17 February 2013 - Replacements

I like to have new stuff. I have some borderline OCD tendencies when it comes to things looking fresh, organized, and matching, especially when it comes to housewares and furniture. The Ikea catalogue reads like pornography to me in this respect.

When we moved house a few years back I went on a shopping trip to Fantastic Furniture and purchased nearly a houseful of brand new stuff to satisfy this side of myself. The furniture was fairly cheap but it was all matching and new and looked lovely and catalogue like once assembled.

Now some of that furniture has seen some major wear and tear and I've had to control the urge to replace these items with brand new editions.

To decide if replacing an item is really necessary I have started asking myself two serious questions first:

1. Is it still functional? In particular this question sprung into my mind as I caught myself sadly gazing at the corners of our couch one morning where our beloved kitten, Harley, has shredded the fabric of the cream leather chaise to test the strength of his growing claws. Like a message from God I heard the question loud and clear immediately after I'd had the thought that I must replace it. "Is it still functional?" And while the scratched sides certainly don't do anything for it on an aesthetic level I could not deny that the presence of the scratches in no way impaired the primary function of the couch - a place to comfortably seat us while we watch a movie, read a magazine, or quietly doze off for a nap. Since this revelation I have begun to look at the couch in a different light. It tells a story about me and my husband who are animal lovers willing to make sacrifices for our pets. And that's a lovely thought to put my feet up to.

2. Can it be repaired? Sometimes the item you're considering replacement of won't pass the functionality test and we must ask ourselves this question. On a recent excursion to a swimming hole with friends my jandals (*thongs if you're Australian) suffered a casualty when I slipped a little on the slick clay ground. The point at which the two straps connected to the base of the footwear tore upward rendering them unwearable. As I tried on potential replacements at a surfwear store I felt frustrated at the thought of having to work that perfect 'foot mould' into this next pair (you know the kind of mould that forms on the base of a shoe after many summer memories have been made in them). After asking myself this question I decided the answer was yes and instead of buying a replacement I bought superglue. I've worn the fixed pair comfortably nearly daily since.

I saw a great quote on Facebook the other day that read "Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate ask yourself "Is it True?" At the second gate ask yourself "Is it Necessary?" and at the third gate ask yourself "Is it Kind?" As a person who tends to speak before I think  implementing this advice is very difficult.

But I find the visual of the gates very helpful and think it applies well in this scenario too. SO "Before you decide to replace something you already own let your thoughts pass through two gates. At the first gate ask yourself "Is it still functional?" At the second gate ask yourself "Can it be repaired?" and if the answer to either or both of these questions is YES then at the third gate stop to reconsider its replacement before rushing to the store; and as a western culture let's all re-define the meaning of the word's "need" and "necessity."