To cap off this week I just want to share a post from The Minimialist that I read and enjoyed a while back. I agree wholeheartedly with what they had to say. I won’t add any extra to it from myself as I think I says it all. So without further adieu here is the link.
The Minimalists ~ Prison
Enjoy!
Today’s Mini Mission
Declutter five books from that over full bookcase.
Eco Tip for the Day
Give consumable gifts. Preferably one from sustainable sources.
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
I enjoyed that post too. What’s funny is, I go to that shopping center with some frequency, but only for food! There’s a great Mexican restaurant there, and an even better chocolate shop. That’s the type of consuming I like to do!
A prison is a good way of putting it. Thanks for sharing this Colleen. Since we got rid of the couch I suggested we move the glider rocker from my room out to the living room to sort of balance it out. Mom didn’t want to do it because then my room would only have my bed in it. This is a problem Why?! She says my room will look so forlorn.
Great post – made me laugh. TV commercials crack me up: “No money down! No interest for 15 years! You NEED this item! Buy! Buy! Buy!” I don’t need anything – I have more than I can handle now. The book shelves are looking good, but I found one book to donate and also a purse. 🙂 The kitchen needs a look-see again as well.
The other day my husband and his team won a bowling competition and was awarded a $30 voucher to Noel Leeming (a shop which sells TVs, computers, appliances, etc). He and I both looked at all the products on the website but could not find ONE thing we wanted, let alone needed! Is this progress or what?! I think we’ll probably pass it on to someone else.
Janetta – have a check of your phone chargers first. Quite often the plastic casing pulls away from either of the ends and wires become exposed. A house burnt down in our area recently which has been attributed to that. I’ve got to replace a couple of chargers this weekend and also did a pre-shop on Noel Leemings site and I’ll probably be spending at least $30+
Thanks for the tip Moni!
On the topic of the refurbished prison – we go one better in Auckland, NZ. Victoria Park Markets was originally the city’s rubbish furnace built in 1905 and had stables for the 95 workhorses that pulled the wagons that were the city’s original dump trucks. Surprisingly the whole thing was beautiful brick work and was refurbished into a marketplace by at least the late 70’s as I remember my dad taking us there and telling us about the stables (I didn’t know about it being a rubbish depot until recently but I was horse mad at that age so probably honed in on the horse part). Its now protected by the historic buildings trust and it is a delightful market place to visit but yeah, the irony that it started out as the end point of consumerism and now is the starting point is kinda funny.
Love the Minimalists. One of their recent posts said it all….
“Easiest way to organize your stuff…..is to get rid of most of it”
Colleen would probably add….
Then you can get rid of most of the containers you were using to store your stuff 🙂
Kimberley – amen to that! And yes good point about the containers, I have realised recently that in the storage room at work there is quite a collection going, all neatly stacked in their sizes.
Kimberley – how is the hurricane situation?
Just coming ashore the “Big Island” of Hawaii (the southernmost island in the chain) in the Hilo area. I will probably know more in the next few hours as it makes its impact.
Mahalo for asking 🙂
I also meant to comment on your description of the former rubbish station turned retail shops. I believe that in almost every city I have ever traveled to, there is always a very large, usually historical building that has been re-born as a retail shopping/restaurant area.
I met these guys in person in July. They were really nice, very sincere. I enjoyed hearing them tell their story.
Deanna,
Did you see them on their “Everything that Remains” tour?
I hope they come to Hawaii. Love their posts and how they don’t beat around the bush, so to speak.
I was wondering if anyone would mention their tour. I am going to see them in Sydney in November.
Hi Debra F, I am going to see them in Sydney also.
I am really looking forward to it even though it is difficult being on a Sunday night and like you living in the Hunter but with kids I need to get off to school the next day. I still have time to figure it out.
Thanks Colleen for the link. Wow. When I first started reading The Minimalists essays I found them hard to swallow and too extreme. I stuck to the other great blogs instead. Now I realize it’s because it’s the truth. I think the scariest thing for me minimizing our surroundings over the years is that I start to see more of those other prisons we find ourselves in, mentally, spiritually etc. The consumer prison for me now appears to have just been the outside layer.
Jean,
What you said is very profound!
I really enjoy The Minimalists – fun to watch a video of them!
I have to share a great experience I had today. I had a couple things I’d decluttered and was waiting for the opportunity to take them to the local Goodwill. I grabbed the two items (a basket and a Tupperware pitcher) and thought it seemed a shame to make the trip for just those 2 items. I went through my house looking for a few more things to add to the pile – I couldn’t find anything!! I’m not claiming my house is perfectly decluttered and I don’t have items to purge – but for the first time, I couldn’t easily find things to give away. I was so excited and felt like my decluttering was finally paying off. I have some things that are currently on ebay, and some more that will be listed soon, but they’re all items worth some $$ so I’ll just keep plugging away with them.
Thanks to Colleen, the other posters, and people who leave comments – you all keep me inspired!!!