The Compact

I have found a concious and formal way of doing this simplifying thing. I am joining the Compact.

Quoted from the Compact yahoogroup:
" The Compact has several aims (more or less prioritized below):
To go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of disposable consumer culture and to support local businesses, farms, etc. -- a step that, we hope, inherits the revolutionary impulse of the Mayflower Compact.
To reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er).
To simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)
We've agreed to follow two principles (see exceptions etc. on our blog).#1 Don't buy new products of any kind (from stores, web sites, etc.)#2 Borrow, barter, or buy used."

The exceptions to this are food, health items, and so forth. I am also putting a few more things on my list of exceptions, but with limits on them:

1. New shoes acceptable, but only from small company that manufactures and sells directly, preferably that makes the shoes by hand.

2. Notions to do sewing projects with fabric obtained used or from SAS or that I already have.

3. Fabric. Used or from SAS, which sells factory ends. No Jo-Ann's sales rack for me!

4. Car parts if unavailable refurbished. I'm buying a used car soon and I need to keep it running reliably.

5. A tassel and graduation announcements. I am trying to find a robe secondhand, though.

Additionally, I'm continuing with the stuff from my previous post. To reduce waste, I've been using cloth menstrual pads, and I'm using cloth wipes at home instead of toilet paper. What can I say, I miss washing diapers now that Luthien is potty trained.

None of this stuff applies to anyone in the house except me. Luthien is coming along for the ride, but then I've already bought most of her Christmas/Yule presents.