The art of not buying stuff is a topic of interest to many these days. Clever marketing told us that we needed stuff and if we bought stuff our lives would be better and more fulfilled. The funny thing is that we have a population of people with too much stuff and higher levels of anxiety. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that it didn’t seem to work well. Maybe the answer really wasn’t in our material gains.  If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it is that all the stuff in the world doesn’t help in a pandemic, unless it is toilet paper.

Where to start?

Start small, maybe the kitchen drawer that is filled with gadgets. Organize them into groups and get rid of duplicates. Once you get started, keep going.  Pick another drawer until you feel lighter and a bit more free. Let go of the underwear with holes in it and the purse with the broken strap, you are never going to use it again.  Be honest with yourself.

Go paperless

I will admit that I am a bit of a magazine hoarder. I love to read and it is exciting to me every time I sit down to a glossy new cooking or travel magazine. The problem is that they never leave the house once I read it. So, my solution is to have become a digital hoarder. I have tried an online magazine subscription service and have created a more organized Pinterest for all the recipes I want to try.  My ipad is full but my bedroom floor is clearing up.

One in, two out

Every time you bring something new into your home, think about rehoming two things.  They don’t necessarily have to be the same things but it is about clearing space literally and figuratively. New lamp? Take a look around the room for knick knacks that don’t really go with the new lamp.  Keep a box at hand to put things in for donation and when it gets full drop it off.

Invest in Experiences

If we look back on our lives, we remember the late night drives for ice cream, impromptu Covidly distant dinners with friends or family campfires.  We don’t really remember the material things we were given unless it was a puppy or a pony and then well you were actually given an experience too!

Start with your children now and they will thank you later. It will help them to learn how to recharge, how to have down time.  Give them that gift.

We may think of 2020 as the year of Covid but it is also the year of reimagining and of resilience.

Go build a terrarium, hike that new trail, plan a weekend with your bicycle, go glamping.  Have fun!  Adults need to have fun too.

I suspect that living life outside of the retail store actually might lead to lower levels of anxiety and higher levels of satisfaction.  Give it a try, see how it works for you and if you need help, well you can always call a therapist, I know a good one.

Written by Kimberley Gunning