On Fridays at 365 Less Things I share with you my favourite comments from my wonderful readers and my favourite web finds of the week. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.
Favourite Comments. Enjoy!
This comment from Ideealistin came in too separate parts. Here and here. Don’t miss the part where she is telling us that she has a beautiful new baby daughter. 50 isn’t such and old age but I feel like I am watching some of my younger readers growing up. Congratulation Ideealistin, life will be very different from this point forward.
Rebecca B. A. R. has a great suggestion as to where to donate unwanted suitcases in this comment. Great idea Rebecca. Those precious children can do with whatever moral boost they can be given. A suitcase isn’t just a place to store clothes in this situation.
Moni shares with us a good tip for keeping kitchen drawers tidy in this comment.
I loved this comment from Grace from Brazil. She was good enough to set herself as an example of “this is what you should not do” to emphasise the message in Cindy’s post. Good on you Grace!
I don’t know how I missed this comment from Moni the first time around but I was lucky to find it when writing up todays post. Another Moni classic.
Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!
Wendy F sent through this link. It is a little out of season but gift giving happens all year round so a little reminder to be sensible with it never hurts ~Â www.guardian.co.uk – On-12th-day-christmas-present-junk.
Here is a link that Steve flicked over to me last week ~Â lifehacker.com – Declutter-in-your-life-and-embrace-minimalism-this-weekend
Nana enjoyed this post and wanted to share it with you all.~aslobcomesclean.com ~ Drawing on past clutter experience
Fruitcake also sent a link this week ~Â www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/apr/12/escalating-consumption.
And here is a post for those book lovers out there that are trying to reduce their collections. The Other  side of complexity – Things to remember when getting rid of books .
Today’s Mini Mission
Round up, declutter and organise hair accessories ~ These tend to end up scattered all over the place making them impossible to find when you need them. They end up in school bags, handbags, bathroom drawers, bedside cabinets, in the little nooks and crannies in the car, sports/gym bags, coat pockets and even under the sofa cushions.
Eco Tip For The Day
Use lists to save fuel. As you think of errands you need to run during your week jot them down. Then arrange them in sequential order for economy of time and driving.
It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow
RebeccaJ says
The Lifehacker and “a slob comes clean” links don’t appear to be functioning properly.
Thanks for the link about the books! I think my changing mindset is most obvious with books. I used to collect them – books were friends. It didn’t really bother me that I might keep a book for the rest of my life and not read it. I did read, but not at a rate to get through the books. But with the decluttering, I’ve been sending away so many books that I realized I have no desire to read or re-read. The idea that each book has to be useful is a big change for me. Still have too many, but I’m working on it.
Also interesting about the suitcases. I have a large one that I haven’t used since 2005. I’ve been keeping it just in case, but clearly the situations in which it is useful to me are limited.
Cindy says
I didn’t have luck with those two links either.
I thought the one of blaming other countries for their admissions while we buy goods from them was a grim but good one.
Colleen Madsen says
That was a grim post Cindy but a good thing to bring to peoples attention. Mind you the country manufacturing these things also have to take responsibility for that. After-all the desire making the almighty buck has just as big an impact as the desire to spend it.
Moni says
Cindy – I sat there nodding at that point too. Its a supply and demand situation, an optimising of a business opportunity.
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Rebecca J, I had noticed the broken links as soon as I opened to blog this morning but thank you for mentioning it because I don’t always see these things immediately. They are fixed now.
I used to have a large suitcase but when it was full it was overweight for going on a aeroplane so we got rid of it. We tend to travel very light these days so even the two smaller suitcases we have get used much less often. We do need them though because it isn’t always possible to travel as light as we like.
Sanna says
I really like the one about books as well!
Deb J says
Colleen, another good week of great comments and great links. Let us know when the two links get up and running again. I know they will be something good to read. “The 12th Day of Christmas Junk” was good. I think of this every time I buy a gift. I have two weddings coming up and after looking at the items listed on the gift registries I decided to get the ones that seemed to be needed and not the extras. I’m not only thinking about the need side of it but the environment side too. The link to the economic consumption article was good too. This is one place that bothers me because I know that we have such a long way to go as countries to get to where we are doing the right things. Everyone will have to pay a price for us to get to where we should be and most don’t want to pay that price. I still have a problem with books. For one thing, Mom does not have a Kindle that provides her a way to read non-paper books. I have stopped buying most and instead borrow them from a friend or from the library for her. I would like to be able to afford to buy her a Kindle and then buy Kindle copies of all of the books we have that we read over and over. It’s a dilemma I don’t have an answer to yet. I enjoyed the comment by Moni regarding texting to her husband everything she did all day long. I love it. I enjoyed all the comments you mentioned and am so excited for Ideealistin and her new baby.
Cindy says
Hi Deb J. I’m 19, and yet I don’t really like technology and even less modern one. I think that having a Kindle or anything like that keeps you away from feeling a real book in your hands, smelling it and all those kind of feelings we are able to feel. I hate buying things in general, so for books it’s the same. But I pay 8€ per year to go to the library, it’s so good to have them home, and get them back.
I totally understand the problem of paper and I try to do my best regarding that question. But those books already exist, it’s not a matter of printing them (and so, there, using paper), they stand preciously on the library’s shelves, and it’s like we can’t let them dying. I think that buying more technology is not the answer.
Deb J says
I understand your point, Cindy. In my case, my hands and arms have a hard time holding books and they hurt if I do it for very long. The Kindle I can put in my lap holder and don’t have to even use my hands except to “turn” the page. It really helps. I also don’t have to go to the Library because I can download them over the internet from the Library. That means less physical energy spent so I can do other things.
Colleen Madsen says
That also means not having to transport the books back and forwards. One would think that, and the lack of manufacturing of multiple books, makes the Kindle a much more environmentally friendly option.
Cindy says
Yes, I understand that it’s a better option for you indeed Deb J.
It’s just also that to me, I wouldn’t have read a lot of books dealing with ecology and psychology and other subjects without wandering at the library.
I don’t like to go outside in the city, so in a way it forces me to do that, and to talk to people I would have not talk to if I had stayed home at first.
I tried to read books on the computer, it’s okay, but I read much better if I have the book in my hands.
I guess there are both advantages and inconvenient to each person’s case.
Deb J says
One thing I like about our Library is that they have the books online set up by subject matter so you can “browse” the areas. That means that I get to try a lot of types of books. It is good that it gets you out.
Colleen Madsen says
I am a tactile and visual person but nevertheless I still struggle with the idea that a physical book is better than a digital one. Surely, ultimately a book is about the words, the story. But then again I am also a doing person, not one for sitting still for long, so I am really not much of a reader either.
Northmoon says
I’ve been aware of the problems of considering constant growth a necessity, especially among politicians for some time but the George Monbiot column takes it further and points out all our responsibility. Decluttering has certainly helped stop my mindless shopping. You see how quickly a once prized item becomes just one of many, then eventually turns into disposable clutter.
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Northmoon, whenever anyone counters my comments about rampant consumerism with talk of healthy economies I just say there has to be a better way to keep economies healthy without polluting the planet. This behaviour that has become so normal to us is simply a bad habit that surely can be changed.
Moni says
Some interesting links today, I enjoyed the 12 days of xmas – only 1% of gifts still being used 6 months later – wow. Last year I was a bit embarressed, surprised is probably the better reaction, with one of my daughters issuing a wish-list, it was worded very nicely saying she didn’t want to own a lot of stuff but did have particular ideas of what she’d like to receive. She explained that on this list the more pricey items she was expecting to save up for herself but had included on this paper because if there wasn’t something on the cheaper end of her wishlist……cash towards her savings would be really appreciated. She also had cheaper items, very specific like phone credit (because buying her phone credit comes out her monthly savings) and a couple of other items – but showed the best deal that was available. She also listed some ‘cost nothing’ items. She also added that she also didn’t want to give unwanted gifts and if there was something someone wanted to please let her know. As I said, I was a wee bit surprised as it came out of nowhere, but it was well received by everyone as happy to contribute towards a iphone even though she had still quite a way to go with saving. BUT then we got a call from one of the recipients of the list to say that on a bargain deal of the day site, if she was happy to go with an iPhone 4 instead of 5, they were selling refurbished ones to the specs she’d listed, with a 1 year warranty, for half price and so with her savings and gifted money she had enough and even a bit left over. So the lesson I took from it is that by putting her intentions out respectively, not only did they not have the pressure of shopping for her, but also the family network was able to help find her a cheaper option to get what she wanted.
Of course, I always enjoy a good link focusing on books.
Colleen Madsen says
I remember you telling us about this at Christmas time. I was then and still am very impressed with your daughter over this thoughtful way to approach gift receiving. Good for her.
Dizzy says
Oh what a star good for her, obviously in time you won’t be getting a call from this daughter to come help her with her clutter 🙂 🙂 🙂
Wendy F says
I am grateful for Fridays Favourites, especially the comments that are really great. Some I read and enjoy on the day, others I am glad Colleen highlights them for more reading.
The suitcase idea is brilliant! Have a friend who works in that area so will chat to her when she returns from her holiday to see if they would like some.
George Monbiot’s conversation is almost exactly the same as one I had recently , with a similarly, financially endowed lady. Their own personal consumption is not the problem with the world, “It is all those children that people have! ”
I love life hacker , could spend a day clicking on all the links , then forget to do what they said :).
Cheers
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Wendy, I am glad you like Friday’s and thank you for your contribution this week.
Andréia says
Hi Colleen! It is almost 3 o’clock and inspired by “A slob comes clean” and by this afternoon’s off time (had to wait for my husband and while doing nothing started organizing papers in my bag) I have started the office. I am far from finished. But as I have organized my office once before successfully, I decided to go on that path again. I think that leaving things to do “later” was really my downfall this time around. Now, I will get something done, as Cindy put so wisely last week, instead of doing nothing because it is so much.
Ideealistin says
Thanks everyone for the congratulations on the baby. She really is a life change – but also a mind change. A couple of months ago I would not have imagined to adress the books AGAIN . The collection had been wittled down tremendously already over the past few years, confining the books to a dedicated space – two bookcases – instead of stacking books wherever possible and I had already gotten much better about the hoarding of unread books because I had become more conscious of whether I would have the time/energy to read them. But having the baby around for a while made me realize that I still need to let go of much more.
So thanks, Colleen, for the link on the book decluttering. It comes at exactly the right time. And what I loved most about it is how he states that he is not going to stop buying books and not stop reading books. Which I also read as “not going to stop loving books”. I think now if more people got it into their heads that there is no vow, no one-size-fits all, that there’s no minimalism-police hunting them down if they ever decide to have/want/need more again and that therefore there is no sacrifice (and after all no excuse not to let go of certain things)!
Calico ginger says
“no minimalism-police hunting them down” – LOVE it! BTW Enjoy that baby – they grow up fast!
Ideealistin says
I do, Calico Ginger! In fact we are cuddling right now – meaning she sort of sleeps on me after nursing and I whipe up her Spit from Time to time. doing this half a dozen Times per day for the past few weeks and enjoying it so so much made realize: Not too much Time for reading this year. And who Knows what topics I want to Read about once I have more Time again. I then want a (relatively) clean slate.
Jen says
Congrats on the little one! Enjoy this precious time as they are babies for only a little while.
Andréia says
Very well said, Ideealistin! And congratulations on the new baby. Having my children was a mind blowing and changing moment for me in a wonderful way.
Jen says
Great comments and links this week. I need to take another look at the books, they can always use a second look. Today, I thought of your post concerning the man who made a logical decision to get rid of his boat while it was still in good shape. I was waiting for an appointment today and overheard a lady talking about how much stuff that a person she knew had in their home. She referenced that there was only a path to get thru the garage and that furniture had to be bought into the house and she wasn’t sure how that was going to happen with all of that stuff in the garage. Then someone else mentioned that they were paying storage unit fees and since they didn’t want anything that was in there, they were getting rid of the stuff, so that they would no longer have to pay for the unit. I was not in a position to comment on the first conversation, but too bad that not everyone can embrace letting go of their stuff.