Simple Self Improvement

                                                                                     Image: Steve Buissinne from Pixabay Recently I watched several You Tube videos where people talk about things they no longer purchase. There are things I don't buy now that I did years ago when I had young children, was in the paid workforce or owned a car. As well there are things I have more recently decided I don't need to buy or choose not to out of concern for the environment or to save a few dollars. On the other hand there are many things I didn't buy when I moved ou...

Street art at Kilburn Station in South Australia                     Image:Marie Vonow It seems a common tendency to want more. More furniture, more clothes, more food, more holidays, just more of everything. It may hark back to times when things were scarce so people stockpiled during times of plenty and used it up when hard times came. Perhaps it's just in the human DNA or perhaps it's because of advertising, I don't know. There is also a tendency to want better, to upgrade your stuff, and if not your stuff, then your experiences. For some people these days it isn't all about the stuff, it's about experiences but perhaps not just any old experience, it has to be flashy. Consumerism Consumerism encourages people to buy more, more, and upgrade what they already have. There is plenty of pressure to earn more, spend more and if you haven't got the money, then put it on ...

Shops in Adelaide                                            Image:Marie Vonow In the days leading up to officially starting this personal shopping ban challenge I must admit I was tempted to do a bit of 'binge shopping' at a couple of op shops. Also, I kept thinking about a salmon pink cardigan I had seen at KMart that I liked. I managed to resist temptation and now, three weeks later, that cardigan doesn't seem important. How does clutter accumulate? I have thought a lot about how much stuff one accumulates even when trying to declutter and keep from accumulating new clutter. It occurred to me it isn't surprising stuff accumulates over the years. I married and moved into my first home (apart from my childhood home) in 1975 which is now 44 years ago. Now, say I acq...

It can be tempting to buy things one doesn't need.                                  Image:Marie Vonow I recently came across a book called The Year Of Less, how I stopped shopping, gave away my belongings, and discovered life is worth more than anything you can buy in a store. It was written by Cait Flanders. Image:Marie Vonow The title of this book intrigued me. After reading it, I didn't immediately think, 'Wow. I'm going to stop shopping for a year too!' A couple of weeks passed. I started thinking about how often I buy things I don't need and, I am embarrassed to admit, by the time I get them home, sometimes don't even want. Many people shop for the sake of shopping a lot more than I do but I certainly buy stuff I don't need. I may buy something because it's pretty, sparkly, because I've earned it, I deserve it, I need a treat or it's great value. I ...

Clay tiles Whitmore Square Adelaide                       Image:Marie Vonow Having moved house at the start of 2019 and having decluttered (again!) before moving, I thought I had this decluttering thing worked out. However, for me it is an ongoing process. A different house means I no longer use some things I previously did and it means I have found it necessary to acquire a few things I didn't need in my previous house. What should I do with items I am not using now? Now, what should I do about the things I don't currently need? Could I possibly need them in the future? Perhaps and perhaps not. Should I hold onto them or set them free? Mostly, I have decided to donate what I no longer need to op shops or give away through Gumtree. I have sold a couple of items too. Thinking before I buy I am thinking carefully before making any new purchas...