So, it is 10:09am and I have just sat down to have my midmorning coffee. And as per usual I’m comfy on the sofa with my laptop in front of me about to open Facebook and have a game of Cookie Jam. Yes I know, “What a waste of time!”. However downtime is downtime and we are all entitled to that. A little mindless activity to while away your relaxation time is totally acceptable in my book.

The other thing I do during my downtime is browse Pinterest for craft ideas. Oh, how I can waste hours on that. But it more often than not inspires me to jump up and get creating soon enough.

All that being said, and the reason for today’s post is, that one of my readers, Sally, sent a email last week asking me to write a post about alternative downtime activities to avoid resorting to online shopping.

A harmless game that doesn’t cost a cent and in no way clutters up your home is one thing. Cruising the internet for creative inspiration another, but online shopping, that is a whole other kettle of fish. Sometimes very costly and cluttery fish at that. Especially costly if indulged in by people who can ill afford to be wasting their hard earned cash or who already has a cluttered home.

Now don’t worry, I am not going to suggest that you could spend your downtime decluttering, because to most people that would come under the category of work. And even I am not that keen to declutter. Although I have been known to enjoy it enough to consider it downtime in itself, but would still not list it as a downtime activity.

Anyhow, I have stated my two downtime pointless indulgences but I am sure there are many more. For example…

• Reading
• Knitting or other easily portable craft
• Catching up with friends on Facebook.
• Meditating
• Watch some inspiring YouTube videos ~ Ted Talks or similar.
• Browse recipes online for later inspiration when organising a weekly menu plan or to get out of that ‘same old same old” cooking rut. (I should take my old advice here.)

…just to name a few. Also I googled ‘Alternative activities to avoid online shopping’ and found this little gem…

www.365lessthings.com – Day-157-alternatives-to-shopping

And also this one

How to Program Your Mind to Stop Buying Crap You Don’t Need

I confess I have been known to browse and buy from both old school craft stores and online ones as well, but for the most part, when it comes to shopping of any sort, just thinking about where I would fit an item and how much stuff I already own is enough to put me off buying things.

So does anyone else have some downtime activities that helps them relax that doesn’t involve online shopping. Why not share your experience in the comments.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

I am a mother. I have two small children and, as all mothers will agree, I have been constantly aware how much our kids are brainwashed to want stuff. It is hard that even in school they do that. Recently there was a book fair at my son’s school. At the present moment we are really short of cash for extras so there is no money for spares.  And I am a big FAN of books so I don’t usually question buying a book! Anyway, along comes my 4 year old son (who can’t read) with two little slips of paper saying that he wants two books, for the “lovely” bargain of US$50. Just so you have an idea of how expensive that is here, I can buy around 6kg of red meat (prime) for a whole month with that sort of money. And if I go for white meat I can buy even more!

So, I tell him, no I am not buying any books. The next day, before he goes to school, he looks at me and demands money because they told him he could buy a book and he just had to ask me for the money. You don’t explain to a 4 year old the intrinsic ties of selling and how salespeople are really there to make you buy stuff. You just tell them: No, I have no money for books now. And that is that. 

Our children have to learn that not everything in TV is for real and that they don’t  NEED every single item they WANT. I have cable TV and they watch cartoons and there is a constant flow of advertising. From toys to cleaning products the commercial breaks are filled with advertisings of every conceivable toy on earth and all the must haves for children. My kids have a lot of toys. I have them under control now, but I always dread Christmas because it seems like a tsunami of new things will hit my house. I try to keep things under control, but grandparents and aunts and godmothers are hard to control…lol. However as I work from home I am constantly asked: Mom, can I have that? Mom, can you buy that for Christmas? Mom, I really liked that one… And so on. 

I have learned that we have to say no. Every time they ask me for a toy/plaything/whatever, I always ask them if they don’t have enough. Or what do they wish to donate to someone who has nothing, so they can have a new toy. That also teaches them the value of donation. It is inevitable that new toys will come, so the old have to go. We and they know that there are toys that are overlooked for a time and are not played with anymore. But I digress.

I always tell my children that advertisers mislead you because they want you to buy what they are selling. I was once watching a car commercial with my 6 year old and he asked me if everyone was happy because of the car, because it was a better car than ours (it actually was way better, but a lot more expensive). So I explained to him that a car, no matter how shiny or beautiful can not make a person happy. I told him that that beautiful car did the same thing as ours, but it was more expensive, because it had a few trinkets that ours did not have. Still, it was just a car. And he concluded that a car cannot make you happy. And I said that applied to toys, clothes and many things shown on TV commercial breaks. And he asked: “So they lie to us Mom?” I said: “All the time.” 

I don’t know if he will remember what I said, but I am sure to keep insisting for both my children to remember that the advertisers tell we need something, just to make us want something. 

Don’t stand idle in front of TV commercials. Criticize the product if you feel you must, tell your children that the toy is useless if you think so. (I once refused to buy a little robotic fish because it cost US$40 and it did nothing much!), make them more aware of what they are seeing. If you are not being brainwashed, chances will be they will also begin to see the misleading aspects of advertising.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter any kitchen utensils or gadgets that you don’t use often enough to warrant keeping. ~ Who isn’t on the lookout for something that can make our workload lighter. When it comes to the home the kitchen is a major source of this focus. The problem is that many of the gadgets on the market don’t live up to their promise to lighten that load. The utensils drawer ends up with three different styles of peelers, can openers, potato mashers etc and the shelves are packed with all manner of electric gadgets. I must say that some credit has to be given to anyone who still believes on home cooking rather than caving into buying, not always healthy, prepared meals, but be sceptical about the usefulness or such gadgets.

“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown

Eco Tip for the Day

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Cindy

Once your house is mostly decluttered, besides maintenance, the biggest thing you need to watch out for is accumulation. Everything you buy takes you back toward The Land of Clutter.

We’ve talked about shopping because you’re angry, bored, lonely. Because it’s social or habitual for you. One thing we haven’t talked about is the dangers of drinking, lonliness, boredom, and TV shopping.

A woman I know drinks a lot of wine every night, and she shops. The Home Shopping Network seems to be her favorite. Slightly tipsy, she orders jewelry, knick knacks, and shiny things that catch her eye while she relaxing with her wine. I became of aware of this because of the amount of stuff she was returning, but there’s no way she’s returning it all. Slowly but surely, night by night, she’s accumulating more and more stuff to add to her already very full apartment. She’s drinking and shopping – her inhibitions are down, and all those pretty things on the TV are calling her name.

That got me thinking about my friend’s mother. A shut in and grouchy recluse, she had little company but the TV and those friendly faces on the shopping channels. When he had to move her into assisted living, her home was full of gadgets, what-nots, small appliances, and cheap jewelry – a lot of it still in boxes – that she has acquired from TV shopping.

Those TV shopping channels are almost predatory. People whose lives are full and busy don’t sit around at home waiting for something interesting to buy. But the lonely, sad, drunk, bored are all potential victims.

Has TV shopping ever been a downfall for you?

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter some items of clothing that are shabby, no longer fit or you realise are unflattering.

Eco Tip of the Day

Buying secondhand is better for the environment than buying new. However buying secondhand just for fun of it not only clutters up your home but could be depriving someone else of something that they need who then is forced to buy new.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom

Cindy

Any fan of Star Trek or American pop culture has heard the phrase “Resistance is futile.” It was popularized on the TV show Star Trek when the Borg (human-machine hybrids) were about to assimilate (i.e., suck in, take over, and destroy) a new race of beings.

This phrase popped into my mind yesterday when I was perusing the sales flier for the big box discount store Costco.

Costco and its competitor Sam’s sell items in bulk – big bulk – in a warehouse setting and at discounted prices, often significantly discounted. Not only can you buy food in bulk, more than half the store is dedicated to non-disposable items such as kitchen appliances, electronics, mattresses, furniture, office supplies, and a huge variety of “storage solutions.” (Clever of them!)

It is not possible to keep / achieve a decluttered house without resisting the temptation to purchase more. Everything that you bring into the house indiscriminately is what later turns into stuff that needs to be decluttered.

Let’s walk through the sales flier together, and I’ll tell you what I’m thinking as we go along:

• First page, TVs and electronics – “Don’t need any of these, keep going.”
• Norton Anti-Virus, limit 10. “I wonder who would buy ten? Why buy the software at all? You can pay for it on your computer and download it directly, no software, box etc. needed.”
• 4 pounds of jelly beans and 48 Pop Tarts. “No one needs that many Pop Tarts or jelly beans. No one.”
• Izze sparkling juice, Kashi Go Lean cereal, Splenda. “Still have plenty of all of those. They’ll be on sale again. No need to buy today.”
• Bottled water with and without vitamins. “Probably the number one source of plastic waste after plastic bags. Why do people buy it?”
• Sonicare toothbrush. “I bought one of these for Audra for Christmas, because she’s such a tooth brushing fanatic. Wish I’d realized that the replacement heads are almost $10 each, though. What a rip off!”
• Vitamins. “Have what I need right now. They’re always on sale.”
• Various medications. “Don’t need, don’t need, don’t need.”
• Charmin toilet paper. “Don’t need any right now. I hope they get the recycled kind back in stock.”
• Paper towels. “I hardly ever use these, and only buy one roll at a time. I certainly don’t need a dozen.”
• Ziploc baggies. “I definitely don’t need these! Still have some that I purchased 2 years ago. I wish I’d known how long it would take me to use them.” (I try not to use baggies, and when I do, I always wash and reuse until they fall apart or until I put meat in them.)
• Venus razors. “Clara uses a Venus, but she just needs replacement blades. This has three handles, too. What in the world?”
• Quicken. “Same with Norton Anti-Virus. Most software can be downloaded.”
• Beds, furniture, giant playset. “No, no, no.”

So I’ve done it. I’ve looked through the sale flier of one of the stores that I frequent most often and found nothing new, special, or discounted that I cannot live without, at least until my current supply runs down.

How do I approach shopping in the store?

I start with a list. We keep a running list of things that are finished / running low on the refrigerator. Everyone in the family knows to add to this list. Things that are purchased at Costco are marked with a big C.

When I enter Costco,

• I walk past all the electronics, furniture, appliances, etc. that line the left side of the store and head directly to the back where the refrigerated cases, bread, and liquor is. I pick up what is on my list, usually bread, Parmesan cheese, beer, and hummus.
• I often buy apples (although the plastic boxes that the apples are packaged in bother me greatly) and a sack of oranges. It doesn’t matter that other fruit or vegetables are so cheap that a box here is the same cost as 2 or 3 pieces at the regular grocery; I only need 2 or 3 pieces, and the rest would be wasted.
• I swing to the back of the store if I need toilet paper, dog food, cat food, or outdoor bird seed.
• Then I hit the freezer cases (again, only buying what it on my list), and quickly make my way through the grocery area, avoiding any aisle that doesn’t contain items that are on my list. 
• Occasionally I make a pass through the pharmacy section.
• Last I hit the snack area and pick up a few things there. Then I check out. 

You’ll notice that I skipped the entire middle section of the store, where all the books, DVDs, seasonal items, clothes, and linens are stocked. Those are not on my list; I do not need to venture in there.

How do I deal with the ladies passing out yummy samples? I hardly ever refuse them, but I don’t buy the item on impulse. It wasn’t on my list; it will be there next time; waiting keeps me from bringing home two dozen servings of something that no one may want to eat after trying the first one or two.

To reiterate:

• No shopping for non-consumables that aren’t my list. No looking even.
• Buy only what is on the list.
• Remember that even if I like a product, I may not like a 4 pound package of it.
• Don’t shop in aisles that don’t contain goods on the list.
• Don’t wander. In any store, the more you wander, the more likely you are to buy what you didn’t intend to purchase.
• No impulse purchases from samples.

Resistance is NOT futile, and if you do it right, you feel like an efficient and smart shopper, not like someone who is about to be assimilated by the Borg of consumerism.

Today’s Mini Mission

CDs and DVDs are another thing that we can tire of over time. Flick through your music and movie collections and decide whether they are all loved enough to keep. Sell or donate the excess.

Eco Tip for the Day

Save petrol by making do with what is in the fridge and cupboard rather than taking an unnecessary trip to the store.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Written by:- Cindy Bogard

If you’re in a big hurry, just read this: 

Resist!

If you’re not in such a hurry, feel free to read on.

In the United States, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, which was on Thursday this week. Sadly, the website Answers.com defines Black Friday as “an unofficial American holiday”. Sad, not because the rest of you are missing out; sad because a day of shopping insanity has somehow become “an unofficial American holiday”.

So what is Black Friday? As I said, it’s the day after Thanksgiving and the official start to what’s called the holiday shopping season. (Spring, Summer, Fall, Holiday Shopping, Winter?) It’s called black because of traditional accounting notations: While debt is noted in red, profit is noted in black. Some businesses run “in the red” all year and don’t go “into the black” until the shopping mayhem begins the day after Thanksgiving.

Black Friday is a day of amazing sales and deep discounts. Some stores open as early as 4:00 am, with people staying up all night in the parking lot so they can be the first in the door, as the very best sales (aptly named “doorbusters”) are only available in limited quantities. In 2008, a worker at Wal-Mart was trampled to death in the frenzied crush of Black Friday.

Recently, a friend forwarded to me a website devoted to Black Friday (www.Black-Friday.net). They’re posting the circulars (advertisements) in advance on their site and boast over 100,000 fans on Facebook. They report that Kmart’s Black Friday circular is 44 pages and that  “We can’t stress enough how much we love this ad (Wal-Mart). There are tons of excellent deals and we think you will be very happy with it.”

Oh my. What’s a decluttering gal to think?

Resist!

If you really feel that you need or want a 47″ flat screen TV or a new laptop, don’t let a sale ad make the decision for you. Research your purchase. Think through your decision making. Don’t buy in haste. The same rules apply to shopping on Black Friday as to every other day. If you see what you want at an excellent price, and you can tolerate the bedlam (which I can’t), then fill up your thermos with coffee, stand in line all night long, and get your doorbuster deal, but don’t buy out the place just because there are sale ads plastered on every item in the store. Remember, the stores are desperate for you to buy; that doesn’t mean you need to be desperate to purchase.

May your Friday not be Black

Weekend Mini Missions

Saturday – Declutter a part of a set, group or collection of items where you use or enjoy some pieces but not others. Here is a post from Cindy that explains what I mean but it doesn’t give any advice on how to convince yourself to let go. I can assure you though that I have done this several times over the last couple of years and I have never regretted it once.

Sunday - Sunday is reserved for contemplating one particular item, of your choice that is proving difficult for you to declutter. Whether that be for sentimental reasons, practical reasons, because the task is laborious or simply unpleasant, or because the items removal requires the cooperation of another person. That last category may mean that the item belongs to someone else who has to give their approval, it could also mean there is a joint decision to be made or it could mean that the task of removing it requires assistance from someone else. There is no need to act on this contemplation immediately, it is more about formulating a plan to act upon or simply making a decision one way or another.

Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom

Cindy

I’ve started stocking up for Christmas. I’m not entirely sure this is a good idea. In the past, when my children were younger, I’d sometimes see something six months before Christmas that I thought would make a good gift. By the time Christmas came ’round, I’d realized that my child was too old / too young / no longer interested in X, so now my gift needed to be re-gifted. (Do you call it re-gifting when it’s never even been gifted once?)

My caution about stocking up is compounded by my once good idea that went bad on me: Having a gift box full of a choice of generic gifts, purchased on sale, for my children to select from when they were invited to parties. The reason this idea went bad wasn’t because I made poor choices. It’s because I had about 10 gifts to choose from, and around 3rd or 4th grade, my children were no longer invited to every party for every child in their classes. Instead, they were only invited to a few select parties a year, meaning two things – 1.) that they’d prefer to pick out a special gift for the special friend and 2.) that they aged out of the gifts I’d stored up because they weren’t using the box so frequently.  (If you have children in preschool and early elementary and a couple of children of mixed ages, I still recommend the gift box; just cut off your buying in 2nd grade or so.)

Buying gifts too far in advance can lead to clutter, incovenience, and an excess of spending, all things we’d like to avoid. So why have I bravely started stocking up this year? Well, for one thing, my children are older and their interests and abilities aren’t changing on a monthly basis. For another, it’s October: Christmas isn’t really that far away. (If you shop at Wal-Mart or Costco, you might think it was next week!) In addition, I’ve decided that the positive aspects of buying in advance outweigh my fear of going wrong.

• Buying in advance allows for slow and careful purchasing. I can shop for the best price or possibly find my items used (for example, a book).
• I can purchase when there’s a sale.
• I will avoid panic shopping at the last minute, which is good for my mental health and prevents rash “grab anything for Aunt Myrtle” gifts: Gifts that are doomed from the beginning to become clutter at Aunt Myrtle’s house.
• I have time to weigh the value of a gift against the cost or other factors without having to make quick decisions.
• When we buy all our gifts at once or in a short time, it’s easy to toss one more or two or ten more last minute items or stocking stuffers into our cart without thinking, wasting money and creating clutter.

The most important task you have to make this successful is to keep a list of what you’ve purchased and ideas for things you might want to purchase (or make).  A list will keep you from getting carried away, will make you aware of how many gifts you’ve already purchased  and prevent you from skewing your gifts too heavily in one direction (like the year Clara got about 10 pair of earrings. By the end, she was less than completely thrilled). Remember that gift cards, tickets to events, or promises to special outings make wonderful clutter-free gifts. (Also, Colleen has a list of un-clutter gifts under “Guides” at the top of the page. These list are definitely worth exploring and considering.)

I’ve started stocking up for Christmas, have you?

Today’s Mini Mission

Take action on something that you want to declutter but aren’t sure how best to move it on. Maybe it’s time you investigated the possibilities.

Today’s Declutter Item

This book was just one small thing my daughter had left behind.

Eco Tip for the Day

Don’t use throw away cleaning wipes. They have them for cleaning wood, kitchen spills, television screens, make-up removal etc etc. You can do all these jobs with a little water and a microfibre cloth that can be washed and used over and over again.

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” Brother David Steindl-Rast

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

We live in a world ruled by excessive consumerism.

Everyday we receive hundreds of messages that try to make us feel incomplete. They try to sell us the idea that we don’t have enough stuff, so that we go buy more stuff to fill the void and be happy.

These messages use the influence of scarcity to trigger your pains and fears.

The question is: how can you protect yourself from the negative influence of the scarcity mentality.

The answer lies in your ability to sacrifice.

When you make a small sacrifice by getting rid of everything that doesn’t matter, by eliminating the unnecessary and by decluttering your environment, only then simplicity will take over and you’ll experience a major difference in your life.

When you let go of the clutter, you realize that you already have enough and that your soul enjoys more and breathes freely in the new open space you’ve created.

The belief that you already have enough is the essence of minimalism.

“Minimalism is realizing that what I already have is enough, and that adding clutter to the pile won’t make it any better. And chasing a dream of more minimalism is, ironically, not what I’m after either.” – Sarah Peck

When you sacrifice the things you think you need, but never actually use, you will discover and connect with what you truly need, use and like.

There is a very interesting experiment that I’m currently doing and would like to invite you to do it with me. I call it The One Week Closet Experiment. I learned about the idea from Dave Bruno’s book The 100 Thing Challenge.

Here’s how to do this experiment:

1. Open your closet and pick up enough clothes for one week.
2. Store these one week clothes in a separate section in your closet.
3. Over the next week or two, only wear from the items in this section.
4. Share your conclusions in the comments below.

I promise you’ll be hugely surprised by what you’re going to do with the rest of your clothes!

If you’re joining this experiment, please leave a comment now to let me know you’re in.

“I think we have to be not so afraid of scarcity. We have to be willing to give away all things.” – Sharon Stone

Bio: In his blog,  Midway Simplicity, Mohamed Tohami shares mainstream simple living ideas that are not too harsh for your lifestyle.Visit his blog now to grab your free copy of “The 30-Day Simplicity Challenge” ebook.

Today’s Mini Mission

There is usually at least one make-up item among the others that we once thought suited our pearticular kind of beauty but now wonder where we got that idea. If you have such an item but haven’t had the sense to throw it away yet, today is the day.

Today’s Declutter Item

One more kitchen item that wasn’t much loved or much used.

Cane Basket

Eco Tip Of The Day

If you have take-away coffee on a daily or regular basis take your own reusable cup.

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” Brother David Steindl-Rast

Colleen and Cindy wish all our American readers and the good folk of Leiden (Netherlands) a very happy Thanksgiving

May you eat all you want and not gain an ounce. Now that would be something to be grateful for.

A little more Wisdom from Cindy

Photo credit http://gengame.net/

In the United States, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, the day that marks the start of the “holiday shopping season.” It’s a day of amazing sales and deep discounts. Some stores open as early as 4:00 am, with people staying up all night in the parking lot so they can be the first in the door, as the very best sales (aptly named “doorbusters”) are only available in limited quantities. In other countries, Boxing Day is similar.

Probably everyone who lives in the US is familiar with Groupon and other coupon sites. A few weeks ago, Living Social Deals offered a half-price VIP Black Friday shopping extravaganza at the mall nearest to my house. Normally $20, this deal for two shoppers was discounted to $10. What did you get for your $10? Parking in a reserved area of the mall, access to a VIP rest and refreshment area, and transportation on an electric cart to and from my car. I’m still marveling at the cleverness of the mall at making just shopping there something that you can pay for.

Here’s the take away message for Black Friday. If you want something, have planned for, made a smart determination that this item is needed by you, and you can afford it, feel free to purchase that item while it’s on sale. Otherwise, stay home. Rest. Enjoy your family. Eat leftovers. Watch a football game. Read a book. Just because the stores are desperate for you to purchase doesn’t mean that you have to be desperate to buy.

May your Friday not be Black

Today’s Declutter Item

Instead of risking getting trampled to death on Black Friday why not buy secondhand on eBay. You’ll still get a bargain plus buying preloved items is better for the environment. I recently sold these Peanuts Pez dispensers on eBay and made three people very happy. The buyer who was happy to add them to his collection. My son because the money went into his bank account. And me because they are one less item of clutter wasting space in my home.

Peanuts Pez sold on eBay

Something I Am Grateful For Today

My parents made it to me safe and sound and now I get to enjoy then for the next five days. 

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” Brother David Steindl-Rast

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom

You can’t push a string…

Different people have different styles, styles of gift giving being no exception. In my family, specific (extremely specific) gift requests aren’t considered out of line. In my husband’s family, many gifts, all surprises, are the norm. Well, we all know what happens when people you rarely see or talk to give you “surprise” gifts, right?

It took me years of interacting with my in-laws before I realized that I could not control them, I could only control myself. (Some very obvious lessons are nonetheless hard to learn.) I started announcing in November that we would only be giving to charity, or that we would be giving only homemade gifts, or that we would only give food gifts. That way they knew what to expect from us and could chose to match our smaller gifts, or not, but they surely wouldn’t be surprised.  Over time, everyone has decreased their giving. Last year, each of the girls received a gift from their Aunt and Uncle, and my husband and I received a lovely box of chocolates. That was all, and it was perfect. My in-laws took the girls to the mall and bought them two gifts each. This worked for everyone because the grandparents knew they were getting something the children wanted and because the girls don’t go to the mall often (and certainly never with the grandparents, who live far away), so it was a big treat for everyone, even for Dan and I who got a few hours alone.

So how should you handle people who give differently than you would like to receive?

1. If it’s grandparents wanting to load up the kids, make your boundaries clear. You are the parent. Say, “No more than X gifts.” Or “She wants a X, but I don’t think it’s appropriate, so please do not purchase it for her.”
2. Or (one I used) “Do not buy any little plastic crap.” Yeah, maybe I should have said it nicer, but all those cute little impulse items are here one minute and gone the next – a waste of money and resources.
3. If it’s your girlfriends, suggest a meal out together or a trip to get your toes painted or something else that is fun and not material.
4. If it’s your family, suggest drawing names so that you only have to give a gift or two.

I think the biggest key is..

1.  If you’re changing your usual pattern, let those who will be affected know in advance. Now is not too soon. That gives them time to adjust too, and
2.  Remember that you can not change other people, you can only change yourself.

You can’t push and string, but you can pull it.

Today’s Declutter Item

Oh, if only making Christmas uncomplicated was as simple as pressing the Easy Button. Well you know what it isn’t that much harder, all you have to do is convince yourself and lay down as little ground work like Cindy suggests above. This button was a silly fundraising gimmick from Staple office supplies years ago and I must admit we did have fun with it for a while but it is now being passed on to a friend who also found it amusing.

The Easy Button, oh, if it where only that simple!

Something I Am Grateful For Today

I bought a nice little summer dress at the thrift store last week for $4 even though it was slightly too big. Today I used the skills my mother taught me and took it in on the side seams. The dress now fits perfectly and I am so pleased. I love it when you need something and it materialises, inexpensively and sustainably. 

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” Brother David Steindl-Rast

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

As promised on Tuesday I have another wonderful interview to share with you today. Once again Ideealistin has put together a great interview, this time with Dave Bruno of The 100 Thing Challenge.

You might remember back on January 13th my post consisted of a review of Dave’s book The 100 Thing Challenge and how my skepticism changed to enlightenment once I had read the book. Before this I had only seen snippets from other bloggers about this concept and I thought it was just a fad that would be expensive to retract when the novelty wore of for some of the over eager participants who plunged into the deep end at the drop of a hat. I dare say this was the case for some but as it turned out Dave’s Challenge went a little deeper than that and was only applied to his share of personal items in the household to which he was a merely one member.

Although I do not aspire to ever attempt the 100 Thing Challenge I found that what Dave aspired to and achieved was not all that different and carries much the same lessons as my own challenge has done for me.

The Interview

Dave, you decided to cut back on consuming after realising it’s not moving you closer to contentment but rather is a rat race. Was the cutting back an idea that formed slowly or did you have some kind of epiphany?

Dave Bruno: It definitely formed over time. For many years, I had wanted to live more simply than I actually did. So the idea of simplifying was there. But the decision to do the 100 Thing Challenge was a bit of an epiphany. It was a plan I thought up in one night and jumped right into.

Why did you have to do it in a challenge? Did you need a big bang? A starting point? A definite goal? A guideline? A name for it?

Dave Bruno: I cannot answer this question well. The idea just came to me. You have to understand, at the time I decided to do this, I only had maybe 50 people reading my website. This 100 Thing Challenge idea was personal. My way of resisting consumerism. I had no thoughts whatsoever that anyone would think it was interesting. It never ceases to amaze me that hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people around the world have heard of the 100 Thing Challenge and are fascinated by it. While I cannot quite comprehend that, perhaps the response to the 100 Thing Challenge is the most interesting thing about it. Consumerism, it seems, is very much on the minds of many people around the world.

Minimalism, abstinence, vegetarianism – do you have an explanation why we love to label our lifestyle choices so much (just as we like to have labels on things apparently …) and  whether this is a good or a bad thing?

Dave Bruno: This is an important question. Humans are purposeful. We long to do actions that are meaningful. We are unique among the creation in this manner. There are no other creatures that even come close to humans with regards to our longing for purpose. Why does a person practice abstinence? Simply so that she does not have sex? No. She has a reason behind it. Perhaps a health reason or a moral reason. She’s intentional. But I am troubled by some people who practice minimalism. For some minimalists, there is no purpose. Having few possessions is the end. Usually people who feel this way then use their minimalism for self-indulgence. They are unattached to possessions and so feel free to do whatever they want. Their purpose is themselves. I think that is a damaging philosophy.

My own view is that consumerism has replaced the human desire to accomplish meaningful things with an impulse to buy things. Thus, I am advocating simple living as a way to remember who we are. It’s not that we are meant to only have 100 things. It’s that we are meant to do meaningful actions. When we fill our lives up with possessions, we forget who we are. So minimalism is a way to see ourselves for who we are. But it is not an end. It is a path to living a more purposeful, less selfish, life.

100 was just a number you picked randomly (probably because it sounded good?) – where you aware that so many people would follow you, try to beat you or discuss, whether 100 was a good or a bad number?

Dave Bruno: Again, I didn’t think about what others would say. I didn’t want to be a hermit, so I didn’t pick 50. And 150 would have been too easy. So 100 seemed like the right number. I suppose, looking back, it is a good number to have picked. People like a nice round number.

The experiment wasn’t necessarily about balance but about exploring what’s possible in terms of doing without. What is harder,to reach and endure the extreme or to live and define the ever changing balance?

Dave Bruno: Here in America we live in a consumer culture. It is very easy to get stuff. It is hard to get rid of stuff. So it was difficult to purge my possessions. Once they were gone, though, it was relatively easy to live with less. That’s the big secret of the 100 Thing Challenge: It wasn’t that hard.

What was the best you got out of the experiment? What was bad? and what was probably totally unexpected?

Dave Bruno: There are two bests. First, living with less does produce freedom. It has allowed me more time and energy to pursue meaningful activities. That’s wonderful!

Perhaps the bad and the unexpected are the same. I’ve become more aware than ever how much consumerism has damaged many lives and the world. In our times, the relentless pursuit of stuff has destroyed families, who divorce and fight because of stuff! It has squandered tallent, as young professionals use their skills to make and sell stuff. And of course it has damaged the earth. When we’re busy buying our next toy, we don’t see these tragedies. When we slow down and become aware, there is some grief we must grieve.

Is there anything you thought you could do without and found out you couldn’t? And if yes, was it a problem for you to go one step back because it was hard to replace something or  hard to admit defeat?

Dave Bruno: I don’t have a hard time admitting defeat. Who hasn’t been wrong? And will I not be wrong again some day? Best to admit it and move on.

Anyway, I did replace my guitar after the challenge was over. I simply missed it. I’m not a musician, so it wasn’t horrible to live without a guitar for a year. But after the year was over, I decided I wanted music back in my life.

Also, I would like a new pair of shoes.

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Once again I have to say what a great interview. Ideealistin asked some questions of Dave that, since reading the book, I really wanted answers to. I was particularly taken with this response from Dave ~ For some minimalists, there is no purpose. Having few possessions is the end. Usually people who feel this way then use their minimalism for self-indulgence. They are unattached to possessions and so feel free to do whatever they want. Their purpose is themselves. I think that is a damaging philosophy. ~ It is something I have suspected from the moment that I discovered this movement called minimalism. I dare say that although the majority genuinely care for the environment and quality of life for themselves and others there will alway be the few who see it as a way to be lazy, uncommitted and totally carefree. Although those traits my sound tempting to a degree there is usually a point where they can be taken too far and the participant just becomes a burden on society.

My deepest thanks go out to Ideealistin for the opportunity to post this interview on my blog and many thanks to Dave Bruno for allowing her to share his words with me.

Today’s Declutter Item

In an attempt to declutter his pocket of bulk my husband has worked his way through a few brands of wallet/bill folds over some years. This is one of the rejects that will be handed on to the thrift store. Hopefully the one he is using now is perfect.

Hubby's Old Bill Fold

Something I Am Grateful For Today

I am extremely grateful that I have had the opportunity to travel in my life. Whether overseas of within my own country it is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to see new places, meet new people and learn a little more about this wonderful planet on which we live.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow