Archive for the 'Consumerism' Category

STUFF.
It’s amazing to me how much stuff we managed to fit in our cozy little apartment in Bozeman. Even after we had taken all of the important and beloved items to the RV, we were still left with what you see in the above photo. This photo was taken right before we loaded up the truck to get rid of it all. We sold all of the furniture and higher priced items and gave everything else away. Well, almost everything. We kept the little munchkin hiding in the piles. It’s like Where’s Waldo Do you see her?

It was very freeing to downsize again…this time was much more drastic than any of our moves before. We ended up keeping only the stack of green totes behind Bella. The funny thing is…I don’t miss any of it. But I do think about “stuff” a lot. Not how to get it, but rather how I can get rid of it! I still go through the RV and make piles of stuff to give away. As we were packing, I started wondering how it all got into my possession in the first place. So…let’s discuss. How DOES all of this stuff get into our homes?

Where does it all come from?
Well, Target of course! Isn’t that where all STUFF originates from?! If it’s not Target, it’s another store that tells you that last season’s style is now out of style. When I think back to my college days of credit cards and endless spending…it was usually when Target changed seasons that I went berserk. All of those cool new things in new colors! Calling my name! Ooooh! It didn’t matter if I had something just like it at home already…whatever the thing was, the new one was better. Then, when I brought it home…the other item that I didn’t want anymore would just get put in a cupboard, a drawer, or the basement….and voila! Follow that sequence enough and CLUTTER IS BORN.

Our dissatisfaction with our current state of possessions is mostly driven by advertising. It’s practically unavoidable. The mall and television are the main culprits…but even without a television and with trying to avoiding the mall, I am still prone to being sucked in by banner ads for natural products or emails from companies I have bought from in the past sending me sale notices, etc. But, I know my weaknesses and I have started to unsubscribe from all of these tempting offers.

Speaking of knowing weaknesses…thrifting, garage sale-ing, ebaying. I’m sure there are many who read this blog who have a love of any or all of those things. But too much love for those things, and clutter will find you too! It used to be very hard for me to even go into a thrift store or to a garage sale without finding all kinds of things that would be “perfect”! When I had a larger living space, it was way too easy to find space to put all of it. But now, I have no extra space. I can tell myself “no” because I can’t imagine where it will go!

So we’ve established that stuff comes from stores…new or used. It also comes from the stuff-giving people in your life. If you have someone in your life who is constantly buying you things, it can be very difficult to handle if you are trying to downsize. Lucky for me, I can just say “sorry…we don’t have any more room in the RV!”. But that isn’t the case for most! My philosophy is to ALWAYS graciously accept whatever it is that someone is giving you. They have obviously given some thought into the matter and it’s important to them that you have it. If you decide later that you just don’t want to keep it, you can give it away, re-gift it to someone else, or if you’re broke…you could sell it! Hey! It’s practical. Some of you may have a problem with my suggestions, but when you’re downsizing…sometimes you have to be brutal. I’m not going to keep a dust-gathering figurine just because someone else thought I should have it in my house. If you have someone close to you who is consistently giving you things against your wishes, it would be wise to sit down and have a heart to heart about your values and goals for your home. You could give them some ideas of things that would be really useful gifts for you…or you can also ask them to give you gifts of their TIME instead. They could have you over for dinner or take the kids so you can have some alone time.

What is “enough”?
This is a question that only you can answer. I often get people asking me how much clothing they should keep or how many toys their child should have. It really just depends on what your priorities are. What works for one person would never work for another. Everyone one will have some types of possessions that will look like “excess” to someone else. The line between necessity and luxury is different for each person/family. You might be surprised at how little you actually need to live. I’m not saying that everyone would be happy selling it all and moving into an RV :). But it’s a really good exercise to truly examine what things are important for you to keep and what things are just taking up time and energy. Ask the hard questions of yourself. Why do you “need” a certain item? Could you live without it and still have the same quality of life? Some of you might have never considered living without a car. You might be surprised at how much stress it relieves! For others, living without a car would actually create more stress.

If you have the special gift of hospitality and you love to open your home to others and serve them…you probably don’t want to get rid of all of your extra dishes. On the other hand, if you have 25 cute coffee mugs, but you have never had more than 2 people over at one time for coffee…you might want to consider downsizing your collection. If you have a home with 2 spare bedrooms, but you only use them one weekend out of the year…you would probably benefit by downsizing your home. If you have people staying with you all the time and you love being able to open your home to traveling guests…then keep the bigger house!

Clothing is a great place to start your downsizing journey because nearly everyone has too many clothes! However, it can be a hard one because there tends to be a lot of emotions there. But they are just clothes, and they don’t make you who you are! If you have a piece of clothing you’re holding onto for sentimental reasons, consider making a throw pillow out of it or frame a piece of it like art. That way you can re-claim the space in your closet and make your memory functional.

If you haven’t been able to fit in those five pairs great jeans for 2 years…it’s probably time to give them away and enjoy the extra space in your closet. If you don’t love how you feel when you where it, it shouldn’t be there. If it stains easily, is hard to wash, or is not practical…it shouldn’t be there. If you haven’t worn it in a year…it’s gone! There are a couple of exceptions of course. If you have a job that requires a certain type of dress code, you will obviously need to keep clothes for work. And if you don’t have laundry on-site, it’s often easier to keep a few more clothes than you think you will need so that you have some available even if you can’t make it to the laundromat.

I’m sure that you have some things in your life that bring you extreme joy when you use them. For me it’s tea, pillows, cookbooks, and photos. Those are things that I will occasionally downsize, but I know that it’s ok for me to have what may look like excess to other people… because I LOVE them. Just know yourself…know WHY you are keeping something around. Only you can decide what works and what doesn’t.

Getting Rid of Stuff
The best way to start your downsizing journey is to JUST START. When I have stuff I need to go through, I create three boxes. The first box says “KEEP”, the second box says, “DONATE”, the third box says “SELL”. You can also have a fourth box that says “NOT SURE”. After you start doing this a lot, you’ll find that less and less goes in the “not sure” box because you get better at making decisions about what is important and what isn’t. Once you have your boxes set up…get busy! It helps to have a non-biased person helping because they can talk some sense into you when you when you need it. When you are done, put the donate box by the door so you can continue throwing stuff into it every day. When it’s full, put it in your car and take it to the Goodwill/Thrift/Salvation Army store that very same day. Don’t delay…otherwise it will sit there for 6 months. After 6 months you’ll find it and think “ooooh…look at all this fun STUFF!”. Just get rid of it fast and don’t look back. You won’t miss it. Take the sell box and sell those items on Craigslist, eBay, or your local classifieds.

Here are some places to focus your efforts:

• Clothing (as discussed above)
• Books: If you haven’t read it and never will, pass it on to someone else, sell it, or donate it to the library. I try to only keep my very favorite books on the shelf.
• Dishes: I like to only keep on hand what I need for my immediate family. One plate, one cup, etc. for each person. The rest goes in storage until we have guests. This also makes doing dishes much more enjoyable.

When you are at a level of possessions that you are happy with…make sure that everything has a place. I cannot stress this enough. When you don’t have a place for something, it just goes on the counter. Clutter breeds clutter, so pretty soon you have a little clutter colony there. You should have a place for keys. A place for incoming mail. A place for pens…and so on. It will be so much easier to clean your house when you can put it all away quickly. I also prefer to have a clean counter-top in the kitchen and bathroom. If you have the space to get your appliances and knick-nacks off of the counter and put them into cupboards or closets…do it. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes. Replace those items with a simple bouquet of wildflowers, wipe off your empty counter and SMILE!

If you do live in a small space, it’s critical that you de-clutter and put everything away EVERY night. If you let it build up for even one day, it can be overwhelming and get out of control. It’s especially true in the RV…I usually go through at least 2-3 times a day and put stuff away, straighten the counters, the bed, etc. I actually love doing it…because when everything has a place, it’s a JOY to “keep house”!

A Joy to Keep House?!
Yes. When your home is organized and decluttered…you will be a different person. Your outlook on life changes. Situations that seemed out of control and chaotic now seem manageable. When you wake up and walk to the kitchen to make coffee and your counter-top is clean…your day just got that much easier.

The state of your home is in direct proportion to the state of your heart/mind. When you have piles of stuff all over your house, your spirit just gets bogged down with all of it whether you know it or not. When you don’t have to worry about moving your STUFF around, cleaning your STUFF, and storing your STUFF…you have a lot more time to spend doing things things that you love and spending time with your family and friends! And that’s what life is all about.

I picked up the Sunday edition of the New York Times a few months ago and I was hooked. The stories are diverse and
the writing is superb. Of course, I am an information junkie…so others who read it might not be so easily enthralled I thrive on learning new and exciting things. My heart literally races as I read facts that have never entered my thoughts before (disclaimer: nearly all traditional media outlets are owned by huge conglomerates and are biased…so always read with a critical eye!).

The article that jumped out and called to me was “Buying into the Green Movement”. I laughed out loud as I read the introductory paragraph:

“Here’s one popular vision for saving the planet: Roll out from under the sumptuous hemp-fiber sheets on your bed in the morning and pull ona pair of $245 organic cotton Levi’s and an Armani biodegradable knit shirt.

Stroll from the bedroom in your eco-McMansion, with it’s photovoltaic solar panels, into the kitchen remodeled with reclaimed lumber. Enter the 3-car garage lighted by energy-sipping fluorescent bulbs and slip behind the wheel of your $104,000 Lexus Hybrid.

Drive to the airport, where you settle in for an 8,000 mile flight–careful to buy carbon offsets beforehand–and spend a week driving golf balls made from compacted fish food at an eco-resort in the Maldives.”

The article goes on to say that even though there are so many eco-friendly products for you to buy…buying them does NOT necessarily make the earth more happy. You are still consuming. When you consume, those resources have to come from somewhere. Is it more earth-friendly to keep your non-organic, yet still comfortable cotton sheets until they wear out, or to buy brand new organic cotton sheets? When you buy the new sheets, cotton needs to be harvested and shipped to a manufacturer. The manufacturer makes the sheets which requires electricity, water, and numberless other items. Then the sheets are shipped in (most likely) a gas-guzzling semi (oh wait…maybe it’s a biodiesel semi :)).

Basically, what they are saying is that the “green consumerism movement” is not so green after all. When you buy a lot of new things to be more “green”…you could be adding to the problem. However, in my opinion, there is an exception when you are buying something that is health related AND it’s more green. For example…should I just continue using my Nalgene bottles when there is evidence that they aren’t good for your body? No…you should run as fast as you can and buy some stainless steel water bottles. Or, should I just continue to use up my nasty chemical cleaners or use natural cleaners right away? My choice would be to get rid of them immediately (or donate them to someone or some place who hasn’t seen the eco-light yet ) Should you throw out all of your old clothes and only buy organic, natural fiber clothing? Probably not. Everyone will have a different opinion on what is right for them…just be mindful of your own choices.

Back to the article:

Paul Hawken, an author and longtime environmental activist, said the current boom in earth-friendly products offers a false promise. “Green consumerism is an oxymoronic phrase,” he said. He blamed the news media and marketers for turning environmentalism into fashion and distracting from serious issues.

“We turn toward the consumption part because that’s where the money is,” Mr. Hawken said. “We tend not to look at the ‘less’ part. So you get these anomalies like 10,000-foot ‘green’ homes being built by a hedge fund manager in Aspen. Or ‘green’ fashion shows. Fashion is the deliberate inculcation of obsolescence.”

He added: “The fruit at Whole Foods in winter, flown in from Chile on a 747 — it’s a complete joke. The idea that we should have raspberries in January, it doesn’t matter if they’re organic. It’s diabolically stupid.”

Basically, you just want to use common sense. Make the right choice for yourself and your family, but don’t do it just to be trendy. Just because it says it’s “eco-friendly” on the package doesn’t mean it meets your own personal standards. Just because it’s at your local coop doesn’t mean the food didn’t come from overseas. Be diligent in educating yourself about what exactly you are purchasing. Where did it come from? Who made it? Why do I need this?

When it comes to celebrities touting green lifestyles, etc…I want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. It’s a given that there are many companies and individuals who will use the green movement to make money (greenwashing), get their name out there, etc. And there are a lot of people who will say how those people aren’t “green enough” or they have other motives. I say…who cares?! Whether they have pure motives or not, they are still spreading the word about living greener and lighter on the earth. Even if one person is inspired to make a change in their lifestyle, all of those little changes will add up to big change.

A perfect example of this is the Live Earth event that happened on 07/07/07. If you haven’t heard about it…this event was a worldwide concert spotlighting green living and fighting global warming. Yes, there were celebrities. Yes, they will probably sell more albums because they performed at Live Earth. BUT…think of all of the concert-goers who heard the message of living greener who may have never even thought about it before! Just for that single fact, it was a wonderful event.

How green are you? Are you light green? Dark green? Sage green? Who cares. That’s silly It’s not a change that you make overnight…you make little changes, one at a time. Let’s not judge anyone on how green they are compared to anyone else. Let’s just make our own changes and encourage others in their journey as well.

Running the Numbers: An American Self-Portrait

I came across this interesting art installation (saw it on Thought Kitchen) and just had to pass it along. Be sure to read the amazing and disturbing statistics with each photo set. You can think about these numbers in your head, but to see it laid out in photo form is crazy. 2.5 million plastic bottles used every hour? That’s just mind-boggling.

Wanting: \Want”ing\, a. Absent; lacking; missing; also, deficient; destitute; needy

During the holiday season, it is very easy to feel like our current possessions are “lacking” and “deficient”. Everywhere you turn, there is an advertisement for this or that. Even though you may only hear them in passing, they do affect you deeply. The advertisements are created to MAKE you feel want…like you are “less” if you don’t rush out and purchase their item. Or, during this season, you are less if you don’t rush out and purchase it for your friend, spouse, child, etc.

Recently, I took my grandma to the mall because she wanted to get some gift certificates for Christmas. I hadn’t been out to walk the mall in a long time…and I found it completely overwhelming. The people, the noise, the bright and shiny objects! I started to find myself looking in the windows … and feeling that WANTING that I so hate. I was in the mall for literally 5 minutes or less, and in that little space of time, the sirens sucked me in. I walked out chanting to myself “look straight ahead, there is nothing you need”! I am so glad I don’t have to deal with that anymore this season!

I started to think about other ways that WANT is created in my life. I have discussed this before, but it’s worth doing it again. It’s an ongoing battle, and if you don’t think about it and how it happens, it will control you.

I started with my email inbox. I went through and unsubscribed from every single newsletter, update, etc. that I receive. I was astounded at how many businesses/spammers have my email. It took several hours to complete this, and I am still doing “maintenance” unsubscribing daily. I needed to do this because there are several really fun crafty sites that I get updates for…and even though they are homemade, ethical, etc, I do not need them. Opening those emails only creates want. Having less emails makes me spend less time at the computer and have less distraction in general. I also unsubscribed from several discussion groups that I just didn’t have time to read. From now on, I will make a point to be more protective of my email address. I know that spammers can get it without me knowing, but I will do all that I can.

The other “tool of wanting” that I’ve been thinking about lately is the TV. I know that most of you will agree with me on this one…but I want to talk about a certain genre in particular that I used to find harmless. The two channels that I used to give myself “permission” to watch, HGTV and TLC, are experts in creating want not just in their advertising but within the programming. What?! Say it isn’t so! Yes. Think with me for a moment.

“Dream House”, “I Want That”, “National Open House”…these are three programs that create want in myself when I watch them. Basically, when you are looking over and over at lifestyles, people, and possessions that don’t align with your values or your budget, it will only leave you “wanting”. When you see “excess” as the norm, your standards and expectations start to change. The same principle applies to reading gossip magazines (i.e. People, Us, etc.). If you read it enough, focus on it enough, and desire to KNOW and imitate other’s lifestyles enough…you will continue to WANT.

On TLC, there is a show called “What Not to Wear”. The hosts go into someone’s closet, basically tell them what a horrible dresser they are and how ugly they look, and they throw away (donate?) all of their clothes and give them $5,000 to go shopping for a new wardrobe. First of all, clothing is an extremely emotional and personal choice. When you come in an dissect someone’s wardrobe, it’s traumatizing. Secondly, I could buy a whole army a wardrobe with $5,000 (does anyone else think that is insane?!). With that said, I can see how it sucks people in because I used to be very entertained by it. But when I would watch them go shopping, I started to wish that I could just go on a shopping spree like that. I WANTED to be them. TV turns you into a happy little consumer.

John Piper, one of my favorite pastors and authors, calls TV the “great life-waster”. He has this to say in his book “Don’t Waste Your Life“:

“The main problem with TV is not how much smut is available, though that is a problem. Just the ads are enough to sow fertile seeds of greed and lust, no matter what program you’re watching. The greater problem is banality. A mind fed daily on TV diminishes. Your mind was made to know and love God. Its facility for this great calling is ruined by excessive TV. The content is so trivial and so shallow that the capacity of the mind to think worthy thoughts withers, and the capacity of the heart to feel deep emotions shrivels.”

So, there you have it. In addition to creating WANT, watching TV turns you into a shallow idiot.
Turn it off! (Please don’t tell me that TV is educational. Get out there and LIVE life instead of learning about it on your TV).

I want to stop wanting. Looking back at the definition…I am not lacking, missing, deficient, or in need of anything. The only thing I am in “need” of is God’s grace and forgiveness daily. I want to be satified by Christ alone.

*photo courtesy of davepatten/flickr.com

It’s been 46 days since I took the Compact pledge. It has been a interesting experiment in self-discovery…I have learned so much about myself and my spending habits. A few things…

• It feels so good to NOT buy something after having the urge to do so. Realizing that I actually demonstrated self-control is exciting.
• Shopping at Goodwill is fun. It’s much more exhilerating to find the exact item I need at a thrift store…than to just run into Target and walk right to it. Less convenient, yes..but more fun.
• I can overspend just as easily at thrift stores as I can in Target.
• I am extremely senstitive to how I am feeling when looking at advertisements. I can take the time now to dissect those emotions and realize that they are constructed.
• There have been several times when I’ve thought, “I would have totally bought that if I wasn’t Compacting!”. I started to add up all those things I kept saying that about…and it was several hundred dollars. It’s a great feeling to save that money instead of spend it on things that I wouldn’t want a few hours later anyway.
• Doing the Compact seems to make some people upset & confused. Like the fact that I am actually THINKING about my purchases throws their whole existance out of whack. Apparently, compacting is very threatening.
• I haven’t found it to be particularly difficult to buy used, barter/trade, or make do. It’s been great!

I have especially enjoyed finding Christmas gifts this year. I thought that it might be difficult, because I am usually a Christmas Eve “hurry up and buy anything!” kind of shopper. Total procrastination. I am happy to say that I am almost done shopping for everyone on my list! Here’s to 319 more happy days of Compacting!