A Modern Day Treasure Hunt

I’ve always been frugal; a miser. I’m the person who extends the life of goods far longer than they should probably be useful. To me, the thought of throwing something out when it even has one ounce of value to anyone is horrendous!

According to dictionary.com: “The word junk is an example of the change in meaning known as generalization, and very aptly too, since the amount of junk in the world seems to be generalizing and proliferating rapidly. The Middle English word jonk, ancestor of junk, originally had a very specific meaning restricted to nautical terminology. First recorded in 1353, the word meant “an old cable or rope.” On a sailing ship it made little sense to throw away useful material since considerable time might pass before one could get new supplies. Old cable was used in a variety of ways, for example, to make fenders, that is, material hung over the side of the ship to protect it from scraping other ships or wharves. …The big leap in meaning taken by the word seems to have occurred when junk was applied to discarded but useful material in general.”

Maybe my affinity for frugality really has purpose after all?! Maybe I should simply share my 80/20 rule with you. My goal is to recycle 80% of the stuff my husband and I no longer need and to trash the rest (regrettably). Here are my 7 tips.

1. Donate: I’m a huge fan of St. Vincent de Paul. Did you realize they can even reuse torn clothing (for the fabric)? That’s cool. And, they take almost anything. It makes me feel good to donate things we can no longer use.

2. Repurpose: I may have made this word up, but I use it lots. It means finding new uses for old stuff; yes, those strange glass jars also do make beautiful candle holders and that grosgrain ribbon may be ironed and reused to wrap another gift …

Click here to read more about “A Modern Day Treasure Hunt” by Lisa Ryan in the March – April issue of LiveLiving Christian Health and Wellness eMagazine, De-junking Your Life