My last post about going green mentioned going paperless in the kitchen. There are some simple steps you can take to do 
this yourself. Our household hasn’t bought paper towels in over 8 months. Saved us a bunch of money, and it really wasn’t that hard to do. One of my favorite websites for frugal living & coupons, Faithful Provisions, has the answer for you: my guest post about going paperless.
An off the cuff tweet has morphed into a full blown post about clutter and the holidays! In fact, my tweet “Friends don’t give friends clutter for Christmas” was Rubbermaid’s “Tweet of the Week“!
I was at TJ Maxx today looking for some tights to go with a dress for an upcoming holiday party and was watching 
people rush around clutching ceramic Santas, festive candles, holiday Barbies and other gift-like items. And I have to wonder – where does it all go? And is the recipient really, well, thrilled?
How many presents have you received that you just wondered what on earth you were going to do with it? Or wracked your brain trying to find that perfect gift and ending up with a tie and sweater or a weird tchotchke (that’s any small knickknack that some people really think are cute and most people think are hideous and annoying)? And how much stuff does your kid get that ends up broken and discarded within a week?
This is a hard subject because I don’t want to come off sounding sanctimonious or “holier than thou”. While I’d prefer to reduce or eliminate the incessant trading of stuff at every drop of a hat, this isn’t likely to happen nor should it always be so. Sometimes, a gift is just the right thing in a situation. But just think, for a moment, what kind of gift would truly be appreciated.
One that doesn’t have to be cleaned or maintained.
One that doesn’t take up space.
One that will not end up in a landfill, thrift shop or only brought out when you visit.
One that really shows the giver that some thought was put into the choice of gift.
In that vein, here are some ideas to get you started:
For myself, I am gifting my husband two hours with a master gardener for Christmas this year – he loves to root plants and salvage half dead ones. The man has an amazing green thumb yet doesn’t know half of what he’s got. So this time will be wonderfully spent where he loves to be with someone who knows his stuff. And I badgered my husband hinted nicely for a spa package that includes a massage, facial and pedicure. Not that I’m being particular or anything. Just, you know, precise. But it’s something that a. I wouldn’t likely do for myself, and b. would actually get used, and c. doesn’t need dusting.
And on that vein, when did all this gifting (especially for kids) get so out of hand? Think twice before purchasing stuff, and really give thought to whom should really be on the receiving end. And be mindful about what you are gifting – is it useful and welcome – or just another dust catcher?
Personally, I don’t want or need any more crap stuff in my house – I like it the way it is – and if I really love something or need it desperately, chances are, I’ll get it myself when I need it. So do yourself a favor and don’t do so much shopping for stuff – but do some thinking about the spirit of the season. End of rant.
I came across this video “The Story Of Stuff” on twitter (thanks @organizergal), and thought it was just terrific. I often talk to people (whether they want to or not) about how much stuff there is in the world, in their homes and in their lives. Most of my job is helping people either get rid of, or store, stuff. This little movie explains where stuff comes from, how it is made and where it goes. It’s pretty hard core on the environmental bashing and social issues of large corporations and the government, not that there’s anything wrong that, I say.
Here’s the blurb from the site:
“From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It’ll teach you something, it’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.”
Check it out: http://www.storyofstuff.com/
I recently wrote a guest blog post on one of my favorite blogs, Small Notebook, about gifts for kids that don’t involve stuff like plastic toys from China and shopping at Target or Walmart. Here’s the link and I hope you enjoy: Great Gifts for Kids That Don’t Involve “Stuff”
This is also a great blog to subscribe to – always interesting and well written (and I’m not just talking about my post 
. Check it out!
Liz Jenkins
Liz’s Active Rain Home Staging Blog
