Simplify.

This article on dumpster diving by choice is long, but if you can make it through it all, it's pretty interesting. It illustrates an extreme I don't relate to but the undertones of voluntary simplicity struck a chord. Lately I've found myself overwhelmed with 'stuff' and am making an effort to simplify. It seems I'm not alone! As habitual consumers it's not an easy thing to do, especially when you've been accumulating for years or decades.



So, how do I get rid of stuff? I've been a fan of freecyle for some time now. The concept is simple: freecyclers post things online that they're giving away, no strings attached, and other freecyclers pick them up. I may not be the most active freecycler, but I have scored a few items (including roofing paper in photo above to redo the shed roof with - we really do need it, and it will get used!) as well as gotten rid of a few things, and done it quickly. Another article, 10 Tips on how to be a 'freecylcler', outlines the following rules for freecyclers

1. Know how to begin.
2. Brace yourself for a deluge of e-mail.
3. Check out other recycling groups as well.
4. Mind your manners and attitude.
5. Show respect in your postings.
6. Keep it legal, honest and clean.
7. Stay safe.
8. Don’t leave people hanging.
9. Examine items carefully.
10. Decide how to handle multiple responses.

Another way I get rid of things are to pack them away in boxes labeled 'yard sale' and put them in the garage, basement or attic. Then, when enough boxes of stuff are stored, I call my mother and have her run a yard sale for me. :-) I find it easier to get rid of my things when I'm not the one actually doing it. Another advantage of a yard sale is that you go through what you've packed away and can pull out anything you've had second thoughts on. It makes packing it away easier in the first place and I'm surprised by how much I don't pull out to save. Another bonus on a yard sale? You usually end up with enough money at the end of the day for a kickass dinner out.

With clothes, I again enlist the help of my mother. I put them all in a box and she sorts them - some go straight to the Salvation Army or Goodwill, others she takes to one of a couple second-hand shops she frequents (Swirl in Putney is one, Talula's in Willmington is another). She makes a decent amount of cash at 2nd hand shops, but it does take some time to make sure everything is clean and pressed, as well as to learn all the rules each shop has regarding appointments for dropping things off, how the money is split, how many items you can bring in, etc.

The last place I get rid of stuff is the drop-off station at the dump. It's better for smaller household things. It's safe, it's quick, it's easy. And if none of those options work for you, there are other ones as well - donating to big yard sales where the proceeds go to a non-profit or donating to independent non-profits such as Recycle North or Twice Blessed.

It's not easy for me to simplify, but I'm trying. "Do I really need it? What else do I already have that I can use instead?" Moving into Mark's house has helped, as we're simply limited in space. I'm going to start a 'wishlist' of items that I want but don't want to buy new, and then keep my eyes open. I do agree with something that was said in the dumpster diving article: things have a way of falling into your lap. And if they don't, perhaps I don't actually need it! Less is more. 'Less' means fewer things to maintain, fix and keep track of, and it means less to clean, sort and keep organized. Less time and money spent on 'stuff' means more time and money spent on 'life'. Simplify.