Things I Don’t Need
When I was growing up, accumulating things seemed like a right of passage through to adulthood. The choice between having and not having something was a no-brainer to me. You always want to have the thing.
My constant refrain while out shopping with my mum was “But mummy I need it! I NEED IT!” And I believed this. I could not distinguish between wanting and needing – I felt like I needed everything. And it’s easy for this mindset to continue with the only thing holding back the purchase is how much money is in your bank account.
So I am making a list of things I don’t need to remind myself that, no matter how much money I have, I do not need everything on offer. And I’ve found this incredibly freeing.
Everyone’s list will be different, for some people having a waffle-maker will bring joy to their lives every day and to others, it will only take up space. My list won’t be the same as yours, but it might help you to start thinking about what you don’t need.
My Unwish List
Kitchen
I do not need a bread machine.I do not need a waffle maker.
I do not need a smoothie maker.
I do not need more than 4 pots.
I do not need more than 1 frying pan.
I do not need matching mugs.
Clothes and Accessories
I do not need any more than 8 pairs of shoes (trainers, summer flats, winter flats, flip flops, heeled, winter boots, hiking boots, wellies, slippers).
I do not need more than a capsule wardrobe.
Technology
I do not need a landline.
I do not need any DVDs.
I do not need a Sat Nav.
Furniture
I do not need friends’ freebies that don’t fit in my home.
I do not need decorative tat that has no meaning to me.
I do not need any ‘Seasonal’ decor e.g. Halloween cushions.
Leisure
I do not need any magazines (unless work related).
I do not need any massage/exfoliation/pampering gadgets.
Beauty
I don’t need any nail care other than clippers, file, remover, and my favourite colour.
Do tell me all about what you don't need in the comments.
Header image: An art installation by Chinese conceptual artist, Son Dong (Installation: Waste Not) showing the accumulated household objects over one person’s lifetime.