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Compacting Mommas Winter Thread - Page 5

post #81 of 237
1/6/07 at 6:56am
Okay, I've been hanging out in this forum for some time now and getting some really great ideas for simplifying my life but then I read Delights blog and now I am really hooked and want to make a pledge to become a "legit" compacting mama. Only I don't know if I qualify...

1. Does DH have to participate and pledge? I don't think he would do it.
2. Can you make some things exempt? Like buying shoes? I don't have a shoe addiction or anything, but I really prefer to buy new when it comes to shoes.

Are their any guidelines printed somewhere?
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post #82 of 237
1/6/07 at 10:18am
I think making execptions at the start for whatever you forsee is a-okay. I've made shoe exceptions myself, because my guys have bizaree feet and they have to have new shoes (they need the arch support big time, LOL!) Also, any work-related expenses are exempt (like your fabric)
post #83 of 237
1/6/07 at 8:46pm
I have only been Compacting for a week, and already I feel so much better! We live in a smallish house, and I think I have been in denial of that since we moved in. We simply don't have enough space to keep all of our stuff and still maintain a peaceful home! Out it goes! I feel like I can breathe a little better and like I have more energy. It's making me think about my consumption altogether and its impact on the Earth and the economy. I am really thinking about going vegan again....
post #84 of 237
1/6/07 at 9:36pm
Well, I haven't bought anything this year. We have gone out to eat, but no chain restaurants. I'm okay with going out to eat to support local businesses, plus, our kitchen is ripped out to the studs for remodelling - only the fridge is plugged in - and cooking is pretty difficult. We're having permit issues and I don't know when the kitchen, currently swathed in huge sheets of saran wrap in DS's bedroom, will be installed.

I just read the Omnivore's Dilemna and am buying a quarter of a grass-fed cow. I'm also setting up a local pastured chicken and egg co-op for my church from a local farmer. (I am not buying any meat that I don't know to be raised humanely, and am ordering vegetarian in restaurants.) I will be buying a freezer to hold it all, so I've started looking at used ones on Craigslist.
post #85 of 237
1/8/07 at 1:32pm
It's been 3 full weeks for me and so far so good. I haven't even been tempted to buy anything new. How is everyone else doing?
post #86 of 237
1/8/07 at 6:54pm
So far, so good ... :

but, wow! I have been really tempted to buy things I don't need ... I can tell that this is really going to have to require some real inner work on my part because there is a part of me that feels like I just "need" so shop, you know? I've had to talk myself out of it almost every day ...

However, today in the grocery store I made a small list, went only to the part of the store I needed to be, and then got out of there before temptation could strike.

We're decluttering and giving away a lot, too and that sorta helps - like why bring in more when we're working so hard to downsize, you know?

Best Wishes!
post #87 of 237
1/8/07 at 8:40pm
Ok- I've hit a bump- dh needs new Polo shirts for work. His old ones are stretched out and have deoderant stains.

When I've gone to the thrift stores, the polo's Ive found are stretched out with deo. stains also! He needs to look decent at work since he's a supervisor. Please encourage me to hold out. eBay even seems devoid of used polos right now too, at least not in his size.

I thought about posting an ISO for them- but thats not appropriate on here, or is it? We should start a compacting mams swap forum! I need other things like a silicone spatua, bathroom rugs, etc. Freecycle doesnt seem to have much of that stuff. Am I missing any resources?
post #88 of 237
1/9/07 at 12:18am
still doing good here! Staying home has helped lol
post #89 of 237
1/9/07 at 3:39am

Printer cartriges

Hi, I am wondering what to do about stuff like light bulbs and printer cartriges, I know it is a bizare thing to worry about, but can you get those recycled or do you have to buy new?
My friend gave me a great tip, at the recyling centre at our town university they have free school supplies that people throw out, binders, notebooks pencils etc, I am so going there , how cool is that!
post #90 of 237
1/9/07 at 10:52am
I've wished for an ISO/swap forum here, too...does the Trading Post currently meet that need, or not? I have specific household items I'd love to post and specific needs and I'm afraid that they'll get lost in the general TP forums.

Hi - sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Amanda, and I've read and reread this thread enough times that it has changed my thinking and I think I'm actually on board now.

Though I think my own personal caveat is this: If we need something, really need it, within a specific time frame that is looming, and we've gone to great effort to try and find it used, it's okay to make occasional exceptions (I hope it's okay for me to say that!).

Maybe that wouldn't work for everyone, but reading about the poster whose DH needs decent work shirts (though aren't work expenses exempt anyway?) got me thinking that once in awhile it can be reasonable to make an exception even if you didn't think of it beforehand.

My avowed hierarchy of obtaining is:

1) acquire for free if possible
2) trade or barter
3) make do without if we can
4) buy used

and only if I've tried all those options with no success:

5) buy locally-made
6) buy locally-sold though not locally-made

and then if I really cannot find something I need locally:

7) consider buying new through a source that is respectable and high-quality.

Certain articles of kids' clothing have been very difficult for me to find used (sweatpants, for one, and also pajamas and slippers) and the local options are not always acceptable or durable enough or available in the season I need them. I do plan to talk with local merchants about the products I need but cannot get locally. It's not perfect, but if I give myself this wiggle room I think it will keep me on track with compacting better than if I start out with very rigid rules and feel like throwing in the towel if I can't manage to meet them.

This is not at all a criticism of what any of you are doing - please don't take it that way! - It's just me trying to make this work for me given what I know about myself and my personality. :

I'm very excited to be on board. It took me a few weeks, but I am here. Compacting dovetails nicely with my efforts toward decluttering and frugality. Thanks to all who are carrying this torch so that people like me can see it and join in!
post #91 of 237
1/10/07 at 7:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by amyamanda View Post
My avowed hierarchy of obtaining is:

1) acquire for free if possible
2) trade or barter
3) make do without if we can
4) buy used

and only if I've tried all those options with no success:

5) buy locally-made
6) buy locally-sold though not locally-made

and then if I really cannot find something I need locally:

7) consider buying new through a source that is respectable and high-quality.
Hi, Amanda! Welcome! I'm new to Compacting myself (Hubby and I just started this year, 2007) but over a week down and so far, so good

I really think you've got some well thought out guidelines for yourself. In fact, I may have to copy you and alter it a bit for us, too. We haven't formally written out a Compact pledge yet, still hammering out the details.

Had another urge to purchase today but once again the library came through. Sometimes I just get in the mood for "new to me" stuff : ... bad, I know, but thank heavens for the library, eh?

Best Wishes!
post #92 of 237
1/10/07 at 11:09pm
Like many have mentioned, I've been eyeing this thread for a while myself. I love the idea, but I'm not sure I'm really prepared to commit completely. However, I do intend to go with the 'go without & go used' before buying new to a greater extreme than I have been. I was reading this thread and thinking about that when my mom called, wanting to basically revel in some purchases she made at the christmas tree shop (bargain shop, mostly low quality crap). OMG I can't even imagine trying to explain the compact to her. She is like anti-compact. Having her around makes it harder as she wants me to go shopping with her. I want to stay away, but I think it hurts her feelings when I say I won't go shopping, so I think I'll leave my wallet at home to avoid any purchases.
post #93 of 237
1/11/07 at 2:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by taliasully View Post
My friend gave me a great tip, at the recyling centre at our town university they have free school supplies that people throw out, binders, notebooks pencils etc, I am so going there , how cool is that!
Like on site at the school or a recycling dump you have to dig through? :
post #94 of 237
1/11/07 at 11:24am
I'm so happy to have found this thread! I had no idea it was on here. I'm Compacting this year and started on Jan. 1. It's been going really well so far. I'm actually suprised at the fact that I have no desire to buy anything. And we've saved so much money in the past couple weeks, too!

You can read more about it and the guidelines I've set up for myself on my blog. The link is in my sig.

Glad to see so many other Compacters here!
post #95 of 237
1/12/07 at 6:19am
So far so good, it's only been about a week for me, though. But I am decluttering and organizing every day. I have bags and bags of stuff lined up in my living room to either donate, sell or swap (I just signed up for my first two MDC swaps.)

I am still tweaking my personal pledge. I have a couple exemptions, shoes, socks and undergarments. I know you can buy these things used and I will certainly keep my eyes out for them in thrift stores, but IME it's hard to find these items in good condition and the size I need. And there's something about used underpants that kind of makes my skin crawl.

The hardest part for me are those miscellaneous items that you usually don't think twice about buying. DS birthday is coming up, for example, and I thought oh I need to buy balloons. He loves balloons!

I already bought his gifts over the holidays, so the kid was able to squeak some new gifts by me. But what about other people buying him gifts? Are gifts exempt from the compact? I felt bad cutting out his gifts so I encouraged my family to give "experience-type" gifts or used or handmade items.
post #96 of 237
1/13/07 at 1:21am
Thought I'd jump in here. We're also compacting for 2007. Unfortunately, we *have* had to buy new and it's only been 2 weeks!

We've just moved out family of 5 into an 1100 square foot home with NO garage and NO storage area. We used to live in a 3 story home with a full basement, attic, and garage. Needless to say, we accumulated a LOT of stuff. (Enough to completely fill a 26 foot diesel Penske truck, in fact.) We moved a few days before New Year's and only about half of our stuff actually fit inside the house. We've been tunneling out pathways and hauling things to the thrift store and selling like crazy. (I have a huge FSOT list by the way if anyone is interested.)

I'd also like to get an swap forum going. I'm in dire of need of certain things that are taking me much too long to find. Especially because we now live in a fairly remote area.

We broke down and bought a new 8x10 shed after desperately trying to find one used for over a week. Time was of the essence and it just had to happen. I'm pretty disappointed but hoping that it will be the *last* thing I buy new!
post #97 of 237
1/13/07 at 2:09am
Following along as usual You could always post a general ISO for trade only on the ISO board, and maybe link to it in your sig? Or someone could start a Compacting mamas swap thread, although I wonder if that would prevent other possible swapping mamas from looking in.

I need diaper covers, and I REALLY need to get back with the mama who offered to swap me! In fact, I think I'll go do that now. I finally finished my monster work project, I should grab the chance while I can
post #98 of 237
1/13/07 at 4:45pm
Thread Starter 
cdmaze~ I think that it would be okay to purchase the Polo shirts because they are for work. I have to purchase new items for my business, I consider it non negotiable. My family needs to eat Some of the people at dh office know that I am compacting and have offered me sweaters, and things that I cannot go buy new.
post #99 of 237
1/13/07 at 5:12pm
We have been Compacting since Spring 2006. Of course, I lapsed MANY times last year. I have made a vow to do better this year though. So far, so good!
post #100 of 237
1/13/07 at 5:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bendmom View Post
cdmaze~ I think that it would be okay to purchase the Polo shirts because they are for work. I have to purchase new items for my business, I consider it non negotiable. My family needs to eat Some of the people at dh office know that I am compacting and have offered me sweaters, and things that I cannot go buy new.
I think so too. We will keep our eyes open until the end of this month, and if we dont find any- we'll order some good quality ones.

Our policy is- wait two weeks on almost all purchases- then put them on "the list" and search for used. If used cant be found- then buy as responsibly as possible.