Less consuming. More creating.

I‘ve made a pact. I am determined to be a more mindful consumer. Truth be told, in part this decision is based on necessity and was probably never going to make it to my top priority list without a reason. Losing my job a few short weeks ago required a re-evaluation of the amount of money I spend, and the starting of a new business mandated a review of the ways I spend my time. What I’ve come to realize is that I used to spend a lot of time being a consumer. Going here, browsing there. Buying here, bargain hunting there. Little bits of money here, big gobs of money there. And it all added up to, well, a lot.

I may have come to this conclusion begrudgingly, but it’s beginning to grow on me. I’ve been thinking about the things I used to purchase on a whim that come home with me only to displace a perfectly good and useful something else, or to get added to one of the piles of “things I hope to get to one day but always run out of time…always”.

I’m going to vow to be more conscientious. I am saving empty containers to re-purpose. I am thinking twice before making a purchase, and I’m making the decision to put it back more often, and without the overwhelming feeling of deprivation that used to pervade my thoughts. I am unsubscribing to catalog deliveries. I am feeding vegetable cuttings to my forest friends and chickens. And I’m hopeful that this new found time can be used more constructively. To create. To build. To grow. To nurture. To dream.

Chalked storage baskets

Step 1) Find a small piece of flat wood. I used a rectangular piece but you could use any size or shape you like that fits your basket.

Step 2) Drill two holes at the top of the wood piece.

Step 3) Paint the wooden piece with chalkboard paint.

Step 4) Select the wicker basket that you’d like to use for storage.

Step 5) Once the chalkboard paint is dry, cut two little pieces of wire about 6 inches long.

Step 6) Put one end of the wire through the holes in the wooden piece. Stick that end through holes in the wicker basket. Push the other end of the wire through a section of wicker about 1/2" above.

Step 7) Now that both of the pieces of wire are sticking through to the inside of the basket, wrap the end pieces together to secure them inside the basket.

Step 8) Repeat with the other hole in the wood piece.

Step 9) Using a piece of chalk, write the contents of the storage basket on the wood.

Step 10) Fill with your favorite reading materials.