Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Do we have too much stuff?

13

Comments

  • #62
    Lofidelity
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭Lofidelity


    Minimalism is what its all about. Plenty about it on youtube, its a growing philosophy. Less physical clutter leads to less mental clutter.

    Ten years ago people brought two bags of stuff for a weekend away. Then airlines charged for the second bag and overnight people changed behaviour and managed with one small bag. Or think about a hiking trip, you dont want a heavy bag so you only bring essentials. Everything has a purpose and theres no waste.
    You save money, save storage space, save the environment and save time sifting through expensive junk.


  • #63
    Lofidelity
    Registered Users Posts: 199 ✭✭Lofidelity


    take everything wrote: »
    So true.
    If you ever look at footage from say the sixties, seventies or even eighties it's actually hard to find obese people.

    Almost everyone is thin.

    It's one symptom of a bloated society generally though.

    Mentally, physically and spiritually bloated.
    Too much information.
    Too much credit.
    Too much food.
    Too much stimulation in general.

    Exactly, thats why people are trying to escape through yoga, meditation or going off the grid and living in a campervan.


  • #64
    Neames
    Registered Users Posts: 951 ✭✭✭Neames


    I used to spend my money on

    Books - I have a kindle now so no more books cluttering up the place.

    CDs - now I have spotify so they're gone too. 10 euros a month and I have all the music I could wish for.

    Film - DVDs were purchased on a whim. Now I just stream what I want, whenever. No clutter.


  • #65
    Blaizes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 809 ✭✭✭Blaizes


    take everything wrote: »
    So true.
    If you ever look at footage from say the sixties, seventies or even eighties it's actually hard to find obese people.

    Almost everyone is thin.

    It's one symptom of a bloated society generally though.

    Mentally, physically and spiritually bloated.
    Too much information.
    Too much credit.
    Too much food.
    Too much stimulation in general.

    That’s so true too much of everything. Before having kids had far less but even that aside we’ve become a consumerist society.

    Cleaning out kitchen press found spray for ironing out creases( never used) fly spray( thought we had none) and I’m not even a huge hoarder and try to live simply. Plus loads of other stuff everywhere. As someone said maybe we hold onto stuff because we think we’ll use it again though heard someone say before if you haven’t used it for a good while or worn it for a good while chances are that it won’t be used so no point in hanging onto it. But as someone else pointed out it’s better to buy less and buy carefully.

    Another thing clothes. Does anyone remember leather or leatherette patches being sewn into jumpers as kids when the elbows had worn out we don’t do that anymore. It’s discard and buy a new one. Even kids getting new school bags every year for school.

    So many things that could be upcycled. Seems in Spain the second hand market is small because they buy better quality and really mind and clean what they have, really like that mindset. Personally just want to live with less stuff but hard in Ireland and then there is plastic on everything, also crazy.


  • #66
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    when i was a lad....i used to get presents twice a year...

    christmas and my birthday

    but nowadays kids get presents on tap for any ol'reason


  • Advertisement
  • #67
    Pero_Bueno
    Closed Accounts Posts: 502 ✭✭✭Pero_Bueno


    Those storage centers were never a thing 20 years or so ago, I remember when I first went to the states I couldn't believe the amount of them, and as if they don't have big enough houses and garages over there - well, it's getting just like that here too - and in Europe.

    Can't sustain it, they use a lot of power too, a lot of the places are air conditioned or heated too ...


  • #68
    Pero_Bueno
    Closed Accounts Posts: 502 ✭✭✭Pero_Bueno


    fryup wrote: »
    when i was a lad....i used to get presents twice a year...

    christmas and my birthday

    but nowadays kids get presents on tap for any ol'reason

    And the toys lasted too, we would be playing with them still years later - sure not as much but they would still work and be useful.


  • #69
    juneg
    Registered Users Posts: 1,083 ✭✭✭juneg


    I do sell a lot on adverts, bags to the charity shop and bags to the clothes bins. My own wardrobe is minimal enough. Kids well used to donating stuff.

    Weak areas are I have too many books, schoolbooks and supplies, towels, sheets, duvets covers etc. Strong area are I have no ornaments or dust collectors as I call them. Nothing on windowsills.

    Some toys boxed in the attic, Lego, Playmobil, sylvanians, beyblades I'm keeping for the next generation.


  • #70
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    So the last of my VHS tapes are gone, but i did keep the sleeve art as a lot of them are really nice and i was thinking of doing a collage on feature wall with them.

    Or maybe just store them in the attic:D


  • #71
    iamwhoiam
    Registered Users Posts: 16,066 ✭✭✭✭iamwhoiam


    juneg wrote: »
    I do sell a lot on adverts, bags to the charity shop and bags to the clothes bins. My own wardrobe is minimal enough. Kids well used to donating stuff.

    Weak areas are I have too many books, schoolbooks and supplies, towels, sheets, duvets covers etc. Strong area are I have no ornaments or dust collectors as I call them. Nothing on windowsills.

    Some toys boxed in the attic, Lego, Playmobil, sylvanians, beyblades I'm keeping for the next generation.

    Keep those toys . Our grandchildren now play with our own kids lego and duplo . They love the Playmobile and wooden toys we kept . A tip for you , when we took the Duplo down it looked a bit black in the grooves We put it in the dishwasher and it came out gleaming like new


  • Advertisement
  • #72
    fmpisces
    Registered Users Posts: 888 ✭✭✭fmpisces


    Blaizes wrote: »
    Doing a clear out and just realized the amount of clutter we have. I think we have too much and don’t need half of it.

    Don't know about others but I am a hoarder. Did a clearout of my youngest's room earlier this week and gave away three bin bags of toys he hadn't played with in about 3 years. I'm the world's worst for thinking "I'll hold onto *that*" in case I need it and eventually end up throwing it out. I actually hate clutter but have trouble letting stuff go so :D


  • #73
    Blaizes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 809 ✭✭✭Blaizes


    fmpisces wrote: »
    Don't know about others but I am a hoarder. Did a clearout of my youngest's room earlier this week and gave away three bin bags of toys he hadn't played with in about 3 years. I'm the world's worst for thinking "I'll hold onto *that*" in case I need it and eventually end up throwing it out. I actually hate clutter but have trouble letting stuff go so :D

    I know my kids won’t let me throw away any of their stuff but there is so much of it. Hate clutter too, pointless.


  • #74
    Bobblehats
    Registered Users Posts: 4,707 ✭✭✭Bobblehats


    Don’t see the point of hanging onto stuff anymore only invest in what will benefit me now, low tolerance for crap. Saw an episode of hoarders where this old socialite just wouldn’t let go her good friend Ron Jeremy even popped round to try persuade her but it seemed everything had sentimental value to this weepy old dame.


  • #75
    ToxicPaddy
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,764 Mod ✭✭✭✭ToxicPaddy


    Yes I've definitely had too much stuff in the past but two huge declutters in the past 18 months have shown me just how much crap I had but I'm not finished yet.

    Changed my outlook on parts of my life and to be honest it's refreshing to know that I no longer need these things.

    Now I've put a few rules in place for myself:

    *If it hasn't been worn for 12 months, it goes to charity
    *If its damaged and can't be repaired, it gets dumped. No point holding on to things just in case
    *If I haven't actually used what is broken or gone looking to use it in the past 6 months I don't replace it.

    I'm moving house soon and I've been moving stuff to storage but only what I genuinely need to bring with me, so I deliberately got the smallest storage unit available and while I've pretty much emptied the current place I'm living in, I've barely filled the storage unit, with most stuff being sold off, given to charity or dumped

    It genuinely feels good to get that stuff out of my life tbh, like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.


  • #76
    Greentopia
    Registered Users Posts: 3,221 ✭✭✭Greentopia


    kowloon wrote: »
    My mother stores wool in her attic space where the only thing it's displacing is more insulation, which can be wool itself, so I'm not sure it counts as hoarding.

    That's what I do. 90% of what I have in the attic is my yarn stash. I use it though. Presumably she doesn't have it unboxed lying on the ground where moths and anything else can eat it though! and yes it can count as hoarding.

    Ever hear of SABLE? Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. Have seen some knitters with this whose craft rooms are as well stocked as a large yarn shop! Usually Americans...


  • #77
    Greentopia
    Registered Users Posts: 3,221 ✭✭✭Greentopia


    I used to have too much stuff until quite recently, but I'm actively trying to minimise waste and frivolous purchases. I used to buy and collect a huge amount of vintage china and homeware but decided recently to get rid of a lot.

    I like the zero waste movement and wouldn't say I'm there yet, but I've cut down on buying stuff with a lot on unnecessary plastic packaging and swapped a lot of things I used to buy in plastic-e.g. shampoo and conditioners bars or glass containers and no longer buy disposable items like dishwashing sponges as they're also made of plastic.

    I used to impulse buy a lot of clothes, shoes, bags and so on. I threw out over half my wardrobe when I moved back to Ireland and now only buy either second hand, or if I want something new I save up and buy quality natural fabrics, or sew and knit my own. I avoid fast fashion completely now.

    Reduced my makeup, skincare and haircare products to a few items. Books and yarn are the only things I have quite a few of now, but all my possessions can fit in an estate car which is fine for me as what I have now I love and use.


  • #78
    Blaizes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 809 ✭✭✭Blaizes


    Greentopia wrote: »
    I used to have too much stuff until quite recently, but I'm actively trying to minimise waste and frivolous purchases. I used to buy and collect a huge amount of vintage china and homeware but decided recently to get rid of a lot.

    I like the zero waste movement and wouldn't say I'm there yet, but I've cut down on buying stuff with a lot on unnecessary plastic packaging and swapped a lot of things I used to buy in plastic-e.g. shampoo and conditioners bars or glass containers and no longer buy disposable items like dishwashing sponges as they're also made of plastic.

    I used to impulse buy a lot of clothes, shoes, bags and so on. I threw out over half my wardrobe when I moved back to Ireland and now only buy either second hand, or if I want something new I save up and buy quality natural fabrics, or sew and knit my own. I avoid fast fashion completely now.

    Reduced my makeup, skincare and haircare products to a few items. Books and yarn are the only things I have quite a few of now, but all my possessions can fit in an estate car which is fine for me as what I have now I love and use.

    I did the same this year, got rid of clothes, shoes,bags, winter coats and stuff I never wear, am very glad they are gone just taking up too much space.


    Love the zero waste movement too and am trying to cut down on plastic in anyway I can, like using soap in shower, buying ice cream block in cardboard rather than a plastic tub, looking for loose veg minus plastic wrapping.



    Am also going to give vouchers as Christmas presents this year instead of stuff people don’t need or want.

    Curious as to what you use instead of sponges or disposable dish cloths.


  • #79
    Ubbquittious
    Registered Users Posts: 6,176 ✭✭✭Ubbquittious


    Blaizes wrote: »
    Curious as to what you use instead of sponges or disposable dish cloths.


    I suppose one could use actual sponges from the sea. Pity nature hasn't come up with a cloth plant that you can just pluck without having to bother spinning and weaving


  • #80
    Greentopia
    Registered Users Posts: 3,221 ✭✭✭Greentopia


    Blaizes wrote: »
    Curious as to what you use instead of sponges or disposable dish cloths.

    I knit some dishcloths from organic cotton and use them for washing dishes and cleaning up, and I have a natural bristle dishwashing brush for scrubbing pots, but I prefer a cloth scrubber pad so am looking right now for something biodegradable. Something like this maybe:https://www.evergreen.ie/safix-biodegradable-scrub-pad?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyerpBRD9ARIsAH-ITn97guUYU3dsBL6qJQA8_bmMpgbF5IAc9uLCjG0TbF5ImV3SuoLf3XMaArkMEALw_wcB


  • #81
    Blaizes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 809 ✭✭✭Blaizes


    Thank you, fantastic you are knitting your own dish cloths, great idea. Like the sound of those pads from ever green too especially that they are long lasting and decompose naturally, I go through a ton of sponges and all end up in the bin so need an alternative.


  • Advertisement
  • #82
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,646 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Ultraviolet closed down. Good thing I still have the DVD.

    Having stuff on the cloud is just handing complete control over to a third party.


  • #83
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,646 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Blaizes wrote: »
    Am also going to give vouchers as Christmas presents this year instead of stuff people don’t need or want.
    Do NOT do this.

    Give money. It's universal.
    And a small personal touch , small gift or greeting or picture or something.

    Vouchers expire. Companies go bust. And if the voucher is for something that people don't want or need you are back to square one...


  • #84
    iamwhoiam
    Registered Users Posts: 16,066 ✭✭✭✭iamwhoiam


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    Do NOT do this.

    Give money. It's universal.
    And a small personal touch , small gift or greeting or picture or something.

    Vouchers expire. Companies go bust. And if the voucher is for something that people don't want or need you are back to square one...

    A One 4 all voucher is an ideal present


  • #85
    whomenonotme
    Closed Accounts Posts: 90 ✭✭whomenonotme


    Strumms wrote: »
    I’ve around 900 CDs. I’ve been a music lover from as long as I can remember and compulsively bought music weekly since I was about 18... so 20 years. Now with Spotify they are obsolete and essentially worthless bar the odd boxed set, bootleg or rarity. Here I am in a room with stacks of CDs, money spent, space taken up, eons of time spent trawling through music shops home and abroad yet the iPad in my hand basically with the touch of the screen can take me anywhere in music. Still, the walking would have done me good.

    listening to the CDs could be less taxing on the environment than streaming. I'm glad I kept my CDs and DVDs now, apart from the fact that most of the DVDs weren't available to stream last time I checked.

    http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190207-why-streaming-music-may-be-bad-for-climate-change


  • #86
    Blaizes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 809 ✭✭✭Blaizes


    Ok you make good points Captain Midnight I had not thought too much about vouchers expiring or places going bust. The only thing is money seems so impersonal but as you say maybe with a small token it could still be meaningful. I’m done with wrapping presents though, apart from the Santa stuff. Mounds and mounds of paper after Christmas just seems such a waste.


    The idea of giving vouchers for a favourite restaurant or hotel break for parents still does appeal to me though.I have heard of people getting caught with vouchers but think it was mainly shops closing down.Just remembered We got a restaurant voucher one year and kept saying we’d used it but were too busy and never did.


  • #87
    Blaizes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 809 ✭✭✭Blaizes


    iamwhoiam wrote: »
    A One 4 all voucher is an ideal present

    Not sure they are, it seems some kind of penalty applies to the voucher the longer they remain unused ( or so I’ve been told)


  • #88
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,891 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Yes.
    Have kids.Flatly refuse to buy plastic crap for them or other kids.Have dumped so many toys in recent years, they haven't even noticed.We have too much stuff.Places like Ikea give me stress!!Just a big warehouse full of stuff.....


  • #89
    corks finest
    Registered Users Posts: 8,615 ✭✭✭corks finest


    Blaizes wrote:
    Doing a clear out and just realized the amount of clutter we have. I think we have too much and don’t need half of it.


    I'd say yes,I'm minimalist but I've a teen who hangs onto stuff🀔 drives me barmy


  • #90
    iamwhoiam
    Registered Users Posts: 16,066 ✭✭✭✭iamwhoiam


    Blaizes wrote: »
    Not sure they are, it seems some kind of penalty applies to the voucher the longer they remain unused ( or so I’ve been told)

    No charge for a year .


  • Advertisement
  • #91
    Blaizes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 809 ✭✭✭Blaizes


    corks finest wrote: »
    I'd say yes,I'm minimalist but I've a teen who hangs onto stuff�� drives me barmy

    Not there yet with teens but same with kids want to keep it all. Too many toys and all are sacred. The thing is when I do a clean up kids find stuff they’d forgotten about which shows that maybe it wasn’t the most important toy after all. The sacred ones seem to never get lost or if they do I’ll know about it straight away.

    I suppose the teen years are more about clothes, I’m guessing, especially for girls.


Advertisement