Voluntary Simplicity: How do you determine a want vs. a need - Page 2

[guestmama9911]

Originally Posted by BabyBumblebee

What I realised: *no-one* needs to keep an Ikea catalogue from 1998. NO-ONE! :

But...you might want to use the pictures for inspiration!!!!

[RainbowSquidney]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

But...you might want to use the pictures for inspiration!!!!

I was keeping Pottery Barn cataloges for this VERY reason! I finally recycled them and figure I can look up ideas online........

[Amys1st]

I love the pottery barn kids catalogs. Being we are a creative family, dh can build things w wood and I sew. We have copied so many things from that catalog for so little!!

For xmas 2004, dh copied the 3 pc kitchen set they had for $600. He made them from some leftover wood from another project and I used some leftover fabric for the curtain. The whole thing was free other than time to make it for dd. We are now copying the sandbox/boat from last years catalog for her 4th birthday next week.

[berkeleyp]

I love keeping gift bags - i never buy them and never have to wrap things. At x-mas, i collect all the sticky bows too and just tape them onto new presents. I never buy wrapping supplies. When they are beat up, i do trash them though.

I am also terrible when it comes to keeping cards from people. I feel bad throwing them away.

[Thalia]

Does anyone else struggle with feeling guilty when they throw stuff away? Not the kind of things that you can Freecycle (which I adore, btw) but the kind of sentimental clutter? Birthday/holiday cards, personal notes, even gift bags? I always feel wretched, as if I'm being disrespectful of the person who gave them to us....kooky, I know

I have been amazed at what people on my freecycle group have successfully given away: a bag of 25 red ballons, bits of string, a plastic water container. Maybe my group is particularly hopping, but I suggest at least trying to give away things the gift bags via Freecycle.

As for the other stuff, I suggest picking the number of those kinds of things you can live with adding to your 'collection' per year, and then keep a file just for those things. For example, if you can live with keeping 12 notes/cards/sentiments a year, put them in the file until you reach 12. After that, if you want to keep one, you gotta throw one out. Then once a year, move the keepers to a permanent file, empty the temporary file, and start over. Or do the same thing but display them. We have a spot in our house for cards, but we throw them all out once a year. After living with them for a while I don't feel guilty about saying goodbye.

[Amys1st]

Another reason to get rid of the paper products-cards, catalogs, old zines etc:
A house in our area burned down a few months ago. Firefighters had a heck of time getting it under control because of those vast collection of stuff- old newspapers, zines, books etc. Its a great firesource to burn.

[AuntLavender]

I don't freecycle but rather donate to Goodwill or the like. Two days ago DH brought home a Little Tikes desk for my 3yo because we saw it on our dog walk. It was by the curb before trash day so we figured it was free for the taking. It helps me with homeschooling since my youngest feels included! He can color at his desk or read books or eat cereal or whatever...

In my area too there was an article about how one person's garage was so stuffed with junk the fire fighters couldn't get in! Also someone else's hosue looked like the floor fell through during a fire but really the foyer was just stuffed with fire hazards (junk).