Hi, friends. I hope you all are doing okay in this wild world.

My partner and I just bought our first house and things are full of exciting chaos around here. So much space! So many trips to Home Depot! So much snow to shovel!

As we settle in—and especially while we diligently packed and unpacked everything we own—I’m noticing just how much stuff we have. A few days ago, my beloved shower caddy (which only had the suction life for one bathroom, apparently) collapsed into a big, loud, gooey mess. But the thing is, why do I even need four different conditioners and three different face washes? Why do I always sniff around the candle aisle when I have so many I never light? Why, oh why, do we have so many special drinking glasses that never get used?

It all boils down to that notion of saving things for a “special occasion,” but the truth is that my enjoyment of these things right now is a special occasion. I’m doing my best to embrace that feeling and to be less wasteful in general.