Please give this video a like 👍 and comment with some things that would make YOUR underconsumption core list! Can't wait to read your responses; let's share and inspire each other.
I wanted to take nothing from the home I shared with my ex husband. I didn't want fighting me over cutlery, I just wanted out. My parents had died recently so I took some of the furniture I grew up with. My dresser, night tables and my grandma's easy chair are decades older than myself and I'm no spring chicken. I do remember going to a furniture store with my parents to get my dad's furniture for his office and some bookcases. I love to sit at my father's desk to work every day. They didn't like bulky furniture, but it's top quality and I repainted them. I'm not a neutral color person at all. I might even repaint that easy chair.
I have a pair of black Clark boots that might be 10 years old now - they are starting to take in water through the soles, but I love the style so much and haven't found anything like them that is in my price range now. I'm very seriously considering taking them somewhere to be re-soled, though the places near me have mixed reviews. :)
I have new rock boots that are older than my daughter... She is 20 in a few weeks! I used to wear them every day, now I wear at the weekend as my job restricts what I can wear.
Well im far away of a minimalistic livestyle today, but underconsumption is one way in my live to save the little money my husband bring home. 1. lot of verry old books, the best is maybe the fairytailbook in old German script. and also my Childehood tapes whit my favorit Childrenstorys. 2. my grandmother's costume that she get as a gift from my grandpa. The nailed Shoes that belonged to it, i gave it to a museum on permanent loan. 3. A pan who still was verry old, when my Dad used it and i took them with me when I moved out. 4. Clothes from my scooltime (last class) than im still able to wear. (im 39 Years old today) also other things out of fabric like towels than im woved out from my dads hous^^ 5. there are a lot of furniture in oure hous that belonged to our parents and grandparents, like the desk where im sitting on and my computer stands. 6. last but not least i also can finish this list with my beloved husband who belongs to me since august 2003 🥰
Knives and knife rack - over 50 years. A small group of kitchen hand tools - don't know - they were my grandmother's and one my grandmother's grandmother's (I'm 74). Grandmother's housedress, still kicken' around. 2 skirts from the 1970's which my granddaughter now tells me to 'never get rid of'. And most proudly, many well-loved things now being used in children's and grandchildren's homes.
My husband and I wanted to grow old together, but we didn't meet until our late 30s and she died of cancer not long after our 13th anniversary when he was 51. I am always in awel of people who are married for decades! It takes real dedication and love for sure.
My parents grew up during the depression, so they always emphasized that there was no need to buy something new if the old one still did the job. I enjoy using my mom’s and grandma’s kitchen gadgets. Or son’s bedroom furniture was my grandfather’s.
Those airline makeup bags are SO sturdy. I have a first class toiletries bag from British Airways that I got in 2020- I developed a fear of flying after flying through a storm in the USA, and on my return flight to the UK, a member of the cabin crew sat with me after takeoff from Los Angeles to help me calm down. After landing in Heathrow, he came running back with a first class toiletries bag and told me to take it with me as a good luck charm! I now take it everywhere with me, and it still looks brand new four years later. (I wrote to the airline as soon as I got home to sing the cabin crew's praises, hopefully it helped him like he helped me.)
@@jmsl_910 flying with them again later this year- the company is meh but the cabin crew are the BEST on BA, they're so sweet and always on the ball! (Food's better on Virgin Atlantic though 😂)
Usually people tease me about my old things that I have been using "forever". It is nice that it is now a trend. :) Right now I am sitting at my "sewing desk" that was my dad's first desk from 1946 with a jar of miscellaneous buttons, some of which were my grandmother's going back to the 1920's. When I do go shopping, it is in my 20 year old car with my 31 year old reusable bag.😉
This made me smile. I’m 53 and just recently got rid if a hoodie that was well over 30 years old. I still consider early 2000 to be recent history. Things use to be built much better in the 70’s. TVs were made out of wood then. 😅
I still can't get over the fact that today's underconsumption core is what I have always considered to be regular consumption. I was taught by my parents to always use something until either finished or broken, and I learned the "1 in, 1 out" rule very, very young. But hey, I am all for it if people want to jump in on this "trend" for the sake of normalizing consumption. One of my most precious possessions is my jewelry box, that used to belong to my mother and was handmade and given to her by my father when they were dating, in high-polished hardwood with an all mirrored interior. And a dainty gold necklace that my hubby gave me for my 15th birthday when we first started dating. Of course my hubby also made the list 😊.
I use my grandmother’s cast iron skillet every single day. She was born in 1897. For all I know it could have been her mother’s pan since she lived next door to her mother her entire life. 💕
Underconsumption is just a fancy way to say frugal or not wasteful. Anway, on a fun side I can say we underconsume on the following: I have been married to my husband for 34 years, we have owned our truck for almost 20 years, we have had our car for 10 years, I have some dresses I have had and still use for over 10 years, of course dishes amd pots and pans. The thing is I usually keep the items I have until they wear out. I have had my kitchen aide mixer for 28 years. It is also very eco friendly to keep things too. I enjoy your channel very much. Thanks for sharing
My top 3 "can't replace" things: 2005 Tacoma (it was my "get-away" vehicle when I left my abusive first husband)🛻; my second-hand computer desk and bedroom suite (my current husband bought me almost 15 years ago)🛏; current husband, married 10 years next week. 👫
I love that you wear your mother's wedding ring! I gave my wedding ring set to my daughter a few years ago. I was a widowed young, and it took me quite a few years to be able to let go of it. By the time I was ready, she had grown up and matured enough to really treasure it and take care of it. Giving it to her while I am still alive makes us both happy whenever she wears it. It was a good decision.
You aren't the only minimalist who is not in their 20s! I was very much a minimalist when I was younger... I lapsed into a routine consumer lifestyle later, and didn't like it. Now I've downsized a couple of times, and I am feeling much freer for it. It isn't really downsizing: it's "right-sizing." Minimalism is the way at least for some of us. And "buy it for life" is also a good philosophy.
I've had my dining room table, laundry basket, hand mixer, mixing bowl, steamer trunk (they make great tables) and, yes, husband for 38 years. Favorite one is my hubby. ❤
TLC keep lifestyle older items a joy to use because they were made of quality materials. For your beloved handbag, buy a can of Saddle Soap to clean it and make it supple. A can keeps forever to keep leather and vinyl items in top condition without harmful chemicals. Been using this since I was 9 yrs old, now am 70.
I love your sentimentality! I know it's probably hard to be a minimalist and be sentimental, but your grandfather's wooden box and your mom's wedding ring are Irreplaceable.
I take a perverse pride in how long I can get my stuff to last. Many of my clothes are 10 - 20 years old, and I actively avoid buying new stuff unless I'm replacing something old that's broken. I've always been like this and make no apologies.
I'd like to make you feel young. I'm 71. I still have the first towels I ever bought at age 16, though I use them for rags. I have 3 plants I've had for over 25 years. I have several tablecloths I've used all my adult life - some belonged to my grandmothers. I have several pieces of furniture that were my grandparents. My daughter has a dress I loved and wore when I was in my 20's but no longer fits me. I just finished mending 6 shirts for my husband and a trendy pair of jeans for my granddaughter using Sashiko visible mending. I darn my brother in laws socks often or sweaters with holes. My Apple computer is 12 years old and my iPhone is 9 years old. I plan to start making my own clothes with fabric I've had for years. Most everything I love and display has some sort of sentimental value - I have decluttered everything else.
I m 46 years old and have some house plants that I got as tiny cuttings in my early 20s. They are big now. I ve never bought a towel in my life, and have used the same ones since my early twenties, they must have been someone else's cast offs, I don't know. But they fit my colour scheme just right, and seem perfectly good, so? The same goes for many of my household items. They are simply cast offs of my parents or late grandparents. Like wooden hangers with crocheted covers, by my grandmother, so that the clothes don't slip off. They must surely be 50+ years old. Stuff doesn't usually go bad, does it. So not much need to replace anything, usually.
OMG! I love the concept of #underconsumptioncore! Showing your desk at the beginning made me laugh! I’ve had my desk (huge, heavy L shaped office desk) since 2002 and I got it from my first career job out of university, as they were decluttering it! It’s travelled with me between provinces and countless homes. …mind you, it’s also the reason why I _NEVER_ want to move and when I _haaave_ _to_, I hire movers! …the top piece (where the keyboard and monitor goes) weighs around 100lbs on its own! I don’t have any family, but last year before she passed away from cancer, my best friend’s mom (who I’ve known since the ‘90s) suggested passing down their beautiful kitchen table and chairs to me, when they were replacing theirs. So many great memories were made at that table when we were growing up, and now we get to make more! LOL, I’m not cheap, frugal or broke, I’m obsessed with #underconsumption core. 😉😂😁
If you want, you could put a small block of wood in the dragonbox on witch you can drop a little peppermint oil on (if you don’t want to drop it on the box itself) then you can get the sent back to the box
Baby blankets! I have a thin lace baby blanket that my parents wrapped me in to take me home from the hospital back in 77, it's now done the same for all 3 of my kids, and is proudly displayed in my studio! This video made me realise how many little things like that I have ❤❤ love it!
I know someone who worked for the school board at one point. A school was getting rid of a whole bunch of very old teacher desks. I've been using the same antique teacher's desk for 20 years.
I was at an antique glass show and saw a set of salt and pepper shakers for $100. I immediately called my mother and said “Hey, we need to stop using Grandma’s S&P shakers! They are really valuable!” 😂 But, we still use them. Why not?!! They get the job done and we love using them. 😍
What incredible quality each of this items have. They were build for hundreds of years. Sometimes I buy things and hope they will serve me many years, and then they go broken.
I'm sure there are many in my home if I really think about it. Here are a few off the top: My travel toiletry bag, made of a rugged canvas-type material, is over 30 yrs old now & has been to countless places. And the doilies my mother crocheted in young adulthood, some very intricate. I use a few under vases, etc. to protect the surface they sit on. But the rest are used by my 4 yr old grandson for all sorts of things, limited only to his imagination: from blankets for litle dolls & animal figures, to nets for catching wild animals & "bad guy" Hot Wheels-type cars while playing at my house. My daughters have no use for doilies so I'm glad to have found a new purpose for keeping Mom's talented handiwork in regular use. It makes me smile when I see my grandson--born a few years after Mom died--use these items made by his great-grandma.
My mother was a big crocheter of doilies too, but she gave them all away. I wish I had a few now. I suppose I could find similar ones at flea markets or even online but I haven't looked.
Today I wear shoes I bought 23 years ago and I still love them. In our living room almost all furniture is vintage, antique or bought when we got married in 1987. My kitchenware is mostly old as well. Some Items were my grandmothers’ and it feels special to use them. I love to buy in second hand stores. Often better quality and the ‘feel’ is better.
You know I have watched so so many of your videos. After this one I realized I think we would easily be great friends in another life. What a sweet little window into your life and interests :)
I love the way you have meaning and stories attached to your most valuable items. It really gives things a precious feeling and makes it easier to let go of all those other little things that we can easily live without
1987 High School grad dress I bought at Limited Express. It became a maternity dress, a renaissance festival dress, then my daughter dyed it black and wears it on regular rotation. I kind of wish I had it back. It was so comfortable to wear.
My favourite is our house. We've lived here for 18 years and have no plans to ever leave. It's cosy and homey. We've done no renovations too it as we've grown to like the colours and style of the previous owners and it has a lot of memories for us.
I think underconsumption core is my favorite trend ever! Watching you showcase things you've had for a long time made me feel more excited about the older things I have. I have pretty much the exact same story with my Harry Potter books! :D
What a great video! Score again! My husband and i just celebrated 30 years 😊 i have my 3rd grade pencil box, a winter coat for 24 years, my workout pants 10 years. My Mom was an under consumer raising us, and im like that. My sentimental ❤gets me wanting the retro items so i wait before buying. Thanks 😊
I don't think it's "under"consumption -- it's just not buying what you don't need. (For the record, I'm 65, so my POV may be a bit different from the younger set.) My car? It's a properly maintained 2012, bought new at the extreme end of the model year (thus at high discount with zero percent financing) to replace a vehicle that turned out to be so damaged, it was bordering on not being street-legal. I have several pairs of outdoorsman-type summerweight pants that I still wear frequently... all purchased in June, 2010. My dining room set was my grandparents' formal kitchen set; my bedroom set was my uncle's. (Yes, I'm single, but several ladies have mentioned they *liked* the furniture in that room. So there.) Some of the artwork on my walls is posters I literally took off public kiosks (always *after* the advertised event was past) and framed myself. I use my circa 2013 MacBook pro to watch DVDs in bed and to provide sound effects on Halloween. The list goes on, but the bottom line is that if something fulfills a purpose without a problem and isn't costing me money, then I don't need to replace it... so I don't. I'm not "under" consuming, I'm just not spending money to replace something that doesn't need replacing. :-)
I think the label is just to put it in opposition to overconsumption and because it sounds more dramatic and therefore more attention getting on social media! You’re 100% right, it’s just normal :)
I have to list my husband first because we were married in 1974 so this is our golden 50th anniversary. I wore out my little wedding ring and got a new one on my 30th anniversary. I still have a lamp I bought at Marshall Fields in Chicago in 1978, I have some cooking pots that I have used since 1974 that were used by my MIL and her Mother before her and were made in the 1940's. My youngest daughter, who is actually very wealthy and buys fancy cookware has claimed them as her inheritance!! I have many quilts I made over the years and my daughters and many friends and family have some also and I don't think anyone has every gotten rid of one. I have my Grandmother's cedar chest and when we downsized in retirement I had to make hard choices so I sold my coffee table and use her chest instead. I could make a huge list but won't😀 but we have owned eight houses and even though we only have about 25% of the stuff we used to have I have something from all of our houses.
Great list! I've had the same pair of Birkenstocks for 30 years. They've been re-soled numerous times, but they're still a favorite. I would much rather repair or repurpose something than buy new.
Hi Marrisa, love your channel and your wise helpful content. I'm not one to leave messages but I felt I wanted to share…… I have a plant that was my grandmother's, I lovingly care for it, the plant is still thriving at the ripe age of 75 years. I also have my lovely husband, we met when I was 13 married at 18 and I'm 54 years old. We have so much fun my biggest under-consumption. Sending love from Wales uk
I bought a Nordstrom sundress in 1995 and wear it at least 20'x each summer. (Great quality, no fast fashion.) I get lots of compliments still. When my parents were married, and a kitchen item was damaged, my grandpa would always fix it. I still have all these cute items. Some must be at least 60 years old. I vowed not to buy any clothes for next next three years, (except sneakers because cancer gave me so much nerve damage in my feet :) and I always have 3 pairs on hand. No one ever notices that I repeat wearing the same outfits.
When I moved from MN to NM I ended up getting rid of most of my furniture because it was so expensive to move it, but most of it was from my parents, so it was 50+ years old. I did move my 25+ year old IKEA desk and wardrobe. I just recently got rid of my t-shirts from high school 30 years ago, but I still have a few from college. I have an almost 49 year old hand crocheted teddy bear I got when I was born, and a large stuffed Saint Bernard my mother got over 60 years ago. Nothing in my house furniture wise is less than 5 years old (when I moved), and I still have a bunch of bowls and utensils that my mother got as wedding presents in 1961. I have a tendency to keep things until they completely fall apart, which is good and bad. 😊
So funny that not constantly replacing things is an internet trend! 😆 I have tons of old stuff despite decluttering and moving countries. I have a few paperback books from my childhood including a Roget’s Thesaurus I’ve had for about 40 years. It’s non-alphabetic, organized by concept instead, very difficult to find now. BTW your HP books look like they might just need a little packing tape to reinforce the spines. That’s what we did at the library to make paperbacks last longer. And I love your old canvas bag - somehow even though it’s really worn it looks nice that way IMO.
My husband and I just celebrated our 38 th wedding anniversary, we were high school sweethearts and got married when we were both 21 yrs. We have 3 beautiful daughters 🌸 I also have a box set of the Little House on the Prairie books that I got when I was 9 yrs, saving them for grandchildren
❤ This list was very interesting, and It was very touching to see your sentimental side as you described the history of the more nostalgic items. ❤ You’re the best!
Well, I'm in my late 70s and married for 59 years, so it may not be fair to list stuff we've owned for a long time. We moved a lot when we were young, so not much ancient stuff survived, but I've had a Dundee marmalade jar for pens, etc. -- when the jar was sealed with wax and paper. We got that the summer we got married. Most of our t-shirts (what we both wear in the summer) are from various Apple Developer conferences from the early 2000s. A lot of clothing is of similar vintage. We've already done Swedish death cleaning, so what's left is what we use. We have All-clad pots, like you. Other than the teflon-coating, these things will last forever. What we don't keep forever is tech stuff, other than our 12+ year old TV. I still do active (if retired-level) research, and newer lets me do more -- we do have a rule about waiting until a device is out of AppleCare before upgrading.
Every day, I use the same set of stainless steel cooking pots I've used my whole life. We don't know the exact age, but my mum knows she brought them when she moved from her old house - 38 years ago! We're assuming they're at least 40 years old and they're still in amazing condition.
I am a bit shaken because apparently, I rock at this trend I've never heard of, and your list is all things that are so "young" to me! Let's see, just from my visuals right now: legs on a coffee table we got 20 years ago that we'll have forever, a tv stand I got on clearance when I worked AT Target in 1998, a 1940's washstand for storage, stereo speakers from 25+ years ago, a table my parents got in the 1970's, 2 bookcases from at least the 1970's. The couch I'm on is from 2000. My engagement ring is from family, in 1906! Yes, I wear it daily. Now I'm feeling paranoid that I didn't get the consumerism memo and am seriously a fuddy duddy! haha
I like the trend of repurposing, reusing, wearing out. And it can be very aesthetically pleasing. I think band shirts need at least 10 years to be cool ;) I don’t have own family heirlooms. But I have the dishes my husbands grandma got for her wedding as well as an old chest from her and her wardrobe. She still lives but downsized recently and we moved at the same time and our old furniture was to high for our new sleeping room. We use her things on a daily basis. My kids also have stuffed animals from my husband and his Lego. My husband is my partner of 15 years now :) That’s the reason I never decluttered as much as other minimalists as we are using up old towels, repurposing some of them as washing cloth, old Shirts with holes became little rags for diaper change… I really wore down my wardrobe and needed about 7 years to be on a level I would describe as minimal. A lot of the stuff won’t be used by other people but I still can and will use it and don’t have to buy new things. BUT as with the musselin swaddles: If other people can reuse the stuff as it is, I will pass it on. We have little cousins and they got a lot of my kids outgrown toys and clothes although I could have repurposed some of it. Tbh, underconsumption core resonates really strong with my values and my lifestyle, more than classical minimalism. I really like your take on minimalism but some minimalists will declutter just to buy some expensive version more fitting into their style than the old…
What a great list! Thanks for sharing. My dad passed away 21 years ago, but he bought me a beautiful leather Coach bag when I was pregnant with my first 27 years ago. It's a classic. I still have it and use it. Makes me think of him every time I use it. I miss him so much all these years later.
Great video, thanks for sharing! Wife almost 42 years... We still have and use bedroom and dining room furniture purchased in the mid '80s. I have a guitar (made in '67) that I bought in '77. It doesn't get played much, but our son has expressed interest in having it after I'm gone. I still have a guitar strap from '74 and some cables I made around the same time. Our Honda Odyssey is 20 years old this year; thankfully the Midwest winters haven't destroyed it yet! My stereo features a receiver from the late '70s, a turntable from about '80 and albums from the '70s and later. When I retired after 35 years of working for the same company, I was offered a gift from a long list. I consulted with my wife who suggested that I forgo the laptop or big TV in favor of a rather complete set of Le Creuset. She commented that it would probably something that we could hand down to our kids some day. I agreed and we've been enjoying it for 7 years and counting!
I love this trend!! Personally I've always been very particular with what I like and if I like something I will love it till I die haha So when I got my big girl room at 9 years old and could choose the furniture and decorate it myself I loved it so much my room just stayed like that till I moved out at 22 😊😅
i'm starting to realize that, aside from a few childhood items, i don't have many things that i can say that i've owned for a very long time. i've fallen into the trap of overconsumption, so most of the things i cycle through are fairly new and barely used. i feel very inspired and moved by this video.
It's been a while since I've seen any videos from you and now I realised how I missed them! Love everything about it! Don't worry about the youth on the underconsumption core trend. Millenial here! Also, who do you manage to keep most of your things in such good condition? I'm impressed!
Nice to have you back! One thing I’ve noticed is that when you buy stuff is it’s just not the same quality. The maternity dresses were nothing special, from average stores, but have lasted FOREVER. I don’t think it’s possible to do that with new clothes…it’s all planned obsolescence. 😔
Omg I have the same Spacemaker pencil case as you from when I was a kid 😱 it's so true where they don't make things like they used to and lots is planned obsolescence now (which I'd love to see a topic on)
@@MyFocusVaries yes! And phones too! I mean honestly they could just sell us a new updated microchip to put in these devices and they'd work again, but who would spend hundreds of dollars on that? In reality though, that's all we're really getting. Makes me sad and sick.
I loved seeing your much loved, long term items. I laughed out loud at your comment that many of these items are older than some of these creators! One of my favorite things in our home is a cross stitch piece I did that hangs in our living room--stitched in 1992! I've never understood people who buy trendy crap to hang in their homes only to change it out a few years later when the trend changes. The artwork in my home is part of the family!
Old things provide continuity, hold memories and keep you rooted. As a army brat, and subsequently international executives, I don't have that. I used to love going to my grandma's place and she would bring out the same tea pot and tea cosy that I have seen since I was a baby, and drinking tea was such a comforting feeling. Her house had not changed much either, still seeing that ancient tea set reminded me of something I never had.
I still have a makeup brush that I bought in high school. You can use it for powder or blush and it's still going strong! I also have some clothes I bought from lands end and LL Bean when I was in college that are in still great condition. I'm 54 btw, and I will definitely attest that goods made today are nowhere near the quality of 30 to 40 years ago. Great video!
If you want, you can look into rebinding your Harry Potter books. It would mean that you keep the original paper, but give them a new sturdy cover to protect them.
Omg the Naruto lunch box is so nostalgic! I have a gundam one that I mostly used as a sewing box for years but after staring my current job I haven't had time to make full-on bento, so I've been tossing random things in the gundam lunch box(like pre-made tuna salad or tomatoes, bread and mayo to make a sandwich during lunch, etc). And to think I almost got rid of it! I'm sure it probably makes a coworker or two smile to see it in the fridge because it is so childish and nostalgic. I also have a hisoka* themed mug I got at a convention 10 or so years ago when I first watched hunterxhunter which I'll use until it breaks. Tbh, I want to know who on earth did the paint on it because it's held up SO FREAKING WELL over the past decade. It looks nearly new despite regular use. *yes I know problematic fave, please don't @ me, it's not like I swoon over him, I hadn't gotten to those parts of the anime at that point. 🙄 whenever it breaks, I'll be hunting for a Rohan Kishibe mug.👍
A 25 year old pair of sweats (they make great pants for getting dirty, painting etc), 40 year old jewelry that was handed down, 50 year old bible and blanket-also handed down, 50 year old dishes a friend gave me, lots of things! Even a 20 year old tent
After decades of being a collector I decided to embrace minimalism. We downsized from a big house filled with enjoyable, pretty things into a small house. Our children and grandchildren took a lot of things. Goodwill took more of our things. I saved sentimental keepsakes : my dad’s hand carved birds, a tin sewing box, two pieces of pottery, a cast iron sauté pan and some of my paintings along with other paintings from different artists. We furnished the new, small house with minimalistic furniture. I have to say I get intrusive thoughts about the photo albums, collections and furniture left behind, but I know they’re with my children.
I have a thirty year old Peace Lily, a mug I bought at a yard sale over twenty years ago that’s still a favorite, a small piece of artwork that hung in the dining room in my childhood home, a twenty year old plastic comb I use to comb my hair conditioner through in the shower. Going in twenty years with the hubs.❤
Great video, thanks for sharing! I always find it interesting how things that used to be absolutely normal become "hot trends" these days. As a person born in the 70s, this trend is what I've been doing all my life 🙂
Reminds me of a favorite story of my in-laws, and how time flies. In 2001, when we were about to get married, my in-laws were talking about a chair they wanted us to have. My husband-to-be looked at it and said, “Well, it could use a a bit of an update, looks pretty dated.” His dad said, “But we just had it reupholstered!” “And when was that??” “Ohh… Nineteen eighty… three? Ok, I guess it’s been a while!” So now it’s a running joke we have whenever we realize something happened a bit longer ago than we thought! 😆
And as for items I still use from way back, my fave is an old raincoat I bought at REI in 1996- definitely no longer waterproof, but I wear a sweater under it and poof! It’s my winter jacket. And my wedding dress was sewn by my grandma for herself, then her cousin wore it, then it was 1974-ed for my mom, and then restored to its 1950 glory for me! If either of my kids gets married I hope to use the material for wedding related clothing/things for them!
I have furnished most of my home with good quality used furniture. Usually, I have to paint or refinish it, but sometimes I get lucky and get a perfectly fantastic used item like Pottery Barn sofa. I have also been married for 28 years!
Congrats on your marriage and that sofa. I love Pottery Barn, too. I once saw a couch at the Salvation Army that was from Crate and Barrel so these lucky finds really exist!
Every piece of wood furniture I own is from family and friends that I have that Ive refinished/repaired. I also have the old, very worn Harry Potter books, but instead of replacing them, I replaced the binding. Because I already knew how to od bookbinding I did it myself, but you could definitely find someone to rebind them for you! Plus, so much opportunity for decoration/customization
Aw, the husband…I wasn’t expecting that! I have not heard of the under consumption list (shocking since I watch too much TH-cam about minimalist stuff!) but I will have to think about that! Our couches might be one of them, we bought brown leather Nattuzzi couches 18 years ago and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon! They still look loke new! They were soooo expensive back then, but worth it!
I treated myself to Mason Pearson hairbrush in the 80s for 40dlrs and still use it, wear my mom's wedding ring, wear my toddler 18k tiny stud earrings, a handmade music box I got in Italy over 28 years ago, my grandmother's delicate brooch, one of my father's shirt and his keepsake box, just to mention a few. Your grandfather's wooden box is beautiful!
Things on my underconsumption list: tops I used to wear on my early 20ies, and now my 20 years old daughter wears them. I still use the muslin squares I bought when she was a baby, I used them to dry my hair. I have many things over ten years old, easily. Even an old teapot given to my grandfather's grandparents as a wedding gift when they were married in the late 1800s.
I’ve held on to a canvas flowered Fossil bag that I’ve had for somewhere between 15 and 20 years, although one of the leather loops that the shoulder strap clips onto was worn so badly it was about to fall off. Just last Friday I finally repaired it with a piece of a vinyl strap from a long since decluttered bag, and I’m thrilled to be able to use my favourite bag again, without worrying about the strap falling off. The beige fabric around the top is wearing, revealing the bright orange of the lining, and it just adds to the vintage look.
I also have a fossil bag that I’ve been using for 15 years. I had a wristlet from them as well. But I finally had to get rid of it. I had replaced the wrist strap with another strap I picked up for a few bucks and it lasted another year until the teeth of the zipper no longer held together.
I feel old too when looking at minimalists & sustainable fashion. Most are as you say younger and I have cloths from the eightees and ninetees when they were not even born! Always loved good cloths (bags, shoes etc.) with good fabric, well made and with more of a timeless look. And as I hate shopping and don’t like to have too much stuff It makes my house & appartment easy to keep nice and tidy. Just found you and loove your inspiration & take on things!
It’s amazing to see how you still have so many items from so long ago, despite declutterring so much over the years! I do as well, and there’s something special about that, like these are the items that made it through everything.
My husband and I have been married for over 30 years and when we moved 3 years ago from our big house and garden We had been living there for over 30 years. I hope this new house will be a house you live in for a long long time. It is soo beautiful!
I have a beautiful wool coat I received as a gift in college 20+ years ago! I appreciate you doing this, I'm also in my 40s and most videos on this trend, the creators are younger than my list!
The book of poetry, Picnic, Lightning, is wonderful! After one of the poems caught my eye in your video, and taking into account your review, I bought the book. My husband and I are reading the poems together. Thank you for sharing.
Love this list! I have a patchwork mat that my mum sewed for me and I use it daily to do yoga on. I remember getting the mat in the mail, years ago, with a note from my mum. It's very special to me, and I imagine I'll be able to pass it onto the next generation one day. (Side note: I thought number 15 was going to be your husband rather than the blanket, haha)
I use my 87 year old mother's college suitcase to store fabric waiting to be sewn. I made baby quilts for my babies and my sister's babies from the Dick Bruna curtains that hung in our childhood bedroom. I wore my dad's Air Force field jacket while I was in college and now my youngest kid is doing the same. My daughter is using the set of stoneware dishes from my grandmother's house. We have had the same dining room table and coffee table for 35 years.
I haven't been able to go on TH-cam much lately and I definitely have been missing your videos, almost 2am and I'm glad to have been able to watch this one 😅 great vid as always!
I still have my 15+ year old spacemaker pencil boxes too 😂 I have an antique sewing table and an antique jewelry box from my grandmothers ❤ My hubby is of almost 3 years, but we’ve been together for just over 10 ❤
My winter coat is a leather mid-thigh length coat that my husband's father wore when he was young. I think it's from the early 60's. Potato smasher and pretty metal flour sifter from one of my grandmothers. I use them a lot. They're at least 70 years old. Maybe more. Stove-top stainless steel percolator that was "vintage" when I bought it. No clue how old it is but it makes the best coffee. Most of our furniture and appliances are several decades old. (Edit: and husband 32 years) 😊
Husband almost 20 years! Lots of clothes more than 10 years, one pair of sweatpants more than 25 years old (!), dining chairs that I bought second hand also more than 25 years ago. Our house was built in 1820 so that's 200 years old :-)
Please give this video a like 👍 and comment with some things that would make YOUR underconsumption core list! Can't wait to read your responses; let's share and inspire each other.
Hi Marissa, where is the video about the picnic blanket, please? I didn't find it 😁 Thank you 🤗
I wanted to take nothing from the home I shared with my ex husband. I didn't want fighting me over cutlery, I just wanted out. My parents had died recently so I took some of the furniture I grew up with. My dresser, night tables and my grandma's easy chair are decades older than myself and I'm no spring chicken. I do remember going to a furniture store with my parents to get my dad's furniture for his office and some bookcases. I love to sit at my father's desk to work every day. They didn't like bulky furniture, but it's top quality and I repainted them. I'm not a neutral color person at all. I might even repaint that easy chair.
I have a pair of black Clark boots that might be 10 years old now - they are starting to take in water through the soles, but I love the style so much and haven't found anything like them that is in my price range now.
I'm very seriously considering taking them somewhere to be re-soled, though the places near me have mixed reviews. :)
I have new rock boots that are older than my daughter... She is 20 in a few weeks! I used to wear them every day, now I wear at the weekend as my job restricts what I can wear.
Well im far away of a minimalistic livestyle today, but underconsumption is one way in my live to save the little money my husband bring home.
1. lot of verry old books, the best is maybe the fairytailbook in old German script. and also my Childehood tapes whit my favorit Childrenstorys.
2. my grandmother's costume that she get as a gift from my grandpa. The nailed Shoes that belonged to it, i gave it to a museum on permanent loan.
3. A pan who still was verry old, when my Dad used it and i took them with me when I moved out.
4. Clothes from my scooltime (last class) than im still able to wear. (im 39 Years old today) also other things out of fabric like towels than im woved out from my dads hous^^
5. there are a lot of furniture in oure hous that belonged to our parents and grandparents, like the desk where im sitting on and my computer stands.
6. last but not least i also can finish this list with my beloved husband who belongs to me since august 2003 🥰
Husband 41 years,2 plastic laundry baskets 41 years, hairbrush 20 years, makeup mirror 46 years. All still in use daily. 😊
Oh no I could never use the same hairbrush. Mine are getting worn out every few years but good for you! :)
Sorry, its funny, you "use" your husband everyday
Knives and knife rack - over 50 years. A small group of kitchen hand tools - don't know - they were my grandmother's and one my grandmother's grandmother's (I'm 74). Grandmother's housedress, still kicken' around. 2 skirts from the 1970's which my granddaughter now tells me to 'never get rid of'. And most proudly, many well-loved things now being used in children's and grandchildren's homes.
Husband 41 years lolololol
My favorite underconsumption item you mentioned is your hubby❣️ I have been fortunate enough to have had mine for over 40 years.😍
Wow, congratulations 😍 and thanks for watching.
😀I feel the same - my hubby and I have been together since 1981.
Yes! 40 years this year 🤗🥰
Great! My husband's grandparents are my biggest insipartion, they have been together for more than 60 years.
My husband and I wanted to grow old together, but we didn't meet until our late 30s and she died of cancer not long after our 13th anniversary when he was 51. I am always in awel of people who are married for decades! It takes real dedication and love for sure.
My mom died when I was 3. (I'm 56) I have a picture she drew hanging on my wall. My heart is with you, Marissa.❤
❤
I’m so sorry to hear that . ❤
My parents grew up during the depression, so they always emphasized that there was no need to buy something new if the old one still did the job. I enjoy using my mom’s and grandma’s kitchen gadgets. Or son’s bedroom furniture was my grandfather’s.
Those airline makeup bags are SO sturdy. I have a first class toiletries bag from British Airways that I got in 2020- I developed a fear of flying after flying through a storm in the USA, and on my return flight to the UK, a member of the cabin crew sat with me after takeoff from Los Angeles to help me calm down. After landing in Heathrow, he came running back with a first class toiletries bag and told me to take it with me as a good luck charm! I now take it everywhere with me, and it still looks brand new four years later. (I wrote to the airline as soon as I got home to sing the cabin crew's praises, hopefully it helped him like he helped me.)
great story! i love british airways, & even more now!
@@jmsl_910 flying with them again later this year- the company is meh but the cabin crew are the BEST on BA, they're so sweet and always on the ball! (Food's better on Virgin Atlantic though 😂)
Usually people tease me about my old things that I have been using "forever". It is nice that it is now a trend. :) Right now I am sitting at my "sewing desk" that was my dad's first desk from 1946 with a jar of miscellaneous buttons, some of which were my grandmother's going back to the 1920's. When I do go shopping, it is in my 20 year old car with my 31 year old reusable bag.😉
This made me smile. I’m 53 and just recently got rid if a hoodie that was well over 30 years old. I still consider early 2000 to be recent history. Things use to be built much better in the 70’s. TVs were made out of wood then. 😅
I have the same feeling😊 and I am five years older
We had a wooden TV growing up
I still can't get over the fact that today's underconsumption core is what I have always considered to be regular consumption. I was taught by my parents to always use something until either finished or broken, and I learned the "1 in, 1 out" rule very, very young. But hey, I am all for it if people want to jump in on this "trend" for the sake of normalizing consumption. One of my most precious possessions is my jewelry box, that used to belong to my mother and was handmade and given to her by my father when they were dating, in high-polished hardwood with an all mirrored interior. And a dainty gold necklace that my hubby gave me for my 15th birthday when we first started dating. Of course my hubby also made the list 😊.
Almost all of the furniture in our house was acquired used -- some from my husband's family, and those pieces are now over 100 years old.
Same! Greats and grand's furniture!! They built it to last!!
I use my grandmother’s cast iron skillet every single day. She was born in 1897. For all I know it could have been her mother’s pan since she lived next door to her mother her entire life. 💕
That is a true treasure.
@@santisanti8386 Yes it is! 🥰
Your moms handwriting 🥰 we still have my moms voice set as our voice mail, it’s basically the only thing we have left
"Use it up, wear it out. Make do, or do without!" I've always liked this little saying
Underconsumption is just a fancy way to say frugal or not wasteful.
Anway, on a fun side I can say we underconsume on the following:
I have been married to my husband for 34 years, we have owned our truck for almost 20 years, we have had our car for 10 years, I have some dresses I have had and still use for over 10 years, of course dishes amd pots and pans.
The thing is I usually keep the items I have until they wear out.
I have had my kitchen aide mixer for 28 years.
It is also very eco friendly to keep things too.
I enjoy your channel very much. Thanks for sharing
My top 3 "can't replace" things: 2005 Tacoma (it was my "get-away" vehicle when I left my abusive first husband)🛻; my second-hand computer desk and bedroom suite (my current husband bought me almost 15 years ago)🛏; current husband, married 10 years next week. 👫
I love that you wear your mother's wedding ring!
I gave my wedding ring set to my daughter a few years ago. I was a widowed young, and it took me quite a few years to be able to let go of it. By the time I was ready, she had grown up and matured enough to really treasure it and take care of it. Giving it to her while I am still alive makes us both happy whenever she wears it. It was a good decision.
You aren't the only minimalist who is not in their 20s! I was very much a minimalist when I was younger... I lapsed into a routine consumer lifestyle later, and didn't like it. Now I've downsized a couple of times, and I am feeling much freer for it. It isn't really downsizing: it's "right-sizing." Minimalism is the way at least for some of us. And "buy it for life" is also a good philosophy.
Love the idea of right sizing terminology
I've had my dining room table, laundry basket, hand mixer, mixing bowl, steamer trunk (they make great tables) and, yes, husband for 38 years. Favorite one is my hubby. ❤
TLC keep lifestyle older items a joy to use because they were made of quality materials. For your beloved handbag, buy a can of Saddle Soap to clean it and make it supple.
A can keeps forever to keep leather and vinyl items in top condition without harmful chemicals. Been using this since I was 9 yrs old, now am 70.
I love your sentimentality! I know it's probably hard to be a minimalist and be sentimental, but your grandfather's wooden box and your mom's wedding ring are Irreplaceable.
I take a perverse pride in how long I can get my stuff to last. Many of my clothes are 10 - 20 years old, and I actively avoid buying new stuff unless I'm replacing something old that's broken. I've always been like this and make no apologies.
I'd like to make you feel young. I'm 71. I still have the first towels I ever bought at age 16, though I use them for rags. I have 3 plants I've had for over 25 years. I have several tablecloths I've used all my adult life - some belonged to my grandmothers. I have several pieces of furniture that were my grandparents. My daughter has a dress I loved and wore when I was in my 20's but no longer fits me. I just finished mending 6 shirts for my husband and a trendy pair of jeans for my granddaughter using Sashiko visible mending. I darn my brother in laws socks often or sweaters with holes. My Apple computer is 12 years old and my iPhone is 9 years old. I plan to start making my own clothes with fabric I've had for years. Most everything I love and display has some sort of sentimental value - I have decluttered everything else.
I truly admire people like you!
I m 46 years old and have some house plants that I got as tiny cuttings in my early 20s. They are big now. I ve never bought a towel in my life, and have used the same ones since my early twenties, they must have been someone else's cast offs, I don't know. But they fit my colour scheme just right, and seem perfectly good, so? The same goes for many of my household items. They are simply cast offs of my parents or late grandparents. Like wooden hangers with crocheted covers, by my grandmother, so that the clothes don't slip off. They must surely be 50+ years old. Stuff doesn't usually go bad, does it. So not much need to replace anything, usually.
OMG! I love the concept of #underconsumptioncore! Showing your desk at the beginning made me laugh! I’ve had my desk (huge, heavy L shaped office desk) since 2002 and I got it from my first career job out of university, as they were decluttering it! It’s travelled with me between provinces and countless homes. …mind you, it’s also the reason why I _NEVER_ want to move and when I _haaave_ _to_, I hire movers! …the top piece (where the keyboard and monitor goes) weighs around 100lbs on its own!
I don’t have any family, but last year before she passed away from cancer, my best friend’s mom (who I’ve known since the ‘90s) suggested passing down their beautiful kitchen table and chairs to me, when they were replacing theirs. So many great memories were made at that table when we were growing up, and now we get to make more!
LOL, I’m not cheap, frugal or broke, I’m obsessed with #underconsumption core. 😉😂😁
Love these stories, so glad you shared them with us! That desk sounds so cool - what a find! ❤️
If you want, you could put a small block of wood in the dragonbox on witch you can drop a little peppermint oil on (if you don’t want to drop it on the box itself) then you can get the sent back to the box
was thinking that too!!
Baby blankets! I have a thin lace baby blanket that my parents wrapped me in to take me home from the hospital back in 77, it's now done the same for all 3 of my kids, and is proudly displayed in my studio! This video made me realise how many little things like that I have ❤❤ love it!
I've had my husband for 41 years! He's a keeper!
So is mine, 38 yrs and we are still in love, he is my best friend and a wonderful father 💕
You can line the edges of the HP books with scotch tape and then plastic cover to prevent further damage and lengthen their lives.
I know someone who worked for the school board at one point. A school was getting rid of a whole bunch of very old teacher desks. I've been using the same antique teacher's desk for 20 years.
I was at an antique glass show and saw a set of salt and pepper shakers for $100. I immediately called my mother and said “Hey, we need to stop using Grandma’s S&P shakers! They are really valuable!” 😂 But, we still use them. Why not?!! They get the job done and we love using them. 😍
What incredible quality each of this items have. They were build for hundreds of years. Sometimes I buy things and hope they will serve me many years, and then they go broken.
I'm sure there are many in my home if I really think about it. Here are a few off the top: My travel toiletry bag, made of a rugged canvas-type material, is over 30 yrs old now & has been to countless places. And the doilies my mother crocheted in young adulthood, some very intricate. I use a few under vases, etc. to protect the surface they sit on. But the rest are used by my 4 yr old grandson for all sorts of things, limited only to his imagination: from blankets for litle dolls & animal figures, to nets for catching wild animals & "bad guy" Hot Wheels-type cars while playing at my house. My daughters have no use for doilies so I'm glad to have found a new purpose for keeping Mom's talented handiwork in regular use. It makes me smile when I see my grandson--born a few years after Mom died--use these items made by his great-grandma.
My mother was a big crocheter of doilies too, but she gave them all away. I wish I had a few now. I suppose I could find similar ones at flea markets or even online but I haven't looked.
Today I wear shoes I bought 23 years ago and I still love them. In our living room almost all furniture is vintage, antique or bought when we got married in 1987. My kitchenware is mostly old as well. Some Items were my grandmothers’ and it feels special to use them.
I love to buy in second hand stores. Often better quality and the ‘feel’ is better.
My childhood Easter basket is now 36 years old and sits on my kitchen counter to hold honey, vitamins and such.
My kids had the same Easter baskets their entire childhood and when they moved out, the baskets went with them. Same goes for Christmas stockings.
You know I have watched so so many of your videos. After this one I realized I think we would easily be great friends in another life. What a sweet little window into your life and interests :)
Why not this life? Happy to have you here! 🤗
@@AtoZenLife Aw thanks! What’s your favorite anime? Check out AOT if you haven’t. It’s graphic but 10/10 plot
@@winterfoxx6363 I love attack on Titan, but it’s definitely traumatic lol. Right now we are loving Demon Slayer!
@@AtoZenLife same!
I love the way you have meaning and stories attached to your most valuable items. It really gives things a precious feeling and makes it easier to let go of all those other little things that we can easily live without
1987 High School grad dress I bought at Limited Express. It became a maternity dress, a renaissance festival dress, then my daughter dyed it black and wears it on regular rotation. I kind of wish I had it back. It was so comfortable to wear.
My favourite is our house. We've lived here for 18 years and have no plans to ever leave. It's cosy and homey. We've done no renovations too it as we've grown to like the colours and style of the previous owners and it has a lot of memories for us.
I think underconsumption core is my favorite trend ever! Watching you showcase things you've had for a long time made me feel more excited about the older things I have. I have pretty much the exact same story with my Harry Potter books! :D
What a great video! Score again! My husband and i just celebrated 30 years 😊 i have my 3rd grade pencil box, a winter coat for 24 years, my workout pants 10 years. My Mom was an under consumer raising us, and im like that. My sentimental ❤gets me wanting the retro items so i wait before buying. Thanks 😊
Thanks so much for sharing and cheers. ❤️🙏
I don't think it's "under"consumption -- it's just not buying what you don't need. (For the record, I'm 65, so my POV may be a bit different from the younger set.) My car? It's a properly maintained 2012, bought new at the extreme end of the model year (thus at high discount with zero percent financing) to replace a vehicle that turned out to be so damaged, it was bordering on not being street-legal. I have several pairs of outdoorsman-type summerweight pants that I still wear frequently... all purchased in June, 2010. My dining room set was my grandparents' formal kitchen set; my bedroom set was my uncle's. (Yes, I'm single, but several ladies have mentioned they *liked* the furniture in that room. So there.) Some of the artwork on my walls is posters I literally took off public kiosks (always *after* the advertised event was past) and framed myself. I use my circa 2013 MacBook pro to watch DVDs in bed and to provide sound effects on Halloween. The list goes on, but the bottom line is that if something fulfills a purpose without a problem and isn't costing me money, then I don't need to replace it... so I don't. I'm not "under" consuming, I'm just not spending money to replace something that doesn't need replacing. :-)
I think the label is just to put it in opposition to overconsumption and because it sounds more dramatic and therefore more attention getting on social media! You’re 100% right, it’s just normal :)
Agree!👍
I have to list my husband first because we were married in 1974 so this is our golden 50th anniversary. I wore out my little wedding ring and got a new one on my 30th anniversary. I still have a lamp I bought at Marshall Fields in Chicago in 1978, I have some cooking pots that I have used since 1974 that were used by my MIL and her Mother before her and were made in the 1940's. My youngest daughter, who is actually very wealthy and buys fancy cookware has claimed them as her inheritance!! I have many quilts I made over the years and my daughters and many friends and family have some also and I don't think anyone has every gotten rid of one. I have my Grandmother's cedar chest and when we downsized in retirement I had to make hard choices so I sold my coffee table and use her chest instead. I could make a huge list but won't😀 but we have owned eight houses and even though we only have about 25% of the stuff we used to have I have something from all of our houses.
I still use the wooden spoons my husband and I received as a wedding gift 41 years ago. Oh, and I still have my husband.
😂!!!
Great list! I've had the same pair of Birkenstocks for 30 years. They've been re-soled numerous times, but they're still a favorite. I would much rather repair or repurpose something than buy new.
Hi Marrisa, love your channel and your wise helpful content. I'm not one to leave messages but I felt I wanted to share…… I have a plant that was my grandmother's, I lovingly care for it, the plant is still thriving at the ripe age of 75 years. I also have my lovely husband, we met when I was 13 married at 18 and I'm 54 years old. We have so much fun my biggest under-consumption. Sending love from Wales uk
I bought a Nordstrom sundress in 1995 and wear it at least 20'x each summer. (Great quality, no fast fashion.) I get lots of compliments still. When my parents were married, and a kitchen item was damaged, my grandpa would always fix it. I still have all these cute items. Some must be at least 60 years old. I vowed not to buy any clothes for next next three years, (except sneakers because cancer gave me so much nerve damage in my feet :) and I always have 3 pairs on hand. No one ever notices that I repeat wearing the same outfits.
and most of my books from childhood.
When I moved from MN to NM I ended up getting rid of most of my furniture because it was so expensive to move it, but most of it was from my parents, so it was 50+ years old. I did move my 25+ year old IKEA desk and wardrobe. I just recently got rid of my t-shirts from high school 30 years ago, but I still have a few from college. I have an almost 49 year old hand crocheted teddy bear I got when I was born, and a large stuffed Saint Bernard my mother got over 60 years ago. Nothing in my house furniture wise is less than 5 years old (when I moved), and I still have a bunch of bowls and utensils that my mother got as wedding presents in 1961. I have a tendency to keep things until they completely fall apart, which is good and bad. 😊
So funny that not constantly replacing things is an internet trend! 😆 I have tons of old stuff despite decluttering and moving countries. I have a few paperback books from my childhood including a Roget’s Thesaurus I’ve had for about 40 years. It’s non-alphabetic, organized by concept instead, very difficult to find now. BTW your HP books look like they might just need a little packing tape to reinforce the spines. That’s what we did at the library to make paperbacks last longer. And I love your old canvas bag - somehow even though it’s really worn it looks nice that way IMO.
My husband and I just celebrated our 38 th wedding anniversary, we were high school sweethearts and got married when we were both 21 yrs. We have 3 beautiful daughters 🌸 I also have a box set of the Little House on the Prairie books that I got when I was 9 yrs, saving them for grandchildren
❤ This list was very interesting, and It was very touching to see your sentimental side as you described the history of the more nostalgic items. ❤ You’re the best!
Well, I'm in my late 70s and married for 59 years, so it may not be fair to list stuff we've owned for a long time. We moved a lot when we were young, so not much ancient stuff survived, but I've had a Dundee marmalade jar for pens, etc. -- when the jar was sealed with wax and paper. We got that the summer we got married. Most of our t-shirts (what we both wear in the summer) are from various Apple Developer conferences from the early 2000s. A lot of clothing is of similar vintage. We've already done Swedish death cleaning, so what's left is what we use. We have All-clad pots, like you. Other than the teflon-coating, these things will last forever.
What we don't keep forever is tech stuff, other than our 12+ year old TV. I still do active (if retired-level) research, and newer lets me do more -- we do have a rule about waiting until a device is out of AppleCare before upgrading.
Thanks you for sharing your experience with us-cool that you have the same pans as well. 🤗
@@AtoZenLife Forgot that we have the original cornflower Corelle plates (late 1960s) that we still use every day.
Yes gym t shirts! Mine are also from my college years.
I do not buy new seasonal decor, I love my hand me down outdoor Halloween decorations.
Totally agree!😊 When it works you don't have to fix (or replace) it!😃
Oh what a Joy in life You are !😄😊
Aw, thanks so much--always a joy to have you here, Kenneth!
Every day, I use the same set of stainless steel cooking pots I've used my whole life. We don't know the exact age, but my mum knows she brought them when she moved from her old house - 38 years ago! We're assuming they're at least 40 years old and they're still in amazing condition.
I am a bit shaken because apparently, I rock at this trend I've never heard of, and your list is all things that are so "young" to me! Let's see, just from my visuals right now: legs on a coffee table we got 20 years ago that we'll have forever, a tv stand I got on clearance when I worked AT Target in 1998, a 1940's washstand for storage, stereo speakers from 25+ years ago, a table my parents got in the 1970's, 2 bookcases from at least the 1970's. The couch I'm on is from 2000. My engagement ring is from family, in 1906! Yes, I wear it daily. Now I'm feeling paranoid that I didn't get the consumerism memo and am seriously a fuddy duddy! haha
We grew up in the 70s, the ME generation, so that stuff carries a lot of memories, not just the shag carpets and avocado-gold-brown ugliness.
The print on the maternity dress turned skirt is fab. Repurposing it to a skirt was a great choice.
I was going to say the same thing. Such a fabulous idea!
- wooby (baby blanket) 29yrs
- ski coat 6 yrs
- wool socks 7 yrs
- mom's WWF towel ~30+ yrs
- dad's metal box (now jewelry box) ~30+ yrs
- nightmare before xmas Tshirt ~15yrs
oh i'm sure there's more...
The rocking chair my grandmother used with my mother...she just turned 86!
I like the trend of repurposing, reusing, wearing out. And it can be very aesthetically pleasing. I think band shirts need at least 10 years to be cool ;) I don’t have own family heirlooms. But I have the dishes my husbands grandma got for her wedding as well as an old chest from her and her wardrobe. She still lives but downsized recently and we moved at the same time and our old furniture was to high for our new sleeping room. We use her things on a daily basis. My kids also have stuffed animals from my husband and his Lego. My husband is my partner of 15 years now :)
That’s the reason I never decluttered as much as other minimalists as we are using up old towels, repurposing some of them as washing cloth, old Shirts with holes became little rags for diaper change… I really wore down my wardrobe and needed about 7 years to be on a level I would describe as minimal. A lot of the stuff won’t be used by other people but I still can and will use it and don’t have to buy new things. BUT as with the musselin swaddles: If other people can reuse the stuff as it is, I will pass it on. We have little cousins and they got a lot of my kids outgrown toys and clothes although I could have repurposed some of it.
Tbh, underconsumption core resonates really strong with my values and my lifestyle, more than classical minimalism. I really like your take on minimalism but some minimalists will declutter just to buy some expensive version more fitting into their style than the old…
What a great list! Thanks for sharing. My dad passed away 21 years ago, but he bought me a beautiful leather Coach bag when I was pregnant with my first 27 years ago. It's a classic. I still have it and use it. Makes me think of him every time I use it. I miss him so much all these years later.
That is so sweet ❤️
Great video, thanks for sharing! Wife almost 42 years... We still have and use bedroom and dining room furniture purchased in the mid '80s. I have a guitar (made in '67) that I bought in '77. It doesn't get played much, but our son has expressed interest in having it after I'm gone. I still have a guitar strap from '74 and some cables I made around the same time. Our Honda Odyssey is 20 years old this year; thankfully the Midwest winters haven't destroyed it yet! My stereo features a receiver from the late '70s, a turntable from about '80 and albums from the '70s and later.
When I retired after 35 years of working for the same company, I was offered a gift from a long list. I consulted with my wife who suggested that I forgo the laptop or big TV in favor of a rather complete set of Le Creuset. She commented that it would probably something that we could hand down to our kids some day. I agreed and we've been enjoying it for 7 years and counting!
I love this trend!! Personally I've always been very particular with what I like and if I like something I will love it till I die haha
So when I got my big girl room at 9 years old and could choose the furniture and decorate it myself I loved it so much my room just stayed like that till I moved out at 22 😊😅
Also, as a true Dutchie I use my bike basically every day and I still have the same bike I got for my 12th birthday (now 26 years old) 😊
i'm so madly in love with this kind of video
i'm starting to realize that, aside from a few childhood items, i don't have many things that i can say that i've owned for a very long time. i've fallen into the trap of overconsumption, so most of the things i cycle through are fairly new and barely used. i feel very inspired and moved by this video.
It's been a while since I've seen any videos from you and now I realised how I missed them! Love everything about it! Don't worry about the youth on the underconsumption core trend. Millenial here! Also, who do you manage to keep most of your things in such good condition? I'm impressed!
Nice to have you back! One thing I’ve noticed is that when you buy stuff is it’s just not the same quality. The maternity dresses were nothing special, from average stores, but have lasted FOREVER. I don’t think it’s possible to do that with new clothes…it’s all planned obsolescence. 😔
@@AtoZenLife As a former sales girl and former avid consumer, I couldn't agree more with you on that. By the way, the dresses are so beautiful!
Omg I have the same Spacemaker pencil case as you from when I was a kid 😱 it's so true where they don't make things like they used to and lots is planned obsolescence now (which I'd love to see a topic on)
Like computers that become paper weights because they are no longer updateable
@@MyFocusVaries yes! And phones too! I mean honestly they could just sell us a new updated microchip to put in these devices and they'd work again, but who would spend hundreds of dollars on that? In reality though, that's all we're really getting. Makes me sad and sick.
I loved seeing your much loved, long term items. I laughed out loud at your comment that many of these items are older than some of these creators! One of my favorite things in our home is a cross stitch piece I did that hangs in our living room--stitched in 1992! I've never understood people who buy trendy crap to hang in their homes only to change it out a few years later when the trend changes. The artwork in my home is part of the family!
Old things provide continuity, hold memories and keep you rooted. As a army brat, and subsequently international executives, I don't have that. I used to love going to my grandma's place and she would bring out the same tea pot and tea cosy that I have seen since I was a baby, and drinking tea was such a comforting feeling. Her house had not changed much either, still seeing that ancient tea set reminded me of something I never had.
I still have a makeup brush that I bought in high school. You can use it for powder or blush and it's still going strong! I also have some clothes I bought from lands end and LL Bean when I was in college that are in still great condition. I'm 54 btw, and I will definitely attest that goods made today are nowhere near the quality of 30 to 40 years ago. Great video!
If you want, you can look into rebinding your Harry Potter books. It would mean that you keep the original paper, but give them a new sturdy cover to protect them.
Omg the Naruto lunch box is so nostalgic! I have a gundam one that I mostly used as a sewing box for years but after staring my current job I haven't had time to make full-on bento, so I've been tossing random things in the gundam lunch box(like pre-made tuna salad or tomatoes, bread and mayo to make a sandwich during lunch, etc). And to think I almost got rid of it! I'm sure it probably makes a coworker or two smile to see it in the fridge because it is so childish and nostalgic.
I also have a hisoka* themed mug I got at a convention 10 or so years ago when I first watched hunterxhunter which I'll use until it breaks. Tbh, I want to know who on earth did the paint on it because it's held up SO FREAKING WELL over the past decade. It looks nearly new despite regular use.
*yes I know problematic fave, please don't @ me, it's not like I swoon over him, I hadn't gotten to those parts of the anime at that point. 🙄 whenever it breaks, I'll be hunting for a Rohan Kishibe mug.👍
Noticing how fast your hair grows! Wow!
It does grow fast, wish it would grow thicker 😅
@@AtoZenLifeit's perfect & stunning
A 25 year old pair of sweats (they make great pants for getting dirty, painting etc), 40 year old jewelry that was handed down, 50 year old bible and blanket-also handed down, 50 year old dishes a friend gave me, lots of things! Even a 20 year old tent
After decades of being a collector I decided to embrace minimalism. We downsized from a big house filled with enjoyable, pretty things into a small house. Our children and grandchildren took a lot of things. Goodwill took more of our things. I saved sentimental keepsakes : my dad’s hand carved birds, a tin sewing box, two pieces of pottery, a cast iron sauté pan and some of my paintings along with other paintings from different artists. We furnished the new, small house with minimalistic furniture. I have to say I get intrusive thoughts about the photo albums, collections and furniture left behind, but I know they’re with my children.
I have a thirty year old Peace Lily, a mug I bought at a yard sale over twenty years ago that’s still a favorite, a small piece of artwork that hung in the dining room in my childhood home, a twenty year old plastic comb I use to comb my hair conditioner through in the shower. Going in twenty years with the hubs.❤
Great video, thanks for sharing! I always find it interesting how things that used to be absolutely normal become "hot trends" these days. As a person born in the 70s, this trend is what I've been doing all my life 🙂
Reminds me of a favorite story of my in-laws, and how time flies. In 2001, when we were about to get married, my in-laws were talking about a chair they wanted us to have. My husband-to-be looked at it and said, “Well, it could use a a bit of an update, looks pretty dated.” His dad said, “But we just had it reupholstered!” “And when was that??” “Ohh… Nineteen eighty… three? Ok, I guess it’s been a while!”
So now it’s a running joke we have whenever we realize something happened a bit longer ago than we thought! 😆
And as for items I still use from way back, my fave is an old raincoat I bought at REI in 1996- definitely no longer waterproof, but I wear a sweater under it and poof! It’s my winter jacket.
And my wedding dress was sewn by my grandma for herself, then her cousin wore it, then it was 1974-ed for my mom, and then restored to its 1950 glory for me! If either of my kids gets married I hope to use the material for wedding related clothing/things for them!
If you take some leather conditioner to that Marc Jacobs bag, it'll look brand spanking new. Those well-constructed leather bags hold up so well!
I have furnished most of my home with good quality used furniture. Usually, I have to paint or refinish it, but sometimes I get lucky and get a perfectly fantastic used item like Pottery Barn sofa. I have also been married for 28 years!
Congrats on your marriage and that sofa. I love Pottery Barn, too. I once saw a couch at the Salvation Army that was from Crate and Barrel so these lucky finds really exist!
Happy to see the younger generations realize it’s a lie to buy all that crap
Every piece of wood furniture I own is from family and friends that I have that Ive refinished/repaired. I also have the old, very worn Harry Potter books, but instead of replacing them, I replaced the binding. Because I already knew how to od bookbinding I did it myself, but you could definitely find someone to rebind them for you! Plus, so much opportunity for decoration/customization
Aw, the husband…I wasn’t expecting that! I have not heard of the under consumption list (shocking since I watch too much TH-cam about minimalist stuff!) but I will have to think about that! Our couches might be one of them, we bought brown leather Nattuzzi couches 18 years ago and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon! They still look loke new! They were soooo expensive back then, but worth it!
Keep them forever. Natuzzi's quality sucks now.
I treated myself to Mason Pearson hairbrush in the 80s for 40dlrs and still use it, wear my mom's wedding ring, wear my toddler 18k tiny stud earrings, a handmade music box I got in Italy over 28 years ago, my grandmother's delicate brooch, one of my father's shirt and his keepsake box, just to mention a few.
Your grandfather's wooden box is beautiful!
Things on my underconsumption list: tops I used to wear on my early 20ies, and now my 20 years old daughter wears them. I still use the muslin squares I bought when she was a baby, I used them to dry my hair. I have many things over ten years old, easily. Even an old teapot given to my grandfather's grandparents as a wedding gift when they were married in the late 1800s.
Those maternity dresses look amazing 😮❤ wow! Love your wonderful advice ❤❤❤
I’ve held on to a canvas flowered Fossil bag that I’ve had for somewhere between 15 and 20 years, although one of the leather loops that the shoulder strap clips onto was worn so badly it was about to fall off. Just last Friday I finally repaired it with a piece of a vinyl strap from a long since decluttered bag, and I’m thrilled to be able to use my favourite bag again, without worrying about the strap falling off. The beige fabric around the top is wearing, revealing the bright orange of the lining, and it just adds to the vintage look.
I also have a fossil bag that I’ve been using for 15 years. I had a wristlet from them as well. But I finally had to get rid of it. I had replaced the wrist strap with another strap I picked up for a few bucks and it lasted another year until the teeth of the zipper no longer held together.
Suggestion for your Harry Potter paperback books, use clear packing tape to reinforce the covers and spines.
I feel old too when looking at minimalists & sustainable fashion. Most are as you say younger and I have cloths from the eightees and ninetees when they were not even born! Always loved good cloths (bags, shoes etc.) with good fabric, well made and with more of a timeless look. And as I hate shopping and don’t like to have too much stuff It makes my house & appartment easy to keep nice and tidy. Just found you and loove your inspiration & take on things!
It’s amazing to see how you still have so many items from so long ago, despite declutterring so much over the years! I do as well, and there’s something special about that, like these are the items that made it through everything.
This got me re-thinking about some of my purchases from Prime Day. Gonna be returning some.
My husband and I have been married for over 30 years and when we moved 3 years ago from our big house and garden We had been living there for over 30 years. I hope this new house will be a house you live in for a long long time. It is soo beautiful!
I have a beautiful wool coat I received as a gift in college 20+ years ago! I appreciate you doing this, I'm also in my 40s and most videos on this trend, the creators are younger than my list!
The book of poetry, Picnic, Lightning, is wonderful! After one of the poems caught my eye in your video, and taking into account your review, I bought the book. My husband and I are reading the poems together. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it, Cynthia 👍
I’ve had my All Clad 7-piece starter set since 1990 and use it everyday. Still looks new.
Love this list! I have a patchwork mat that my mum sewed for me and I use it daily to do yoga on. I remember getting the mat in the mail, years ago, with a note from my mum. It's very special to me, and I imagine I'll be able to pass it onto the next generation one day. (Side note: I thought number 15 was going to be your husband rather than the blanket, haha)
I use my 87 year old mother's college suitcase to store fabric waiting to be sewn. I made baby quilts for my babies and my sister's babies from the Dick Bruna curtains that hung in our childhood bedroom. I wore my dad's Air Force field jacket while I was in college and now my youngest kid is doing the same. My daughter is using the set of stoneware dishes from my grandmother's house. We have had the same dining room table and coffee table for 35 years.
I haven't been able to go on TH-cam much lately and I definitely have been missing your videos, almost 2am and I'm glad to have been able to watch this one 😅 great vid as always!
I still have my 15+ year old spacemaker pencil boxes too 😂 I have an antique sewing table and an antique jewelry box from my grandmothers ❤ My hubby is of almost 3 years, but we’ve been together for just over 10 ❤
My winter coat is a leather mid-thigh length coat that my husband's father wore when he was young. I think it's from the early 60's.
Potato smasher and pretty metal flour sifter from one of my grandmothers. I use them a lot. They're at least 70 years old. Maybe more.
Stove-top stainless steel percolator that was "vintage" when I bought it. No clue how old it is but it makes the best coffee.
Most of our furniture and appliances are several decades old.
(Edit: and husband 32 years) 😊
Husband almost 20 years! Lots of clothes more than 10 years, one pair of sweatpants more than 25 years old (!), dining chairs that I bought second hand also more than 25 years ago. Our house was built in 1820 so that's 200 years old :-)