Would like to chat about Less

[WhitegreeNcandle]

So, I’ve just read Patrick Grants book Less and found it really thought provoking. I’ve never bought from places like SHEIN but I had been trundling along thinking I was doing ok. Since reading it I’ve realised how much tat we are surrounded by and I don’t want to be a part of it any more. I hadn’t realised how insidious it’s become really. It’s not just the quality of stuff it’s about how the economy could work on a quality scale.

Would love to just chat about easy swaps to make. Preferably cheap ones and it is a more expensive lifestyle I think. I went into our local refill shop yesterday and found there is a local company who do cleaning refills. Manufactured within 20 miles of where I live, reusable glass bottles etc.

Don't know about Next, but definitely M&S over Primark.

I'm not a massive consumer - buy lots second hand etc. Do despair at the plastic from a food shop though and could generate less shopping in local grocers ( but twice the price )
We take all of our packaging to our local coop and let them deal with it.

Can I do a shout out for the library to borrow online/ebooks and magazines

I tried mine last week because I have a list of books that I'm too tight to pay for on Kindle (I know we're all supposed to boycott Amazon but my Kindle is the first thing I'd save from my house if it was on fire after DP and cats, child free in case anyone is worried).

I put in 10 books that I wanted to borrow but they only had one that was even available to reserve and the estimated time that it will be my turn to read is late in February. So I think I'll stick with my virtual TBR pile for now.

I have thought about getting food from oddbox but I work full time with unpredictable hrs.
How do you arrange / manage your deliveries?

Do you have Spotify premium? ( it's about £12 per month ) if so do you know you automatically get 15 hrs of free audio books each month ?

I only ask because so many people don't seem to realise its automatically part of the package.

My town has a Library of Things, does anyone else?
My friend borrowed a cider press from it recently. Usually people seem to borrow things like power tools, but there are also for instance toys and high chairs you can borrow so if you had visiting smalls you could borrow one rather than buying your own.
Such a great idea.

Let me think
there are things I do
try to buy better quality clothes
eco toiletries and laundry products
second hand furniture
reusing glass and washing out pots with lids
second hand books
still a work in progress could do better still

That's a brilliant idea, although I haven't used it myself ( because I don't bake ) apparently my local library hires out roasting tins , loaf tins , spring form , flan , tins cooling racks and such like.

This thread has made me think about the stuff we buy and I realise we are probably quite unusual amongst our friendship group for buying second hand.

Im currently sat at my kitchen table, which came from a house in a nearby town via FB marketplace. The chairs came from someone moving house in another town, again via FB. Our range cooker was 2nd hand, I bought it on eBay from a man who reconditions them. It was quite a lot of money (although MUCH cheaper than new) but will hopefully last us years. We've got a large butchers block, solid wood, that I bought at a local auction, and a dresser which I bought on FB. Our fridge freezer was from a second hand dealer, as was our dishwasher. Our washing machine was new.

In our living room, both our sofas are from the BHF charity shop and our chair was bought from a friend of a friend. The bookcase was 2nd hand.

Upstairs, we've got three bedrooms and all of them contain 2nd hand wardrobes. We did buy two of the beds new, but in one room we've got twin single beds we inherited with the house - we bought new mattresses for them. All the chests of drawers and bedside cabinets have been bought from FB marketplace. In the study we've got a 2nd hand desk and a sofabed I got through Freecycle.

I think most of the furniture in the house, along with large appliances, are 2nd hand.

I haven’t read the book, but I found the documentary “Buy Now” on Netflix quite horrifying. I buy only essential clothing for myself, and DH is the same. I’ll need to replace my phone soon though.

We reuse and repair whenever possible. Downside is that dh can spend a lot of spare time trying to fix something that turns out needs replaced.

Recycle or donate clothing, and I wonder where it ends up if it no-one wants it.

Second vote for old Readers Digest handbooks - perfect for learning this kind of thing.

Can you get to an Oxfam ? M&S donate stuff to them. Ours always has black opaque tights.

Well I finished the book yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. Wish Patrick would stand for running the country as I just agree with so many of his thoughts on education and business!

So, I went to John Lewis in the end and bought their black tights. I've always loved a Department store so better that than Primark! I also needed to buy DH's birthday present. We don't normally do gifts so I wanted to get good ones and I thought it was the best place to get old fashioned service, I nearly bought Bowers and Wilken as they are made in the UK. But they were really really really expensive and weren't as robust as the ones I finally went for (Bose, made in US) . I also wanted to be able to get replacement parts and have them fixed if they break. DH is just moving on from an IPod and the headphones that came with that so we do make our tech last!

Today's conundrum is we need a new tablecloth. Previously always bought PVC wipeable as so good for the family. A bit of research has led me to try and find a cotton oil cloth. Am still researching. The table underneath is a beautiful wood but we live in a wooden framed house and there is so much wood it doesn't look right. Mainly thinking it's not practical for kids and farm spill though!

Other interesting thing is that the Refill shop that I found is actually up for sale. Food for thought! Literally!

I've been looking for proper cotton oilcloth for ages. Please report back if you find some.

I’ve noticed your question went unanswered. I get Oddbox too. Their process may vary of course but mine is delivered during the night. In practice this means between 8.30 and 11 in the evening. They send an email to say it’s been delivered so we go and bring it in. I order a large box every fortnight as the veg stays fresh for that long and it reduces the environmental impact of the deliveries. A few things are wrapped in plastic (baby spinach and broccoli this week) but the vast majority aren’t. I would recommend them.

Unfortunately Oddbox don't deliver to my part of Scotland (which is Glasgow, not the back of beyond) as the concept looks brilliant. We used to get a weekly fruit and veg box when the kids were small and loved it.

For those looking for proper oilcloth Merchant and Mills sells it.
Love Patrick's book. What an inspiring read. I agree about him running the country!!

I posted a comment about oddbox but I didn’t comment on this wonderful book. (Borrowed from the library). I read it a while ago but what stuck in my mind was the plea to support quality British manufacturing as it provides good jobs for people. It also means that the second hand market isn’t flooded with rubbish worthless goods. I read the book because it’s a subject I’m interested in, so it’s a bit of preaching to the converted I suppose. I’m fairly good with the plastic waste side of things, but the book is more about manufacturing and specifically clothing, iirc. I do enjoy buying new clothes, not excessively, but I think Patrick would judge me . Saying that, I do read the labels on things I’m thinking of buying now to find out what it’s made from and where before buying it, rather than assuming that it’s going to be good quality because it’s from such and such a brand or it was expensive.
I find Halloween particularly depressing though. A visit to any supermarket or retail shed and you are confronted with shelves of themed crap destined to decorate people’s front gardens for a week - and then what? It’s ugly and in some cases repulsive ( there is a hideous hanging life size scary clown next door which makes noises). Sorry I’m beginning to sound a bit of a kill joy.

I’ve just dipped my toe into the world of refurbished tech, ordered a 2022 used MacBook rather than whatever new Acer I can afford, working on the principle of getting good quality second hand in the hope it will last longer than my last laptop. We’ll see.
It’s a while since I read the book and I can’t remember if he talks about tech at all but I hate the way these things you have no choice about having if you want to participate in modern life go obsolete and turn into mainly plastic waste.

I’m also making a real effort with my yarn stash. I have a knitting book from the 1940s which is very good on ways to use odds and ends of yarn.

@narniabusiness i agree with you about Halloween - it just seems to be pure plastic tat!
@IlovetoKnitandRead thabk you for the heads up - I’ll take a look at them

Thankyou for replying, I will have a look into it , evening deliveries or very early would generally work best for me .

Refurbished tech is the way to go. I am still using a 2015 Macbook!

Hi, for info. Currently on Times radio, there’s an advert for Oddbox giving 50% off the first box - put radio in the discount box.

Oooh thankyou @Lifeisntadressrehearsal .

I stopped using bin liners in the kitchen bin a couple of years ago.
I reckon doing that has saved about 60 plastic bags going to landfill.
It does mean I have to quickly wipe the inside of the kitchen bin after it's been emptied, but that's a minor inconvenience.