I don’t know if they would call themselves a conserver family, but to me this is the embodiment of the principles I teach in Tightening the Belt. Seven people enthusiastically living purpose-filled lives in a compact home on a carefully managed budget are about to embark upon a quest. If you haven't read my post Living in Contentment: The Quest, I urge you to do so. Someone you know desperately needs this encouragement right now.

In a family with five daughters and limited closet space, a system for keeping the wearables organized is essential. Beloved pieces are outgrown and passed along from one sister to the next. The entire collective wardrobe has to be sorted, culled, and organized. In the early years, Mom did it all. Now that the youngest is a pre-teen and the oldest two are on their way to college, the task could have been overwhelming. Instead, it became an unforgettable family experience.

When the day dedicated to this massive undertaking arrived, it became obvious that an equally huge amount of motivation and creativity would be needed. The first challenge quickly surfaced. There were too many clothes to try on and sort in any of the bedrooms. The project had to be moved to the main floor.

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The preparations are complete! Start the music!
The Turkish Bazaar is about to begin!

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"We placed a full-length mirror against the bookshelf and tried on clothes together. It was so much fun!"

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"I loved hearing about all the past experience and memories attached to each item of clothing. It made me feel connected. Mom shared too. That's where all the best clothes came from!" 

Every single item at the bazaar had to be evaluated. Is it still in wearable condition? Does it need repairs? Who would it fit? Who loves it the most? Who would it suit best? Or does it need to leave our house forever? This effective process yielded three giant recycling bags of clothing to send elsewhere. Think how much closet space that freed up.

"And everybody got a laundry basket full of new clothes while getting rid of what they didn’t wear."

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"I like that I now have some colour in my closet!"

One day stretched into three. Dinner moved outside since there was no room in the house. On the enclosed terrace, everyone sat down on blankets to eat. Middle East inspired meals such as mangal-style curried meat with rice and tahini were prepared by Dad, who, after all, did not have to spent his time trying on outfits.

"Standing in my living room that day was like being transported to another world. Instead of stacks of jeans and piles of shirts and couches covered in summer dresses, I saw the bustling vibrant markets of ancient Istanbul. Mom had found a fitting ambiance video for the TV, Dad brought us Turkish delight, and Loreena McKennitt sang to us as we waded through the colourful garments, discovering forgotten treasures and giggling with excitement as we tried on each other’s clothes. A little bit of imagination and whimsy à la Mom transformed a dreaded chore into one of the highlights of my summer."

The Turkish Bazaar was a resounding success.

What a wonderful example of creative problem solving at its best!