My quest to lighten the load in our home continues. Earlier this year, I did something I never thought I would do: recycle 10 years (!!!) of Martha Stewart Living magazines, including duplicates that I'd picked up at library sales. I lost count around 165 copies. I had recycled many other periodicals that I'd been hanging on to, but for some reason felt compelled to save the MSL ones as reference materials. As it turned out, once I actually sat down and started going through them (absolutely no idea how I had the time for this), there ended up being very little that I actually needed to save. I clipped craft projects and a few recipes to save, and that was that. I couldn't help but think about how much MSL and other home magazines are so very much like fairy tales for adults: perfect home, amazing dinners with beautiful friends, clutter-free rooms. I think they reflect the way we want our lives to be more than reflect how they actually are. As a reader and former library employee, I adore magazines, but I have had to stop some subscriptions just to slow the flow of stuff into the house. It also seems that many magazines just don't have nearly as much content as they once did - edited down for quicker reads for today's busy people. Of course, I still receive some mags, and I still have some piles sitting around that need to find their way to the blue bin...7/8/11
Small Victories
My quest to lighten the load in our home continues. Earlier this year, I did something I never thought I would do: recycle 10 years (!!!) of Martha Stewart Living magazines, including duplicates that I'd picked up at library sales. I lost count around 165 copies. I had recycled many other periodicals that I'd been hanging on to, but for some reason felt compelled to save the MSL ones as reference materials. As it turned out, once I actually sat down and started going through them (absolutely no idea how I had the time for this), there ended up being very little that I actually needed to save. I clipped craft projects and a few recipes to save, and that was that. I couldn't help but think about how much MSL and other home magazines are so very much like fairy tales for adults: perfect home, amazing dinners with beautiful friends, clutter-free rooms. I think they reflect the way we want our lives to be more than reflect how they actually are. As a reader and former library employee, I adore magazines, but I have had to stop some subscriptions just to slow the flow of stuff into the house. It also seems that many magazines just don't have nearly as much content as they once did - edited down for quicker reads for today's busy people. Of course, I still receive some mags, and I still have some piles sitting around that need to find their way to the blue bin...
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5 comments:
that is a real victory! I agree, I think many of these magazines are pushing us towards a perfection that does not exist and frankly will not bring contentment, thanksgiving or happiness... loving our friends as they are and offering hospitality as we are is a gift and being cared for in the midst of life as it is...
good for you...I need to do the same thing...I think I have 5 years of Creating Keepsakes magazine. I also have National Geographic, but will hold on to those. XO
It has to feel better getting rid of the excess. I don't subscribe to any magazines anymore but it wasn't easy to give up Victoria Magazine! It's just that after I looked through an issue once, I didn't pick it up again so I had to decide to let it go so I didn't accumulate them anymore.
As a former librarian I understand loving magazines AND books. I've been collecting used books but must stop before there's no room for living in our house! But parting is such sweet sorrow for each book is like an old friend, even though I'll never read them again. What I started doing is boxing some of the books I've had for awhile and holding them in the basement. After several months I get rid of the box, knowing I haven't read or used them.
Good for you! We've been paring down our stuff too and it feels so good!
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