Genesis

Spring is coming. The geese are slowly returning to northern climes. The air is warming up and filled with the sound of chirping birds. On Sunday, we turn the clocks ahead and all of a sudden, the nights won't seem so dark. Plus, I took my fig tree out of hibernation 2 weeks ago, and just look at the little fella grow!

It even has figs! Really makes me want the snow gone and the grass growing now. Yup, spring is the great new beginning of things - the world outside is starting over again. It got me thinking about new beginnings, particularly here, and I realized that I started something myself, but I never really explained the genesis of the project itself. The "why" I did it - why I began a blog called supply on hand.

I wanted to share and talk about how to live within your means, using what you have on hand, but at the same time, I wanted to show how that doesn't necessarily mean boredom! The trick is to build and maintain a great inventory to pull ideas and inspiration from.

One of the best tricks I have for building that endless inventory is to never say no. What does that mean? When offered something free, never, EVER refuse, be it secondhand clothing, and old vase, an unwanted plant or some overstocked canned goods. You might not want it, but accept anyway. Refusal discourages generosity, so the more you take in, the more you'll be considered for donations in the future. This all goes to building that great supply I'm talking about. Do I keep everything? Not always - but I am a firm believer of sharing the wealth, giving away what I don't keep to others who do need it, be it friends, family, or an organization like the Salvation Army.

Stay tuned for more ideas, tips and projects using that supply on hand - and don't forget to turn those clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night before going to sleep!