will be saving my grocery money for May's citywide garage sales and finding antiques to repair and refinish.

At our big house in Michigan, I had an a 12 foot wall of shelving for all my extras. I had missed having a place for everything in our scaled down house in the country. I had not coupon shopped for almost a year and a half, and made a commitment to not waste money by not coupon shopping. I began in earnest returning to my life of frugality in December with the arrival of Walgreens and Kmart Doubles. People always told me that living in a rural area meant sacrificing the great deals of the city. It proved wrong, I can have both the peacefulness of small town living and the big city deals traveling to Dubuque a couple of times a month, and heading to Walgreens and Walmart closer to home l4 miles away. I love price matching at Walmart, it saves me time, money and Walgreens is just down the road. Doc and I will carpool, he will round at the hospital and I will bargain hunt.

I can't believe that I got all this for so little or for free. Even with Nate and Stacey filling up the back end of their Saab at Easter my stockpile, it didn't make a dent. It is mind boggling the deals that I have been able to get these past four months with using my $400 a month grocery/household budget and $100 for double events or Walgreens Deals. I figured I could get the usual shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, but all the body wash and groceries SHOCKED this long time frugal mom.

With all the new shelving and space I could finally put a couple of huge boxes of merchandise away. I can't believe that in less than four months of scouting the deals. I will be making a run to a home for homeless men in Dubuque to fulfill their wishes for razors, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste. I will pick up shampoo tomorrow for all 13 men.

I was so busy working that I tripped and fell hitting the concrete with full force. I will definitely be bruised and sore tomorrow. Thank heaven for a doctor in the house who popped my kneecap back on, and finishing my storage room will have to wait until I move better.

My Mini Superstore is impressive, saving money for ourselves (I want to be completely out of debt in the next 8-10 years, save for retirement) and easy for my kids, friends to be able to use and help others.

WITH my shelving in place, my coupon binders freshly organized, I will be off to Kmart to see what I will find for next to nothing.

*Do you think Doc has enough FREE Pringles? On the top of both of the shelves are his 12 Pringles singles and his 30+ Pringles canisters. I took him shopping at Pamida when the Pringles were on clearance and coupons were doubling. He cannot eat a sandwich without his chips.