Sparking joy the sustainable way

 

Published 17 February 2019

Sparking joy the sustainable way

SPARK_joy.jpg

Great, we've caught your attention. Hopefully because, like us, you were intrigued by the latest minimalist craze by Marie Kondo. 

First things first. We are not against the minimalist culture. We actually love what minimalism is all about. 

“ Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favour of focusing on what’s important—so you can find happiness, fulfilment, and freedom. ”

– The Minimalists 

And secondly, minimalism is nothing new. 

The KonMarie method of throwing everything that doesn't 'spark joy' away is.

In her TV series - Tidying up with Marie Kondo - Marie inspires people to clear out their clutter and only keep items that spark joy. 

Here is her six-step method:

  1. Commit yourself to tidying up.

  2. Imagine your ideal lifestyle.

  3. Finish discarding first.

  4. Tidy by category, not by location.

  5. Follow the right order.

  6. Ask yourself if it sparks joy.

There are lots of things we like about her method. But we were wondering where the 7th and 8th steps were.

7. If it didn't spark joy, could it be turned into something that did spark joy?

Even better, what if it could be made into something that sparked joy for someone else? That's a double win. 

If you are a DIY disaster in the making, don't worry we have some ideas for you:

  • Chuck it up on FreeCycle. FreeCycle is a not-for-profit international movement where people give and get stuff for free in their own towns and neighbourhoods. It's all about reusing and keeping good stuff out of landfills. There are FreeCycle groups all over New Zealand. To find the one closest to you, head to FreeCycle.org

  • Drop it off to Second Treasures aka the Tip Shop. Second Treasures accepts donated items people no longer want that are still in usable condition.

  • If you need to get rid of unwanted office furniture, the crew at All Heart NZ will take it off you. All Heart NZ recycles pre-loved office furniture and gives it to non-profit community groups.

  • Then there's Neighbourly. Neighbourly is the online version of putting something outside your house and waiting for someone to take it.

  • If you have curtains that are in good condition and really don't spark joy, give them to the Wellington Curtain Bank. The Curtain Bank will line, sew, and revamp your pre-loved curtains before sending them off to a home that needs them.

  • Can't fix your old electronic products? Drop them off to us and we'll make sure they're recycled responsibly.

8. What am I going to do to stop myself from buying things that clutter up my life?

Let's be real.  If you found yourself at your local charity shop being turned away because they didn't want your pre-loved goods, then you are not alone. You are a part of a system that feeds off extreme volumes of high-speed consumerism. 

Now that you have taken the time to declutter your home and your life, you probably don't want to have to do it again (especially not any time soon).

Here are some easy ways you can replace money spent with mindfulness gained (while also reducing your impact on the environment):

  • Unsubscribe from all of those daily deal mailing lists (they prey on your impulsivity) 

  • Carry cash and set a limit on your EFTPOS / credit card

  • Introduce a buy one, give away two philosophy. This is how you learn to sacrifice before you spend

  • Organise social meets away from shopping areas

  • Calculate your cost versus labour (how long you would need to work in order to pay for the item)

  • Reward yourself with mindfulness, not 'treats'

  • Do a six-monthly stock-take.  

Oh, and remember: 

“There is no such thing as ‘away’. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere.”

– Annie Leonard, Proponent of Sustainability


 
Sustainability Advice / CommunityGuest User