Uncluttered Living: Space, Stuff and Value
As I am thinking about decluttering and home improvement, it is difficult NOT to think about space versus stuff and where the money goes.
You know what I mean.
When I began decluttering in earnest, I couldn't help but think, "How much money has been spent on all of this stuff?" Did I really need two toasters? Well, at the time, I did. I got a cheap and quick toaster that promptly broke at the time when I needed a toaster most. I ran out and got another cheap one because I had to have one on the morning that the first one broke. So, now I had two toasters...one that I intended to fix when I had time (yeah right!) and one that didn't work very well and burns my bread more often than not and is impossible to clean.
So, introduce the concept of waste and filling up thrift stores/landfills with thoughtless purchases and I feel like I've received a psychological kick in the pants.
I'm vowing to reform.
When I was at Hewitt, my work colleague Andy Rosemurgy and I once compiled a list. We were talking about design and thrift and the frustration of planned obsolescence and the procurement of things we needed for our condos at the time. We were probably bored and killing time waiting for a flight while on a business trip or something. But here is what we decided.
It is more important to pay extra for some things in order to get workable design and quality that will last. Otherwise, you end up replacing the cheap thing over and over and over again. It isn't a concept that many of us Americans embrace very often as we are used to cheap, disposable items in large quantities. (Note: I'm not saying other cultures DON'T feel this way. I just cannot speak for any other culture because I've only lived here.)
Here are some of the things that we felt we might have to pay more for in order to get lasting quality. If you could get them on sale or for less, great! But we felt that they had to be of great quality or else it really wasn't a deal:
- Sofa
- Area rugs unless they are cotton or Kilim
- Pots and pans
- Bath towels
- Kitchen knives
- Lighting
- Some kitchen appliances
- Bed linens
- Window blinds
- Faucets and other plumbing fixtures
- Bathroom fan
- Windows
- And so on...
We also had a list of "cheats"...things you could improvise OR pay less for and they would still wear well and look good:
- Architectural salvage
- Some furniture from thrift shops and such
- Many kitchen hand utensils and dishtowels
- Shower curtains/window curtains
- Most accessories and decorative items
- Bathroom toilets (except for low flow) and sinks
- Decorative textiles
- And so on...
Some items (like OXO Products) are just great deals with awesome usability and terrific pricing, but this type of consistency across a brand is too rare, unfortunately.
At some point in time, I lost my copy of the list so I don't remember all of the items. But, checking in with Consumer Reports, I would say that Andy and I were on to something. Inexpensive doesn't have to mean "flimsy and cheap", but every bargain is not always a bargain in the end either.
So, some other key components of getting rid of my clutter?
- Selecting wisely and well.
- Learning to put up with a blank space in the living room if it means that I'm searching for the RIGHT thing.
- Spend a higher percentage of my budget on fixing my space and less money on putting things IN the space.
- Avoiding the clutter cycle of purchase-break-purchase-hate-purchase-pitch or donate.
- Free myself from being compelled to buy something BECAUSE the price is right and for no other reason.
- Allow myself to perhaps pay a little more if something is very well made AND pleasing to look at AND works well AND will last.
Where I research the things that I buy:
The customer opinions at Amazon.com
For fun:
How 'bout you?
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Cabinet Refacing:
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Comments
Just a couple of resources you might enjoy since you are going down this path...
First, a good book that puts the "money" into simplification/declutter lifestyle is "Your Money or Your Life." Although more on the money side of things, it helped me focus on "consumer" choices in a way that I hadn't before.
Second, a good website is the "Simple Living Network." www.simpleliving.net Lots of good ideas...with some people going to lengths I haven't yet been able to obtain.
As we go through our rehab...I looking at return on investment rather than price...sometimes this means paying more on the front end (like tankless water heater and foam insulation) but the purchase also pays dividends down the road. Futher...we have talked about having each piece of furniture or item actually "mean" something to us before we put it in our home...If it doesn't, it should be donated, discard, or given to someone who will enjoy it...More difficult than one might imagine. Our hope is this will lead to contentment--which will lead to less "replacement" of objects later down the road.
Good luck in your quest.
Posted by: Patrick | May 15, 2006 11:31 AM
Yes! I couldn't agree more with your entry. I started to get into the simplicity movement when I was saving up for a house downpayment. At that point I was all about thrift and frugality, which ties in very closely with simple living.
For a while during my saving period I was logging where every penny went. It was a good exercise; it forced me to stop and think about my consumer habits. I noticed that I tend to impulse-buy pure crap if it's on sale or in a thrift store. I've since mended my ways a bit, although it's hard to stop it entirely even when you know you don't *need* the things you're picking up. I think it's kinda like emotional eating - purchasing or acquiring goods is rewarding, so you do it regardless of the eventual consequence (like a cluttered house).
On the subject of quality and investment, Teague and I decided that when we buy furniture pieces for our house we're sticking to antiques. The reproduction-style new furniture is just as expensive (if not more), looks cheesy, and is poorly made. The antiques we've bought/inherited are of a much higher quality and should go up in value over the years if we take good care of them. If we ever get sick of them, we can always trade them in for something different.
Posted by: mindy | May 15, 2006 3:22 PM
I think being raised to appreciate quality is a gift I undervalued from my parents and grandparents. They always built modest sized homes, but put quality appliances, fixtures and built ins that made life easier. In one house they had two large linen closest and a great built in pantry in the breakfast nook. Toaster, lines etc. pulled out for my grandmother and breakfast was a smooth operation. I persuaded the current owners to let me have a walkthrough a couple of years ago. All the original mosaic tile installed in the 1950’s home was as pristine and stunning as the day it was installed. Grandfather only hired the best of the best. The owners informed me that the appraiser could not say enough about the design and construction of the home. They asked me why there were breadboards for the linen closets; since I informed them my grandfather designed the home. I told them grandmother needed a place to rest linens/towels. She wanted both hands free to put things away. I still strive to keep my closets as neat, and full as my gran could. That being said, I have inherited all too much from them. I have a 700 sq foot bungalow, and while I purge annually (neighborhood sale) I never seem to empty all the boxes in the basement. I have family cutlery from the 1860’s and can’t seem to part with something that has been passed down six generations. It’s hard not to have a museum of family treasures. Too much of a good thing, and you start to loose perspective. As this site has proven, you may not always recognize the value of something until you learn more about it.
Posted by: eric | May 16, 2006 9:04 AM
I've definitely been guilty of buying things just because they were cheap, not because I necessarily needed or even wanted them that much. I've been trying to break myself of this (with mixed success) for a couple of years now. My main problem is clothes. I buybuybuy and then quickly hatehatehate. Now eBay is my friend. I constantly go through my closet and find new stuff to sell.
Posted by: Kristin | May 17, 2006 2:20 PM