I’ve been conducting a little experiment recently. I set myself the challenge to refrain from purchasing something until I have completely exhausted what I already own. ‘Well isn’t that obvious?’ you may ask, but sadly I’ve observed that there are many areas of my life where I create waste for very dubious reasons.
Let me paint you a picture…
Most months, as my Tesco home delivery arrives I sift through the fridge throwing away any out of date goods. This monthly ritual often leaves me with a great sense of guilt as meats, and sauces I had intended to consume were left to decay, forgotten on the top shelf. This January I decided to try to buy less but use it all. My grocery bill went down and it’s required a little creativity on my part but as I enter the last week of the month my fridge and freezer are almost empty. There are just a few meals left to carry us through to the next online harvest. It feels really good…
Before Christmas Steve and I replaced our kitchen (it’s so pretty). With the expense that accompanies such a project, combined with the generosity of the season I knew now wasn’t the time for spending money we didn’t need to…
Why is it always this moment that you run out of your favourite moisturiser?
And your favourite mascara.
And your favourite eye cream.
Ok so I may be a little too pre-occupied with cleansing, toning and moisturising (my dressing table could be mistaken for an apothecary). Over the years I’ve bought or been given freebies of toiletries that I haven’t loved the feel of quite so much as my favourite brand, and as a result I now have a drawer that needs to be opened with care because of numerous are the creams, lotions and tanners. As I pondered whether I could replace my favourite moisturiser I felt challenged to open my drawer and count the number of started and discarded pots of said cream that I had stored away… I won’t share my shame but in summary I have not gone shopping. Slowly but surely I have been making my way through the various products I would normally shun and guess what… my skin is fine. Brand choice truly is a luxury. I’ve banned myself from the Body Shop until I’ve used them all and the day they are finished and my drawer is considerably lighter I will enter with joy to buy exactly what I want knowing it is also something that I need.
Exercising self-control in these two small areas of my life has left me feeling lighter. As my consumption lessens my heart lightens. How could I waste so much for so long? I’m sure there are many other areas I’m blind to waste and still have a lot to learn, but for now I’ve found one small step into contentment is to realise and fully take advantage of what I already have…