6 simple ideas

i would say my philosophy about what i have- materially-can be summed up like this: i believe in honoring what i have by admiring it, putting it to its best use, and enjoying it. if you aren't doing any of those things with the stuff around you, pass it on to someone who can. get rid of it, liberate yourself!

i have found that clearing out a closet, a drawer, a garage, or the shelves in my pantry makes me feel so free. it is almost obscene! i think STUFF can be a form of mental pollution, cluttering the mind and weighing down the heart. maybe it is consumer guilt or recognition of being over-privileged, but i seem to always be aware of having one thing too many. i am working to resist the temptation to buy needlessly and working harder still to just be happy with what i already have. adding more and trading up and up can be so exhausting. why can't we just embrace what is already at our fingertips and under our very own roof?

i think the root of the problem is often in the buying. i don't think we are trained to give weight to the consumer experience anymore. credit cards and miles and miles of stores and options make it too easy to just blip! and buy without giving it much thought. and oddly enough, in areas like clothing, goods have actually gotten cheaper instead of more expensive, which i think causes a certain disposable mentality. i fall victim to this all the time (thank you, old navy!) and suddenly have a closet that contains sequined shoes, a muumuu, and a bikini that will never see the light of day!

i have been giving a lot of thought not only to better buying, but also better keeping, and i think i've boiled things down to a few rules that will hopefully help me stick to the above philosophy ....

1. invest in quality, goods

if on the first go round we all bought things we truly loved regardless of price tag, i think we would be more inclined to hang on to them. granted i have an insanely good knack for loving the $200 frocks of the world, but i still think it might be worth breaking the bank for those kinds of items if it means that i will value it more highly make it a prized possession and get the best amount of use out of it. in general, i do think that price tag does correlate to quality-- things that cost more are made well and that makes them last, which means that hopefully in the long haul, you end up buying less.

2. be a good house manager and know what you have.

do i know what i own? do i keep it organized? can i find it when needed? it is pretty simple. fundamentally if you don't know what you have, you can't be rightfully appreciating it. thanks to my $15/week project i now keep an inventory of my pantry and freezer and produce items. i find i waste a lot less food and my grocery store runs are much more streamlined and less impulsive. i no longer just throw in a courtesy can of tomato paste and garbanzo beans every damn time i shop. it is amazing what making a list of what you have can do for you. i haven't yet done it, but i think it could be a pretty cool exercise to take a for real inventory of all my possessions. the fact that the task seems so daunting may be a warning bell, but i think i may give it a go. if i really acknowledged on paper how many white tshirts i have or how many pairs of shoes or chopsticks or plates...maybe i would be less inclined to buy more? or maybe i would just make myself insane and make nobody ever want to hang out with me again.

3.understand the term good riddance.

ah, shakespeare. he coined this phrase originally, but i really love the thought behind it. sometimes it IS good to have to part with things. it frees up space in mind and house, and if disposed of properly, it can be of huge benefit to others. dropping off unused items to charity or selling things on craigs list or the ksl classifieds ensures that someone genuinely will utilize and will appreciate your cast offs. i have had a fun time going through my kids old stuff and donating and selling things we no longer can make use of. i've been doing a lot of good riddance of late and it honestly feels like a win win. i also have learned that things that you feel are too nice to use or that may come in handy down the road are usually things you should just get rid of now. i don't see much use in saving the good china for your 50th anniversary meal or never burning the fancy candlesticks or sitting on the good couch. what a waste of space and energy...i really think if you aren't enjoying it and using it, it should find its way into someone's life who will.

4. be open to new ways to shop that are more responsible and likely more fun. i haven't completely been sticking to the pledge to buy handmade, but it is certainly a goal to try and do more of that. there are so many people creating amazing things with their own two hands and there are so many local businesses working hard to make a go of it and keep the money, the craft, and the expertise local. if i am buying, i think it is a good idea to buy in a way that benefits the little guy. chances are i will end up with something more unique and meaningful. i also love love love to support buying second hand. i used to do it purely out of the love of the hunt for something quirky and weird and truly vintage, but i think it makes sense to shop for even everyday things at thrift stores and vintage shops. it is environmentally sound but it is also really fun. i need to give a shout out to savers the unsung hero of the thrift store scene in slc. most people are true to the DI around here, but me, i'm all about savers!

5. everything old can be new again

i love this trend of 'upcyling" stuff, cretaing something new and useful out of something cast off. so many stores around town and a zillion etsy shops have really cute offerings that demonstrate just how chic and cute thrift store finds can be with simple updates like a coat of cute colored paint or adding a fun, new fabric. in my own house, i love the simple trick of rotating objects and rearranging things. switching up pieces of art, knick knacks, lamps, or even big pieces of furniture can breathe new life into a room. lately when i've been getting the itch to go out and buy something because i'm sick of my house and wish i could remodel it already or doing a poor me because of my less than stellar thread count sheets or what have you, this little trick has come in very handy.

6. stay home and/or sleep on it.

i really feel that the best armor i have against buying things i don't need is to stay at home more and cut myself off from the consumer temptations. if i don't go in a store, i can't buy anything. an added bonus is that you don't know what you are missing and my neighbors don't seem to care a wit that everytime they see me i am wearing the exact same tank top. i throw cute catalogs directly in the recycling bin (except curses on you mini boden!) if the temptation to buy something is super strong, i like to indulge in online wishlist shopping and try to fake myself out that i've just made a purchase. i still haven't used lay away but i think that would be another great thing to do before plunging into my next big purchase this way i can double check that i still want it 2 weeks, a month later.