The Year of Living Minimally - Week Sixteen

Two of everything. That's how I felt this week. And I need to reflect on why I need to have a backup.There was never a time that we (meaning my husband and me, because it's always been just the two of us) needed two laundry baskets. But for some reason, when I bought a second one, I kept the first one. When the clothes are done drying in the dryer, the buzzer sounds, and I pull them out, dump them in the basket, and fold them. Then I put them away. One basket. Sufficient. By the way, the older one is actually broken - torn, if plastic can tear. GOOD NEWS: it can be recycled!Similarly, why do we have two laundry hampers? I do laundry often enough that we only need one. So, we use the one that looks like thisand the old one, that's also plastic but too big for the recycle bin, can be dropped off locally. It had been in the back of a closet for years, empty.We bought a new vacuum but never got rid of the old one. The old one doesn't work! It sits in a closet, waiting. Well, until today.I used to fall victim at the supermarket - perhaps I only needed one bag of carrots, but they were "2 for $5.00" - so, of course I had to buy two bags. Advertisers figure we're stupid that way. I've learned. Buy what you need. There's always more food.So this week, I managed to rid myself of a few unnecessary extras. And, at sixteen weeks in, I realize I still have a lot to do.