Not Buying It
Painting dilemma - I have some wooden storage units for my new craft room cum office walls. They are sitting in the garage all primed and ready for paint. If only I could decide which colour.
I spent a fruitless hour on Sunday in Homebase trying to pick one out and instead found myself back home with a fistful of paint chips, no further forward.
Her book Not Buying It is out in paperback in a week or two. I'm waiting impatiently to read it since I read this review from The Independent:
"Many of us are unhappy, not because we don't have enough, but because we have too much. The usual answer to this problem? Just consume more stuff. We have a vast market in storage (things in which we put other things in order to make it seem as if we have no things)"
Oh yes, this struck a chord. The book is a memoir detailing the author's experiment in not buying anything but the essentials for a year. I need to read it.
When I told my hubby I planned to buy it, he laughed at the irony of that statement. So I did try to reserve it at the library, but there is a long waiting list (guess I'm not the first to have that idea) so in my impatience I've ordered it. Hey, at least I did it from my local independent bookshop...
I spent a fruitless hour on Sunday in Homebase trying to pick one out and instead found myself back home with a fistful of paint chips, no further forward.
Then I find myself wondering how much it really matters - can't I just use some leftover paint from the garage and save myself all this angst. Because I'm sure that would be the option Judith Levine would choose.
Her book Not Buying It is out in paperback in a week or two. I'm waiting impatiently to read it since I read this review from The Independent:
"Many of us are unhappy, not because we don't have enough, but because we have too much. The usual answer to this problem? Just consume more stuff. We have a vast market in storage (things in which we put other things in order to make it seem as if we have no things)"
Oh yes, this struck a chord. The book is a memoir detailing the author's experiment in not buying anything but the essentials for a year. I need to read it.
When I told my hubby I planned to buy it, he laughed at the irony of that statement. So I did try to reserve it at the library, but there is a long waiting list (guess I'm not the first to have that idea) so in my impatience I've ordered it. Hey, at least I did it from my local independent bookshop...
Comments
Also that book sounds great, but what do you do about the children, and all their stuff. A lot of these books are great, in you have lots of money, and no children, I have none of the former, and two nutters of the latter!!!!
Yeah - well, you remember my phase last fall... I almost had a no buy it year but it wasn't realistic with a kid with growing feet..etc. But I did declare my intentions to continue buying less, buying only quality, buying local, buying used... etc. And no chain discount stores all year.
I too was struck by the irony of not buying the book but I still want to read it. Hmmm Half Price Used books today maybe :-) Good luck with your quest.
but I've ordered the book from the library.
i saw the other of not buying it on oprah. very intriguing. i've been trying to use fabric i already have, and remake clothing i have as well. i've also been trying to hit the thrift stores more, but, esp. with growing kids, it's very hard to be TOO into that.
I'll have to look for the book too- just my kind of thing.
Judith Levine must have snuck into my house when I wasn't looking. Ugh.
And... I managed to put a hold on the Judith Levine book at my library -- thanks for the pointer!)
Sounds like an interesting book. Must read it. (Bet it's not at my library. Which translates into, must buy it.)
Please review it when you've read it. Let us poor storage fettish freaks know if it is a necessary purchase!
I should really look into that book. Yes, a review please!
Love your blog.
We're as keen to get it as you are! Obviously we classify small numbers of life-enhancing books from your local independent as essentials...
Judith Levine here. Not to blow my own horn (OK...to blow my own horn) but I agree with Angel Jim: SUVs are not essential. Foie gras is not essential. But books are essential! One reason to cut out the extraneous crap is to have enough not just for what you want but for what matters in the world. I'd say books fit there. And if you don't buy books -- NEW -- writers won't be able to write them. This is how we make our living, after all.
cheers. JL