We were planning on going to the local farmers market recently, and I was asking my husband if there was anything he wanted to get there. His reply was something along the lines of 'we need to get rid of stuff, not buy more stuff'. What a wise man! He then went on to say that we need to do 'reverse shopping'. Otherwise known as decluttering, I think. To be fair, the only thing I wanted to find at the markets was seedlings for the new vegie garden. But anyway, he does have a good point.
Having recently moved house, I cannot believe how much 'stuff' we have. I thought we had done quite a bit of decluttering already this year, but apparently nowhere near enough. Actually looking at it now, I think we've been scratching at the surface. All the stuff that is easy to get rid of is gone - the stuff we really didn't like, things long ago received as gifts but never used, the books I really didn't want on our bookshelf. The clothes that were easy to get rid of for whatever reason.
But still so much stuff! Clothes, clothes and more clothes. Clothes that I haven't worn for years, but that I just hang on to in case I one day want to wear them again. Clothes from my days in corporate dress [a while ago now], summery dresses that suited me a few years ago but that I just wouldn't/won't wear now, and twenty million pairs of jeans [out of which none actually fit well]. Bike clothes that I needed for 6am rides during a Canberra winter... which I absolutely do not need now.
As for the books, well, the new house has a room with floor to ceiling built-in bookshelves, so my only problem there is not enough books. Best not talk too much about that in this post.
Then the is the shed. Currently it is overflowing with an excess of 'stuff'; our combined bits and pieces that we have collected over the years. Two washing machines [mine and his, this house comes with one]. A television. His sound system thing. My gym equipment stuff. We both seem to have a bit of trouble parting with these things that are a reflection of our former lives. Apart from the washing machines, it's just pure laziness that they're still here.
Oh and a car. Whereas we needed two cars in our old location, now we have one that doesn't get used at all and one that barely gets used. So we need to get rid of one of those too. It feels like a mountain to be climbed, getting rid of all the excess stuff. We've already taken a few loads to the salvation army bin, and we have a bag sitting in the hallway that is getting added to daily for the next load to go. It is a slow process but it does feel good, seeing things disappear.
I just hope that from this we learn to be more discerning about what we buy in the future. I can already tell you that I will only buy quality jeans that I'll still love in 5 years, rather than cheap trendy options. I will think much more carefully before buying any new clothes, and I'll be trying to use a 'one in, one out' policy. So that if I'm going to buy something new [to me], I'm going to get rid of something old. Be that to the rag bag or the salvos bin.
And as for the bathroom, well, I've come to realise that most of the stuff floating around in that room was/is completely unnecessary, so most of it is going in the bin. Funny how we get sold the idea that we need so many different little lotions and potions, creams and washes. I just want this house to hold the essentials that we need, and nothing more. No clutter, nothing taking up space that doesn't need to be here. Creating a free flow of energy in our space.
So anyway, reverse shopping. The only part missing is where we get money for getting rid of all our excess stuff [well, the smaller stuff anyway]. It would be interesting to add up roughly how much money I had spent on all this stuff that is now going, but I think I would be horrified. I'm happy to put that down to the cost of learning a lesson about having too much stuff.
We never made it to the farmers market either. Baby went to sleep, and one thing I do know is, don't wake a sleeping baby.
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| Open all hours for reverse shopping. You just don't get paid for it. |
But still so much stuff! Clothes, clothes and more clothes. Clothes that I haven't worn for years, but that I just hang on to in case I one day want to wear them again. Clothes from my days in corporate dress [a while ago now], summery dresses that suited me a few years ago but that I just wouldn't/won't wear now, and twenty million pairs of jeans [out of which none actually fit well]. Bike clothes that I needed for 6am rides during a Canberra winter... which I absolutely do not need now.
As for the books, well, the new house has a room with floor to ceiling built-in bookshelves, so my only problem there is not enough books. Best not talk too much about that in this post.
Then the is the shed. Currently it is overflowing with an excess of 'stuff'; our combined bits and pieces that we have collected over the years. Two washing machines [mine and his, this house comes with one]. A television. His sound system thing. My gym equipment stuff. We both seem to have a bit of trouble parting with these things that are a reflection of our former lives. Apart from the washing machines, it's just pure laziness that they're still here.
Oh and a car. Whereas we needed two cars in our old location, now we have one that doesn't get used at all and one that barely gets used. So we need to get rid of one of those too. It feels like a mountain to be climbed, getting rid of all the excess stuff. We've already taken a few loads to the salvation army bin, and we have a bag sitting in the hallway that is getting added to daily for the next load to go. It is a slow process but it does feel good, seeing things disappear.
I just hope that from this we learn to be more discerning about what we buy in the future. I can already tell you that I will only buy quality jeans that I'll still love in 5 years, rather than cheap trendy options. I will think much more carefully before buying any new clothes, and I'll be trying to use a 'one in, one out' policy. So that if I'm going to buy something new [to me], I'm going to get rid of something old. Be that to the rag bag or the salvos bin.
And as for the bathroom, well, I've come to realise that most of the stuff floating around in that room was/is completely unnecessary, so most of it is going in the bin. Funny how we get sold the idea that we need so many different little lotions and potions, creams and washes. I just want this house to hold the essentials that we need, and nothing more. No clutter, nothing taking up space that doesn't need to be here. Creating a free flow of energy in our space.
So anyway, reverse shopping. The only part missing is where we get money for getting rid of all our excess stuff [well, the smaller stuff anyway]. It would be interesting to add up roughly how much money I had spent on all this stuff that is now going, but I think I would be horrified. I'm happy to put that down to the cost of learning a lesson about having too much stuff.
We never made it to the farmers market either. Baby went to sleep, and one thing I do know is, don't wake a sleeping baby.
What a coincidence... I just finished reading a challenge set by another blog I read; http://desirableworld.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/buy-nothing-new-month/
ReplyDeleteMaybe you would be interested in taking part in a 'buy nothing new' month?
It's worth a go... I tried to buy only second hand clothes for a year, which went great until I fell pregnant. I am definitely more discerning about what I do buy though.
DeleteI'm a pretty good declutterer, but my husband is messy, and my 2 girls are pretty good at making messes, mostly of the art kind. You want to encourage them to be arty, but there's always bits of stuff all over the place. It's a constant battle to keep it all in order!
ReplyDeleteYes, I start to understand how child/children can create clutter and mess! Agree, it is a constant battle.
DeleteOh no, do NOT try and add it up! It would be horrifying. I still have bathroom bottles of stuff I don't use. I keep having clear outs but can't bring myself to chuck out something barely used, but the clutter drives me nutty!
ReplyDeleteI really must get onto the decluttering of each room. I have been promising my tidy-brain this for a year, but can't-throw-that-away brain is still winning ;)
Good Luck!
Ha, the can't-throw-that-away brain is very strong willed! I'm telling myself that it's ok to throw it away, and if I ever need 'it' again, I can get a new one (trying to trick the can't-throw-that-away brain). Baby steps...
Delete