Is it hard for you to say, "No More Stuff"?

**AmyBoz** · 10-16-2005, 03:05 PM

I find as I get older, it becomes easier for me to walk past something in a store that I really want, but to not pick it up because I know it is just something else to bring into my home that I will have to a)clean b)take care of c)dust or d)eventually declutter.

My mother can't pass anything up. If something strikes her fancy, she buys it. I also have many friends who are always buying new clothes, etc when the ones they have are perfectly good.

How about you? Is it easy for you to see the big picture when shopping, or do you pick up stuff that you don't really need?

**Sara Noel** · 10-16-2005, 03:09 PM

I still have many things that I'd like to buy for our house, but it's easy for me to say no to impulse things in the store. I don't have much "stuff", but the items I do have are quality or antiques.

I'm a bit on the opposite spectrum. I could use a few more "things". There are times I feel our home looks too sparse. I'm selective on what those few more things will be though.

**forestdale** · 10-16-2005, 03:16 PM

Yes, I can easily walk past and not buy. In fact, I rarely go into shopping centres now. I went to a new discount shopping mall with my son recently to buy a birthday gift for my DH, that was the first time I'd been mall shopping for about a year. Even then we just went to the men's store and came home.

I don't really "get" shopping. I look at the people who come into our store and I wonder why they are there and not having fun at home or at the beach or something. I don't understand what enjoyment anyone would get from walking through endless shops looking for things to buy. But hundreds do it and that's how we earn our living now. It's got me stumped.

**AmyBoz** · 10-16-2005, 03:55 PM

Rhonda, LOL...your post made me laugh. I hate shopping. My mother always asks me to go with her and my friends in high school and college could shop for hours. It bores me to tears. However, when I'm out for necessities, I do see things that I think are neat, but I don't buy because I know I just don't need them. Not just knick-knacks, but clothes and other stuff too.

Maybe it's because I worked my way through high school and college in a department store and watched people plop down tons of money so easily and be back the next week for more.

**midwestgal** · 10-16-2005, 04:50 PM

I'm at the point in life where I am ruthlessly pitching things. I have subscribed to "less is more" and the "one thing in, two things out" philosophy. Our lives have become so much calmer. I'm a "get in, get out" kind of shopper. If I'm at Target and I see some cute T-shirts on sale, I will pick up three and then not have to worry about knock-about clothes for a while. I have friends who are really into recreational shopping, and I have been held captive by them (They were the drivers), as we did an all-day shopping marathon. I vowed, never again! If they want to meet, I tell them I will meet for a cup of tea or coffee, and I will be driving myself. What I really like to do, though, is put $10-15 in my pocket and hit the garage sale trail. Now, THAT is fun shopping because I have the thrill of the hunt and great bargains to boot. But even here, I am much more discriminating. I ask myself, "Do I or someone else really need this?"

**pkellyc** · 10-16-2005, 05:03 PM

No more stuff in my house it is packed full. Sometimes I would like to throw it all out and start again it was so much fun collecting it. A lot of the things I have were my mothers. The kids are taking dibs on them and I almost can't wait till they leave so they can take it with them. I have started my Christmas shopping so the urge to buy other stuff is satified for now. That leaves the problem of overbuying for the holiday but that's another topic.

As far as general shopping I really am not that big on it. I am not a clothes horse and the things I do have were accumilated over 27 years and 2 marriages. I don't really need anything at this point and I seldom see anything different or for that matter what I just love, love. If I did I would more than likely buy things more often.

Dd just started working a pier1 imports and there is stuff she just loves there. It will be fun for me to see what she collects.

**Englishlady** · 10-16-2005, 05:08 PM

I have never understood the attraction of "recreational shopping" as I find shopping stressful. I shop with a purpose and usually a list! ...........one -in-one-out is my motto and it really does get easier as you get older providing you have matured enough to realise that opening your purse is NOT the key to happiness

In fact as we get older dh and I find it harder and harder to buy things for each other for Birthday's and Christmas and the rule is now it has to be "consumable", no dust catchers how ever gorgeous, everything must have a use

We are constantly de-junking and whilst it is a job that never ends it DOES get easier as you question what comes IN to the house.

I actually like de-junking, although I do sometimes get a twinge of guilt over past "mistakes"

looking at the stuff I have wasted money on in the past makes me clearer about what I am willing to spend money on and what no longer holds any relevance

**AmyBoz** · 10-17-2005, 04:29 PM

Karen, Isn't it funny how when de-junking, suddenly something that you "had" to have doesn't hold any value for you anymore? I'm constantly amazed by that.

I'm really proud of the fact that we bring nothing in anymore. So much easier down the road.

**canadian gardener** · 10-17-2005, 04:53 PM

depends on the item.

Books on a subject that I'm currently fascinated by, it's hard.

Clothes, household stuff for the most part easy.

**SHOPGIRL** · 10-17-2005, 06:02 PM

It's a lot easier now to say, "No More Stuff". I have a small house, and now when I pick something up I ask myself,

"Do I really need this?", of course, "I want it, but I usually don't NEED it."

"Where am I going to put this item?"

Usually, I end up putting it back. I'm one of those recreational shoppers. To me, shopping is very, very relaxing. After a hard day at work, I love just browsing in a store...just looking at things without a list. This is usually when I happen to find a unique gift or a bunch of bargains. The last several months, I've done considerably less recreational shopping. A lot of times, I don't buy anything, but if I'm not in the store, I can't spend money.

Instead, I think about my clutter, and think about what I have to get rid of. My stuffed closets remind me that I don't need to buy another pair of shoes.

Stuff can be fun to acquire, but too much stuff is a headache-and bad feng shui!

**AmyMCGS** · 10-17-2005, 07:16 PM

I still have trouble sometimes not picking up extras... although my extras are almost always from a clearance rack, still, sometimes I really don't need the things I pick up. I also have a hard time in the dollar store... I get seduced by that notion that "it's only $1" and buy more than I should.

I'm much better than I used to be. DH & I have been doing some serious decluttering around here in the last month, and just today I cleaned out our master closet. I have a trashbag full of clothes to donate.

I do enjoy recreational shopping... and I can look without spending any money. Especially lately... it's hard to hunt for bargains with a screaming two year-old in your cart.

**Michelle** · 10-24-2005, 09:05 PM

I would love to get some things for my house as we've never really decorated here (e.g. wall art), but other than that, I always question everything that is brought into this house. Now if I could just get everyone in the house to see it my way

**favesis37** · 10-25-2005, 08:55 AM

it is real hard for me to pass anything up, in fact my mom gave me 2 garbage bags of stuff and well... i kept it all! of course my house is very cluttered, and i can't make myslef get rid of any of it.

**geniebird** · 10-25-2005, 09:35 AM

We live in a teeny tiny space so there really is no room for even one more thing. Also I really don't enjoy shopping. DH laughs and says when I shop I am a woman with a mission. I go in buy only what's on my list and get out of the store -- no browsing.

DH does have his eye on a rotisserie -- he loves rotisserie chicken. I've told him he can buy it when he can figure out where to put it. Probably shouldn't have said that -- he is a former engineer and loves a challenge. He might figure out a way to hang it from the ceiling.

**momof42003** · 10-25-2005, 10:18 AM

Some things I will take, some things I just can't see me having any more room to stuff anything into...... Clothes for the kids is always hard for me to pass up, but I do have the rule for every one thing you bring in and keep, one of your things from the closet must go out... DD was just getting and getting and getting, and I realized she was running out of room, so we started that rule...