This weekend, I had the pleasure of listening to a very smart person talk about the economy and how it could and should affect our lives at home. She referred to something that I immediately recognized in my own life -- the "necessary unnecessary." In other words, those things I think I need that I really don't.
Have you brought any unnecessary necessaries into your home recently? I have ...
I'll be the first to admit that I am sometimes inexplicably drawn to shiny, pretty things. And, other times, I'm just drawn to things ... things that aren't even pretty.
Case in point: The Zyliss Food Chopper I bought a few weeks ago. I have a nice set of kitchen knives (which means the chopper is unnecessary), but I don't like to chop onions (which, unfortunately, made the chopper seem necessary at the time). Long story short, because my "unnecessary necessary" filter wasn't functioning properly, I brought another thing into my home that I don't really need -- which means that my tiny kitchen is just that much more crowded, my wallet is just that much more empty, and a landfill will eventually be just that much more full.
Keeping unnecessary things out of our homes can be a tough thing to do. But a simpler, less cluttered home is greener, healthier, and an ultimately more satisfying and comfortable place to live. Do you agree?
How do you avoid the unnecessary necessaries?
Emily's Rochester Merrypad 
Before & After: Molly's IKEA Rast Turned Campaign Chest
Like us on Facebook
RSS Feed (Atom)
Punkt. DECT DP 01 C...
12 Recipes to Know By Heart
How To Make Cake Pops
Comments (14)
I'm really rather indecisive. So, I wait it out. If the feeling is still strong after awhile, then I'll try to justify purchasing it. Usually though, I'll just forget about it in a couple of days.
I usually do the same. If its something that I want for a little while I decide it isn't worth it. But if I want something really that I am replacing or feel I need, I usually get a second opinion from a friend or husband and they tell me I'm wasting my money. I usually pick which friends I ask since some are very wasteful. But I hate clutter so the more things I have the more it annoys me.
i'm convinced that the secret to being happy is NOT to go shopping!
I tend to wait. Example: I just bought a carved bone pendant that I've wanted for several years.
Of course, my huge weakness is books and shoes (it would be clothes but there's that pesky "does it actually fit?" question) so I try to avoid places where I'd find either.
Oh. My. God.
This is the first post I've noticed written in the first person.
Thankyoubabyjesus.
Oh you are too unkind!
That Zyliss food chopper is a Godsend in my life, be it not slandered!
First of all, it is a food chopper. It chops more than onions. Like walnuts for example, which are cheaper when you buy them whole. Second, some of us - perhaps not this commenter, but some people - are deeply tortured by onions and shallots. And I - I mean, some people - cry for the better part of an hour, merely slicing into one, let alone chopping.
Some things may be a unnecessary necessaries, but NOT the Zyliss food chopper!
Well, I just bought an electric citrus juicer to replace a 15 year old one that broke recently. I suppose that could be seen as unnecessary but my fruit/veg box from Boston Organics always has a lot of oranges, which I don't like to eat (something in the peel bothers my skin) but I love fresh orange juice. So having this juicer means the oranges don't go to waste.
Living in an small NYC-size apartment (with an appropriately sized kitchen) makes you think twice before buying anything. I gave up on kitchen "gadgets" a while ago: I don't buy anything unless it's been around a good while and at least several other cooks I know and respect swear by it.
I still have some leftovers from the times I wasn't as prudent, for example, a panini-maker. Who needs that, really?
I clean and organize the house often. How does this help? It makes me realize what I truly have so that I'm not tempted to bring in more stuff. I also have a constant out box and seeing the items in it (and the money I spent on them) makes me not want to buy more stuff.
I too find the Zyliss chopper to be a wonderful necessity. It's small and inexpensive and makes prep work much quicker.
I try to remind myself that I already have the tools I need, I have plenty of yarn to keep me busy for years, I have the library to use so I don't need to buy DVDs. It's hard sometimes though especially when something is on sale. I don't read flyers or window shop. I only go to a store when I need something and I bring a list.
I have purchased some small appliances that I could have done without, but I got them at yardsales so I figure it all balances out.
"Well, I just bought an electric citrus juicer to replace a 15 year old one that broke recently. I suppose that could be seen as unnecessary ... having this juicer means the oranges don't go to waste."
Mmm, wouldn't a *non-electric* juicer have done that just as well? It's not like it's hard to juice oranges using an old-fashioned glass one. http://www.amazon.com/SCI-Glass-Citrus-Juicer/dp/B0000DE7OY
Instead, you have something that will be broken again - probably in a lot less than 15 years - and will end up as a whole lot of electric parts in landfil. You could have bought one hand juicer that would last forever.
Cutting catalogs out of my life is helping a lot. There are all sorts of things in catalogs that I never knew I "needed" until I saw it in print. Best not to be tempted in the first place!
In general, specialty tools are generally the worst offenders because they only do one thing, and you don't do that one thing often enough to make it worth having.
Rebbekap, I normally agree with you, which is why I feel it is the "unnecessary necessary" this post is talking about. I have almost no other electric appliances (e.g. I am one of the few people I know who doesn't own a microwave). I conserve energy with CFLs, compost, recycle religiously, airdry my laundry (but I don't beat it against rocks, I confess).
I can't eat oranges any other way as the peel and pulp make the skin around my mouth break out. Since I have arthritic hands using an electric juicer does make a difference for me. If it is any comfort to you, I crank my homemade pasta by hand. None of us is perfect, alas.