Isn’t this enough to make you think long and hard about every potential purchase?
Really Pretty Things I’m Not Buying Now and Not Ever
Since the start of last year, I’ve significantly cut my discretionary spending (especially, especially on clothes, which I later expanded to other ‘problematic’ categories). Something that happened since the pandemic is I’ve drastically cut all spending and really begun to train my ‘frugality muscle’.
A few things inform this change. For one, I am staying in as much as possible, and luckily for me, that means I completely avoid stores altogether, meaning I rely on delivery. I justify having essentials delivered because delivery workers are out anyway, and by not going to stores myself, each time I am in fact cutting a branch off potential transmissions. That said, I still hold myself to view each purchase as potentially causing risk to others, so I avoid ordering anything non-essential.
Before the pandemic, I was also transitioning to buying secondhand whenever appropriate and feasible. Practicing for that goes hand in hand with choosing to buy only essential items. Many purchases go “on hold” indefinitely as I tell myself, “I don’t need this now; I don’t need this new.”
When we first entered “vital purchases only” mode, I felt an almost physical revulsion at seeing targeted ads, especially for frivolous, luxury items. I felt a sense of aversion for the endless slideshows of antique desks and designer shoes that swarmed my screen as I read too much news.
But as time goes on, my eyes wandered! I still have the same tastes, and what had appeal regained their favor. Then I realized I can acknowledge both how attractive something looks to me, and how it does not functionally fit into my life and pursuits now. This new perspective gave me the freedom to appreciate beauty & design, without consigning myself to destructive, ugly consumerism, which I can no longer stomach.
In that spirit, I present you three(-ish) beautiful things I will not buy, not now and not ever.
As a last note, I’ve also updated this list. Stay safe, stay home (if you can).
I’m having the quaran-time of my life!
Y’all already know this but I’ve organized my craft supplies at long last.
I also cleaned my entire fridge.
I cleaned every single drawer in the house, spread over days (bathrooms, kitchen, and then furniture).
I mended my cat’s bed after it exploded in the washer.
I rearranged my roof deck furniture to make room for a mini food garden.
I see my friends and family on video chat. I’m still updating my list of helpers (and the not-so-helpfuls) here on the blog. Check out this week’s new additions.
But you know what else I’ve done? I’ve had days where I did nothing but a few pages of sudoku. I’ve slept too much during the day. I’ve cried. I’ve felt angry, scared, and tired. Because that’s just how life goes, quarantine or not, some days we feel more helpless and paralyzed than others. But I’ll tell you what I’m not going to do: I won’t beat myself up over unproductive days.
Friendly reminder:
Covid-19: What I’m doing to reign in anxiety
Yesterday Amanda’s college bestie, an intelligent and wonderfully warm man, kindly checked in on me. Our exchange inspired me. He said that he only reads 6 articles/listens to the news twice each week. Because he works in a hospital, where he is sufficiently briefed, the rest I assume is the product of extraordinary self-restraint. I admitted that I spent too much time in quiet panic, gleaming information I don’t retain (ever-changing numbers and projections, shifting guidelines and opinions, & many more!), but that only serve to intensify my anxiety and sense of doom.
He suggested that I limit myself to catching up twice a week for one hour max each time. He was very supportive and optimistic, which gradually led to some gears turning for me. At first, I felt anxious about giving up so much of what took up so much of my mind of late. Then, I grew anxious about how to adhere to a limit, and how to use my limited time well. Finally, I decided I would devote each reading session I allow myself to the task of populating a list. The list comprises of mostly companies, but also some individuals, who act in this time of crisis, for the greater good, as well as those who act greedily for selfish gains.
With the list on hand, I no longer obsessively follow case trackers and read into “off” commentary. Instead I have a simple objective: to gather relevant data. Here I took inspiration from the time Mini and I talked over ideas for posts. I’d suggested she write about her shopping hauls, something I gave up due to drastically cutting down shopping. I had the idea that she could reverse the process, and use the hypothetical blog post to evaluate items on her wishlist. I put it to her as: “if you don’t even want to write about it, then do you really want buy it?” Today, that thinking served me well: I stopped reading articles I’m unwilling to annotate.
I put up the list. It’s rough & simple, and to keep things uncluttered I did not cite sources, as a quick Google search would furnish the relevant links. I’ll keep adding to it, and I welcome additions or corrections as is fit.
The list and this post are also inspired by Mr. Roger’s (mother’s!) famous lines:
“…because if you look for the helpers, you’ll always find that there’s hope.”
Want more ways to help?
Make Homemade Face Masks (idea and link courtesy of my cousin Corinne!)
Scientists Beat Covid-19 by Playing Puzzle Games
Something different?
Transcribe Handwritten Rainfall Records
Categorize & Transcribe for the National Archives
Fix Computer-Generated Transcripts for the American Archive of Public Broadcasting
Help Project Gutenberg Convert Public Domain Books
Is transcription not for you? Check out more projects on Zooniverse!
Be safe and stay healthy!
I did it! I organized my arts and crafts supplies!
It only took almost a year (see: I’m Trying! — to organize my arts and crafts supplies dated, embarrassingly, 04/19/19) and the onset of self-quarantine due to a global pandemic for me to finish organizing my arts and crafts cabinets in the basement.
Here’s my key for where things go:
- top shelf/bottom shelf: empty, reserve for overflow
- lego build booklets, sorting trays/legos
- holiday decor/photo organizers, picture frames
- plarn boxes * 2/”gift wrapping” box, “ropes, tapes, and wires” box
- nail art supplies/board games
- nail art supplies/board games, puzzles
- canvases, coin sorter, sidewalk chalks/paper cutter, rubber mat, folding bed tray
- “fabric crafts” box, “pens, markers, and scraps” box/fabric boxes * 2
- puzzles/used journals
- puzzles/paper craft supplies
- paint supplies, easel/wedding presents
- fabrics boxes * 2/misc craft supplies boxes * 2
That’s all! Now looking forward to all the days of staying home and getting to play with these. Be safe, everyone!