Let’s talk about stuff. The world is full of stuff. Old stuff, new stuff, stuff that is useful, stuff that isn’t. There’s stuff in drawers, stuff in storage units, stuff in stores. Stuff! Stuff! Stuff! All this stuff takes up physical space. Once stuff’s usefulness has (seemingly) passed, and we remove it from our life, it doesn’t stop taking up space. Out of site out of mind, amiright?!
Cue glamour shot of landfill…
This is the stuff of nightmares, isn’t it? Think about all that stuff buried in the earth. Worse yet, think about all the stuff floating in our oceans and rivers or blowing around our city streets and countryside. Think about all the stuff still sitting in boxes on store shelves, stuff moving along factory conveyor belts, and, existing only in a maker’s brain, all the stuff that hasn’t even been produced yet.
Spend a few minutes on YouTube and you can see that humans everywhere have a stuff problem. You will see countless videos of people discarding their stuff in favor of a more simple and decluttered life. Decluttering is great, but where does all the discarded stuff go? Not everything sent to the thrift shop is sold. Some of it is recycled, and, despite our best intentions, some of it still ends up in a landfill.
What can we do with it this stuff instead? So glad you asked! We can keep using what we have. We can maintain and use our stuff until its life is over, and when it is, we can use the leftover parts to make new stuff. We can buy things second hand or borrow when needed. We can accept that clothing doesn’t actually go out of style every few weeks, and enjoy wearing the stuff we already have. We can stop looking for happiness in shiny new things.
Now, I am certainly not an expert on ecology or psychology or whatever -ology covers this topic. Stuffology? I’m not perfect at maintaining an eco-friendly lifestyle. I’ll never be a minimalist (I’ve already tried). Just keepin’ it real, y’all. Having stuff isn’t all bad. I like stuff. I use stuff. I even sell stuff. I get lazy on a Tuesday night, stop for takeout on the way home, and end up tossing Styrofoam containers in the trash. Okay, that one is bad. I also buy new clothing from time to time that isn’t sourced from a thrift shop.
Like you, I have a full time job, a baby, a house and relationships to maintain. I’m busy and generally pretty tired. I don’t always have time to look for something second hand or fix something that needs to work. Popping down to the nearest mega store is so easy when you just need that one magical thing that will make life easier. I don’t think I’ll ever have a zero waste life, but I know that I can do better. We can do better.
I initially wanted to start this blog as a way to share my love for vintage things and DIY projects. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that buying old things and using what we already have can have a positive impact on our environment. I think this is an important message to share, and I want to do my part to “Be the change”, if you will.
Join me in this adventure as I discover how to fix stuff and make new things from old parts. Let’s also talk about fun stuff like vintage fashion, thrift store treasure hunts, even old movies and favorite songs. Let’s learn some things together. Most importantly, let’s begin to live more thoughtfully so we can leave behind a more beautiful world for our children.
