Love What You Have

Love is in the air, so we here at Rethink Waste Project couldn’t help but ponder how we love our stuff, or don’t for that matter.  More Love, Less Waste.

Love Your Stuff (and get rid of the rest)

Surround yourself with things that you love, which is the idea behind Mari Kondo’s Art of Tidying Up. Does it bring you Joy? No? Then let it go. Let someone else love it. Don’t let it suck space, energy and time from your life anymore. (Especially if you’re saving it for a future need. You’re operating from a place of scarcity, instead of abundance. This is a note to self.)

Maintain the Stuff You Love

If you wait too long to repair something, then it just gets unrepairable. You’ve had a lot of adventures with that jacket/backpack/boots. Small repairs now mean you have more adventures together in your future. Get inspired about “The Stories We Wear” at Patagonia’s Worn Wear program. Seriously, it makes me regret I passed along my fuzzy green Patagonia fleece jacket that I patched with purple material on the back after a mouse nibbled on it in my backpack. But since it was a men’s jacket, it never quite fit me well, so there’s that.

Have Good Stuff

Good stuff usually costs more. But it lasts, often is repairable or better for you and the planet somehow. So think Quality over Quantity when you can…

…and when you can’t…

Buy PreLoved Stuff!

When I buy new I think about how much it costs and all the resources it took to make this thing and get it to me. When I buy used I don’t think at all about any of that because its already out there in the world, I’m not buying new and it’s usually a good deal. Choose reuse! The best part is that if you end up not loving it down the road, you’re less attached to holding onto it because you’re not invested in how much you spent on it. Love it or let someone else love it.

(And remember, it’s not the stuff that gives us the real joy and happiness – it’s the experiences we have in/with/around/because of the stuff. More Love, Less Waste!

{Credit to Patagonia for the photo, and Center For New American Dream for the #MoreLoveLessWaste inspiration}