the reckoning

It's the end of the financial year, and it seems a good time to do a bit of a review of progress so far.

I started the compacting journey in late January, thinking I would give it a good crack for a month. It seemed a good idea at the time. Little did I know what I was getting myself into (apart from my first foray into the world of blogging!).

So this is how it has gone:
1. buying stuff. Hugely reduced. I give myself 8 1/2 out of 10. I cannot believe I have not bought a CD since January! It was generally 4 or 5 a month. I should also note that I haven't stepped foot inside a CD shop since - I strongly suspect I would crumble in the face of temptation ...

Book buying was another major weakness - I have had a couple of minor slips, but again it used to be 4 or 5 (or more) a month. Have increased my library usage significantly and buy books from the Op Shop (and can even bear to take them back). Have figured out that I don't have to read the latest releases when they are hot off the press. This has been a struggle point for me, but on the whole doing quite well.

Clothes - don't go looking, don't go to shops much. Have bought a couple of items which I feel ok about. They have been conscious choices of quality items that I will wear a lot and will hopefully last the distance. Also bought some recycled items and make an effort to seek this stuff out.

Lipstick and perfume - girly weaknesses. Bought none. And judging by the amount I already have, I won't have to for another 20 years. But I still want to ...

Shoes - one pair second hand. No funky boots. Last year's funky boots are doing fine service after a re-heel.

Jewellery - two items second hand.

2. Cleaning products - bought some dishwash, vinegar, bicarb, and borax. Still working my way through the stuff in the cupboard. Why did I ever imagine we needed so many different cleaning products. Ridiculous. I would like to wash the dishes with soap (gee, just like the olden days) but have been stymied by not being able to find one of those shaker things you put it in. Don't want it getting slimy in the bottome of a container. Anyone got any brilliant ideas?

3. Energy use - thinking about this a whole lot more. Make a big effort to turn off lights and to only use heating when needed (and to keep it at 19 or 20 degrees). Not bad.

4. Water use - I am a bloody hero (in my own mind, anyway)! Have been showering with a bucket since December. First the water went on the garden, now it flushes the toilet. Also catch water from the basin in a bowl and add that to the bucket. Looking at a more serious investment in a tank.

5. Rubbish - has reduced. The worms eat all the vegetables, and the rubbish (which was largely packaging I suspect) has gone down. Not wasting so much food.

6. Food - didn't buy much processed food, but am cutting that down. Starting to buy some organic (I would like it to be all, but this is a point of domestic disagreement ...) Am taking my own lunch to work, so not buying any packaging with that. On the odd occasion I do buy lunch, I make sure it is wrapped in paper.

7. Mind change - huge. From 'see it, want it, buy it' consumer to considered consumer. No more spontaneous purchases. Thinking a lot more about my actions and their consequences. Starting to feel that my values and my life are getting back in sync. Got to be happy with that.

So there you have it. The benefits have been enormous - have met some fabulous people and started to change my thinking about a whole lot of things. There is still a long way to go, but I am well on the journey.

There is no going back.