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.
Being home has not guaranteed me the time I need to keep up with comments this week. I apologies to those who are accustomed to my usual enthusiastic interactions and for sharing my favourites here today.
After catching up with friends on Tuesday I then spent most of Wednesday volunteering at the thrift shop. I sent what was left of Wednesday and all of Thursday helping my daughter and her partner unpack and organise their new home. Although they seem to have way too many clothes they certainly aren’t inundated with stuff. Their huge four bedroom home is all but bare and will likely stay that way until they can afford to get some more furniture for it.
They have the right idea though. If they don’t badly need it then they don’t need to rush out and buy it. They would rather go without until they can afford to buy what they want rather than settle for second best and then rebuy sooner rather than later. They have two sofas to chill out on and a bed to sleep in and all the rooms have built in wardrobes so they are fine for now and we gave them a coffee table. The only thing they really need is a dining suite so they can sit down for a meal together (and to have her parents over for dinner too 😉 ).
Because they had a quite rushed and unorthodox departure from their previous address, resulting in most of their belonging quickly having to go into storage for six months, they are now doing a little decluttering as they unpack. It is always better to do this the other way around but better late than never. Clothes have been the subject of this declutter. Some were ready for the trash while others have been given to me to take to the thrift store.
Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!
Thanks to a little help from friends and husband I do have a couple of links to share with you. I won’t add much preamble due to the fact that I am chock full of a cold to go along with my weariness and am keen to sit back and relax for the evening. Thank you all in advance for forgiving me for slacking off. I will try to do better next week.
http://www.theminimalists.com/desire/
http://www.growingagreenfamily.com/50-reusable-goods-vs-disposable-goods/Â I do not particularly endorse any of these products I just thought the concept of reusing rather than using throw away items is always a good idea.
http://weonlydothisonce.com/1293/how-to-change-a-material-mindset/
Is everyone as equally appalled by this ridiculous extravagance as I am ~ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2257209/Wealthy-Indian-Datta-Phuge-spends-14-000-shirt-GOLD-impress-ladies.html
Today’s Mini Mission
Declutter something that was given to you by someone else. If you no longer want or need it offer it back to the person who gave it to you, sell or donate it. You don’t have to keep things just because they came from someone else. I might seem a little repetitive on this advice but that is because people get very stuck on keeping this kind of stuff.
It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow
I’m so glad you were able to help Bridget and mate get settled into their home. Sounds like a really big one for them. Room to grow–adding children. I’m glad they are being smart and not buying until they find what they want/need and can afford it. I’m not surprised you are exhausted. You’ve had a very busy and tiring few weeks. Glad you are home safe.
The links are good. The one on desire reminds me of how easy it is to let desires rule when they are many times just momentary things. I wish I could get my mom to be more into reusing and buying in bulk, etc. I guess that is one that will just have to wait until she sees the light like she did with decluttering. I think more and more people will admit that like the article writer they began to change their mindset when the recession hit. The gold shirt article is disgusting. I have a hard enough time with people who buy expensive things like we see lots of movie stars do but this is the worst. In a country where the majority live in poverty to think someone would waste money like this is horrifying.
Hi Deb, the house is big but every house they were given to choose from by the Defence Housing Authority was big. It is easy enough to shut off bedrooms but there is also a lot of empty living space.
Talking about desire. My daughters partner said to me yesterday that wanting stuff is a real pain. Their TV is too old to work here now with the new digital system. He said we really don’t need a TV because we don’t watch TV very much but it would be nice to have one room set up and looking like home. I told him I no longer have a desire to acquire and it is a wonderful thing. I think he liked the idea of that.
The gold shirt got my back up as well.
It’s nice that they were offered nice homes to live in. At least they will have a place they can enjoy. It’s great that Bridget’s partner is thinking about having less. Tell him that instead of a TV get some art.
I feel sorry for the man with the gold shirt. I hope in time he gains some wisdom and learns that company worth keeping isn’t concerned with how much money you have or what you can buy for them. It’s a dangerous business to tangle your self worth up in material items.
Well said Melissa. I agree what a sad individual.
Get that girl a dining table quick! There’s rumors she’s a good cook, and she has an exhausted Mum in need of a good meal (that she doesn’t have to cook for herself).
I must say I am tempted to give them the money to buy one. Not for selfish reasons but because it would be nice for their house to look like a home. Being uncluttered can go a little too far in the other direction sometimes.
I have a friend who is very much a minimalist and I agree with you Colleen that being uncluttered can go a little too far in the other direction. When I was there to visit we had to sit on the floor to eat because he had decided he didn’t really need his kitchen table or chairs and had given them away (along with his couch that he also decided he didn’t really need). We also had to use the plastic silverware that had come with our to-go food because he had only kept 1 fork, 1 spoon, and 1 knife being that he lived alone and didn’t think it was necessary to have a full set of silverware any longer. I mean, if that’s how he wants to live that’s fine, especially since it seems to make him happy but I don’t forsee myself ever going that far! lol.
Whew Melissa! That’s a little minimalistic like you say. To each his own but I still feel it is a bit much unless you move around a lot.
You know, everything is relative. He seems happy, so whatever. I’m sure his place is super easy to clean! 🙂
Melissa – I don’t think it is minimalistic, I think how your friend is living could be described as austere.
I agree with all of the above!
Hope you are feeling better soon Colleen 🙂
I feel with Melissa for that man with the gold shirt.
To think about it, that story appears particularly clumsy because it’s a kind of pomp/splendor that doesn’t really appeal in western societies. However, it’s not that extraordinary if you think about how much some ladies and gents spend on particular designer brands for exactly the same reason: to show off and to feel more attractive and grand.
I guess that gold shirt even has a better resale value in a few decades.
I’m appaled every time I walk past a particular store in my city that sells luxury designer fashion.
Did you know moving house has the stress level up there with death and divorce? I wonder if that applies to the parents of those moving house as well? I think Bridget is extremely lucky to have you to assist her and it sounds like they have the best attitude.
We purchased our last two dining table and chairs sets from the thrift shop. Finding something suitable and affordable was far easier in the ‘thrift’ world than the endless overpriced items in the ‘new’ furniture stores.
Take it easy and enjoy the sunshine , drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest 🙂
Wendy F – I had heard that, apparently I will be putting our house on the market in the next 6-12 months and I want all clutter out before it does! I refuse to shift unneccessary stuff. Am hoping that aside from the stress of agents, lawyers, finding somewhere else to rent while we decide our next step, settlement day, insurance, dealing with utilities companies that a streamline home will equal a lot less stress on the day. My blood pressure is sneaking up just thinking about it!
Moni ,You have stressed me out with that list! Nothing is simple any more.
Eep! We’re also planning on moving within a year. An impending move does have a way of motivating massive decluttering! I don’t want to have additional stress of a lot of useless excess either! We dealt with that the last time we moved. My husband and I were both in our thirties when we got married and had both lived on our own for over a decade and so combining our stuff for the first time was a ton of work! There were duplicates and triplicates (or more) of just about everything. Over the past four years I think I’ve hunted all of that stuff down (I think!) and pared back to just what is needed to run our house, but I’m trying to be relentless in getting rid of other clutter as well.
I was just in tea room, looking through the “luxury magazine” that came free with the Australian newspaper this morning – plenty of Western “gold shirts” on display in that too. Sanna is right – unlike a watch or a handbag, at least the shirt can be melted down and used for something useful if/when the poor chap ever comes to his senses. Ironically the magazine is called “Wish”.
Gold shirt. Puuuleeezeeee, what a twit! People starving in 3rd world countries and he has to have a gold shirt. And he thinks this is the answer to finding true love?
Colleen – good to hear Bridgit has finally settled in her new home, is she still local or further afield?
Have been using the criteria list for keeping/not keeping items from earlier in the week for project, its great
Hit ‘post comment’ too soon – yes have been using it to sort thru a hall cupboard – the hall cupboard that I say actually isn’t too bad because it had a fair amount of clear space and wasn’t the avalanche zone that it used to be. By using the criteria list so many items are getting the chop, we’ve set up a table in the garage which everything is being carted out to shelf by shelf. I am surprised how many things have been justified simply because it had a non-crowded spot in this cupboard but when confronted with the hard questions……well, just not passing muster.
Loved all the Links!!
Welcome home Colleen!!
Glad the kids are settled!!
Yes go help them buy a dining suite, they’ll love the gift/thought/help and it’s functional!!
That twit in the gold shirt should have just spent 100 on getting his rotten tooth fixed!!! That would make him more appealing!! Not that you have to conform to what society says is beautiful but for Godsake, he originates from a 3rd world country. I find flouting that sort of decadence really worthy of a SMACK!!! Sorry for venting but that got my goat!!
Meanwhile back in Perth the tornado has calmed a little!!! The garage is looking like a warehouse shop floor but everything is sorted into piles to go/throw/flow back into use somewhere!! Scrap room has been purged of 2218 pcs of paper/boxes of things/spools of ribbon/pens/paints/glues/glitters/crystals/doodads (not even opened and clearly showing totals like 200, 150, 60, 40, 25,) OMG what a brat I am?was!!. Anyway someone will love it all. The papers are gorgeous but I will not use it all (projects it was purchased for are finished and gone so I see no need to re-create the same thing) I’m a happy little de-cluttered Elf at the moment. Hey Kitchen look out you are next AGAIN!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Dizzy, doesn’t it feel so very good to have all of those scrapbook supplies out of your hair? It sure did for me.
Amen to that!!! My mantra is saving my sanity at the moment. I have one big shelving unit cleared of all the bits that were on my hit list. the only thing staying on it for now is the stereo that belongs to my son. I want to get a smaller unit, seeing as now we only have CD’s I thought I’d eventually just end up with the I-Pod and the little dock thing. We’ll see how that goes. At least I can move around now and appreciate my photos hahha. The Scrap area is sooooo much lighter. Happy days. 🙂 🙂 🙂
I could make up some ‘good’ thoughts, but for gold shirt first two were – isn’t he afraid of thieves and what about women who doesn’t gold (as material/colour), don’t think they would be impressed 😀 ?
I could make up some ‘good’ thoughts, but for gold shirt first two were – isn’t he afraid of thieves and what about women who doesn’t gold (as material/colour), don’t think they would be impressed 😀
Loved Tony’s article, totally hits home. Lately, I have had to go shopping out of necessity because I need clothing. I am amazed how my mindset has changed because I do not enjoy getting out there and shopping like I used to. I am thankful for that and I contribute that to this website and all of the great links and people here. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing the post, Colleen, and welcome home!
Aren’t you finding that people are more interested in the subject since the economy went to tank? I don’t think I could have written this in 2003-2005 here in the states. We were all going into debt and collecting stuff over here. I am changed forever, and I am thrilled to be participating in communities such as yours to share the stories! Have a great week..
Hi Tony, I think we can safely call the WFC a probortunity. Falling on hard economic times is a problem but the opportunity to change our ways has changed the world for the better I think. That is easy for me to say because the WFC didn’t affect me at all in fact Australia in general faired pretty well. However I made the changes to my lifestyle nevertheless and am glad that so many have done the same.
Agreed. That shirt is ridiculous!
Sadly though, there will be women who are impressed by it…