Simple Green: Use What You've Got

Eliminate the need to recycle something, to throw it away, to find a new home for it by not buying that new thing to begin with. So often it's easy to think we need the newest latest whatever, but it's really just something that took energy to create, to get shipped somewhere, get packaged and might need to be recycled (which also takes energy):

Writing for AT, it can be tempting to want all the cool new decor items, to want to switch out those drapes, to change a color scheme (and therefore need new plates) to get new pillows, etc. But something has to happen to the stuff we already have so we really try to take a moment before letting anything through our doors to make sure it's something that's worth bringing home. When we put the apartment on a diet we even stopped buying vintage pieces because it all was taking up so much room we were gonna need to rent a storage space, and that kinda went against small space living (mom's garage is one thing, a storage space is another).So we seek to be happy with what we have, instead of indulging the grass is always greener feeling.

That, for us, is keeping it simple.

[image from GiltGood's Flickr]

Comments (12)

Amen!

posted by lurker2209 on July 11th 2008 at 9:57am
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Absolutely. But I might need those cute little tea cups...

posted by BetterBombshell on July 11th 2008 at 10:37am
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But, but, but...

We all have to do our part to keep the economy afloat! Consume, consume, consume!

j/k, I totally agree.

posted by Cassidy06 on July 11th 2008 at 11:14am
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BEST SIMPLE GREEN YET.

posted by m! on July 11th 2008 at 11:21am
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Heck, yeah.

posted by Cheryl on July 11th 2008 at 12:03pm
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I think that if you want to update your decor there is nothing wrong with that. You should consider that every time you make a purchase you are stimulating the economy and giving someone a job. Also, there are plenty of less fortunate people in the world you can donate your old wares too. Why would anyone ever create anything new if nobody wanted it????? Please continue to find and purchase new and exciting items and give your old things away to someone with love.

posted by naebyrd on July 11th 2008 at 12:10pm
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totally agree. it's nice to see AT giving tips and DIY's to create a 'home' - not just furniture fetishism or house envy like most design resources.

posted by semolina on July 11th 2008 at 12:51pm
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So true!

posted by danze on July 11th 2008 at 6:08pm
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naebyrd - I think this isn't a contradiction here against buying new things, but at least one good suggestion is not to be in such a hurry to move on to the next thing you want. I love looking at all the new things, even things I hate, it gives me something to laugh at some joke that someone takes themselves too seriously and charges exorbitant amount. Fools and their money, it's amusing.

I have some things I'm working slowly to replace, but I think we're all prone to buying something that is whatever we define as the solution to our immediate need. I hate my plates, but I like them enough that I haven't gone searching high and low for the new ones I'll really love. (I really love those Terra Keramik items featured a couple weeks ago!.. but anyway). On the other hand, I wanted new curtains and sheets in my bedroom that I picked some pretty quick. I already have something to cover the windows, so I wasn't really in a rush, I just found something I liked pretty fast.

I just think it's not so awful to reflect upon the items you chose before or ended up with, and pretend you just found them at a flea market! The image we're provided makes it seem like "what you already have" is cool stuff you've always wanted. Does it make you want more new stuff? Probably. I never hit the good stuff at the thrift stores or garage sales, it's pretty much par for the stuff I'd put out if I had replacements. I just think this post means well - don't be in such a hurry to replace things, because shopping on impulse can speed up your impulse to replace it on the next thing you like better and want and justify.

posted by K T G on July 12th 2008 at 7:33am
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anyone notice anything interesting about those flamingos?

posted by peaceyall on July 12th 2008 at 4:18pm
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they look in flagrante?? (or however you spell that)

posted by cal on July 13th 2008 at 9:59am
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Look! The "top" flamingo has 2 legs on this side of the "bottom" flamingo. You can't make this like that chair from a while back.

posted by K T G on July 13th 2008 at 12:21pm
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