Easy adjustment: Only buy things you really like.

Okay shopaholics, this one is for you, but hear me out first.

An easy life adjustment that would save you space, be good for your bank account and good for the planet is:
Only buy what you really like love.

I myself am still trying hard to put this into practice but I think I'm getting better at it. This is usually how it works:
- I realize I need something (cheese grater, candle, table, etc.)
- I go to the store and buy the first one I see.
- I bring it home and I don't really like it.
- I keep an eye out for a better one.
- I find one and feel guilty having two. (I may or may not keep them both or give one away or even worse, throw the one I don't like out.)
The end.

Alternatively, it could work this way:
- I'm already at the store and see something I like.
- I think for a few minutes how it would look at home or in my closet (or not even.)
- I buy it.
- I bring it home.
- It never gets any use... and even worse, I feel guilty.
The end.

So here's my proposal on how this should work:
- I see or think of something I need.
- I do some research about prices, analyse your closet or kitchen or where ever this thing would go. Check out my favourite websites/stores, like www.etsy.com (They're not paying me to promote them, I just stumbled across it a few weeks ago and think it's a great idea. There are lots of cool things on there.)
- I find something I really love.
- I buy it. I use it. I love it.

I realize I may be coming off as slightly idealistic but I haven't given up on window shopping. I use it as a way of brainstorming for things that I would really love to own and then I keep a look out for them. If you wanna go a step further, step into a second-hand or vintage store every once in awhile and see if someone is selling something you really want to own. This includes waiting and saving up for something that's high quality and will last you longer. Once I started being aware that objects can actually make me happy if I've really, really found something I love, I started being more careful about what I choose to buy.

For example...


...I've been wanting a new strainer for a long time. We own an ugly plastic one, which I really don't like. I don't remember where it came from but I'm guessing we've had it for awhile. My friend showed me her beautiful strainer one day while we were cooking in her kitchen and I've been dreaming of one ever since. I went to Bonus Kirppis on Itsenäisyydenkatu in Tampere and found the perfect one! I actually found two: a red one and a green one, but settled on the green one because it was randomly 2 euros cheaper. I still love it though, and I get a certain pride out of using it. Those are the kinds of objects I want in my life, not the ones that give off guilt for being mistreated or left to gather dust.

Quick tip: Take the stairs!

Our lives are often filled with lots of stress and running around. Ironically, none of it is actually associated with running or getting much movement at all. In the process, we've also forgotten how to stay active as we automatically hit the elevator button or head straight for the escalator when the stairs are within sight.

Quick tip: Take the stairs - every time!
Even if your friends/neighbours/strangers are taking the elevator.

I started doing this in July, and it's now almost mid-August. The only exceptions I've made were for carrying really heavy or bulky things (like my vacuum cleaner - don't ask) up and down the stairs. I've found that it challenges me to take a few extra steps and regardless of how high up you're headed, it can also be fun!




Now you may not save the world by saving a few buttons-worth of electricity used to power an elevator but to convince you, I've made a list of reasons to take the stairs every time:
- More exercise (up and down the stairs)
- Less guilt (I feel great!)
- More energy (thanks to more exercise)
- If you're proactive about this, you'll end up making a bit of extra effort in other areas of your life. (ie. Like riding your bike to the grocery store or the farmer's market.)
- Less need to go to the gym (depending on how many stairs a day you climb, this could be a valuable source of exercise! Why waste time on the stair-master when you can just get in the habit of doing it regularly, and for free.)
- The feeling of accomplishment that comes from doing a little extra.
- Sexy legs! (That's right. I said it.)
- Not using extra electricity when your legs can carry you. And saving it for when you need it. (ie. Like when you bring home furniture!)
- It's fun!


While brainstorming about this entry I happened upon some really great pictures of staircases, maybe they'll inspire and remind you to take the stairs! Click here for more.

Awareness.

This next post is just as important as the previous one on canvas bags, but it's more of a mental exercise. I wouldn't call it a quick tip either though, but once you start thinking about it and noticing it, a lot of things get pretty obvious (and I find it's really hard to stop thinking about it... which is really good news!).

Today's tip: Be aware.

It has been said that every purchase is a political decision. I know I've thought this was extreme before, and I'm sure there are others who still think it's extreme. But once I started looking around at the packaging (plastic, paper, metal, glass, etc.) that are used in every-day products, it's hard not to notice anymore.

Don't just try this at the grocery store (where this exercise is at its scariest) but look at clothes, shoes, electronics, accessories, beauty products and pretty much anything else. Be aware of how things are packed in the store, and also what they are made of. Start thinking beyond the product's usage span and into its entire life cycle: from beginning to end.
Can you reuse the packaging somehow?
Will this go straight to the landfill?
Can the parts be recycled after you're done using it?
Will the company take back any of it for recycling and future production?

I'll build on this more in future posts but for now, that's your challenge: notice and register! The subsequent changes will come.

Quick tip: The cloth bag.

Replace any and all plastic bags used to carry any forms of shopping with reusable cloth bags (and bring them with you where ever you go).

You probably get the idea, but a few notes...

I find it really important to love at least one of your cloth bags (since you can have several.) So don't buy just any bag, but find out which is aesthetically pleasing and you enjoy carrying around with you. This is ironic since you don't spend too much time worrying about what your plastic bags look like but that's just it; this isn't a one-time (or few-time) use plastic bag, but a durable bag (like a unisex purse)!

I have a few bags and I usually carry them around in my purse. I found this a bit challenging at first because I'd always forget to take them with me but then I made a small effort to make a habit of it. Guys can put these in a backpack or a bag they have or even just carry it around as a bag with your wallet and keys in it. I'm also open to other suggestions.
Now, even if I'm not going out shopping, I don't leave the house without one. If you have a car, this is even easier because you can leave a few of them in the car.

This is my favourite cloth bag:



It's from Marimekko (a Finnish textile and design company) and it was a gift from my friend Emilia.



The reasons I love this bag so much:
1. The design.
2. The colours (or shades if you're being specific.)
3. The fact that it's made from Silver-medal materials. (This means that the textiles were not gold-quality but close and were thus used for another purpose than their main purpose.) There are probably more eco-friendly bags out there but since I already own this bag and love it, there's no reason to get rid of it and replace it with another. While we're at it, Marimekko is also synonymous with high quality, so it's bound to last me many trips to the market!

Update: There's currently a lawsuit being launched by multiple plastic bag companies against Chicobags, a company which sells reusable bags, due to the content of their website. Their website has a 'Learn the Facts' section which explains why using reusable bags is more sustainable than using plastic bags. (Apparently this is bad for the plastic bag industry.) The petition can be found here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/191/658/839/