The recent economic downturn and recession gave many of us a wake up call. Most of us got the message that we can no longer spend unnecessarily on material possessions. We have to be much more careful about what we buy, and we must make wise decisions every time we make a purchase.

Although there have been many unwanted results from the recession, I think being more cautious is a good result. An impulse buy is no longer something many of us are able to do without paying a heavy price. I think being more careful with my money has helped me to also consider what is currently in my home, and how it can be re-used or re-purposed. What is already in your home that you could re-use in a different way?

For example, I'll bet there are several pieces of clothing hanging in your closet that you can't even see. And, I'll bet because you haven't seen that piece of clothing in a while, you probably haven't worn it for some time. Why not try to incorporate that piece of clothing back into your rotation again?

As a news anchor, I have several ties in my closet that I have collected over time. However, there are a few ties that are buried in the back of the rack. Just this weekend, I decided to take a little inventory of those ties, and discovered that a few of them have been hidden away, and had not seen the light of day in a while. Also, I re-discovered that one tie I really liked. I always thought it looked good, but a woman called me one day to say that was the worst tie she had ever seen me wear on the air. Since then, that tie has been relegated to the back of the closet. However, with my new mind-set, I think that tie (that just got only one bad review, mind you) will be making another appearance.

What's great about this is, I didn't have to buy something new. I simply am reusing an old tie that can breathe new life into an outfit for me. I think if you are able to re-consider many of the clothes or other items you have in your home, and are able to re-incorporate them into your life, you might get that "new" feeling from the item without actually having to spend the money. Let me know if it works for you.