@geezerette wrote:
@rnmom wrote:
@just bee - That is wonderful advice. However, in the new Covid age I'm finding it harder to follow it. It was a lot easier when there was an abundance of everything and I didn't ever worry about whether or not something would be available if I ever needed it. I always figured if something wore out I would just go get a replacement. Simple. Now, it's not so simple. I worry that either things won't be available at all, or the prices will be so high that I won't want to buy it. It's so crazy how things change.
I still try to declutter where I can, especially if an item is outgrown, broken, or doesn't really serve a useful purpose, like a decoration. But I find that I am holding onto a lot more than I used to. Holding on to more and buying more "just in case".
@rnmom
This is exactly how I feel.
I was just getting down to a routine of only buying when I got low on something and not keeping a bunch of extras. Then the pandemic sent me back into stocking up mode.
And I don't see it ending anytime soon. I still have an over abundance of toilet paper and paper towels. I was going to start using my stockpile to get it down to a more normal level, but I noticed just a few weeks ago that once again there was no toilet paper available for weeks on end.
I always keep a good amount of extra cat litter since you just never know when you might need to change a box more often than you thought. Most brands of cat litter was completely gone from the shelves for over two months. For those of you with fussy cats, you know that one type of litter isn't necessarily interchangeable with just any other. I was getting ready to order it online when I finally found one container.
You don't know what is going to be hard to get, or when it will disappear. Or when--or if--it will come back. So I'm back to stockpiling and keeping extra of most things. More than I'd like.
On the other hand, I'm still finding a few things here and there that I don't use or need. My house is becoming more filled with practical items that get used for everyday life than knick knacks or excess furnishings.
I guess I have a "clutter threshold" like @Oznell was speaking of. If I have more stuff being stored in a closet, I want less stuff out in my living areas. I like the appearance of order and less, so at least it's good that I don't have to see all that I'm stockpiling until I go into a closet or cabinet.
@geezerette - Yes, that sums up everything exactly. I've always kept a small stockpile of food and household items just from shopping sales, etc. so I was fortunate that when we had shortages last year I never actually ran out of anything, but it was definitely disconcerting for sure to go into a store for weeks on end and not find toilet paper, bread, milk, chicken, basics.
I'm not seeing any major shortages around here, yet, but I'm expecting them at any time, so if I see something that I regularly use I will buy it. But I also don't like visual clutter either, that's when it bugs me too. As long as I can tuck stuff away into closets, drawers, onto shelves out of sight, I'm okay. I'm really glad that we have so much storage in this house. Now if I could just get all my guys to put stuff away..........
Anyway, I have definitely been buying what I consider to be more practical items too, socks, towels, sheets, etc. and trying to eliminate some non-necessities. But I know that more is coming in that is going out. I don't like it, but it's just the way things are going to have to be for a while, until things settle down a bit. If things every settle down a bit.
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