What we really need

So, I've been thinking about what we really need. For survival we need food, clothing and shelter. I'm guessing that all the other stuff we aquire is supposed to help us get and keep these things.

I've been decluttering. It's a mission to get rid of the things that I don't need. When possible I try to pass on stuff to people who can use it. In the end I just don't want to accumulate more stuff to reclutter my home. That's when it becomes frugal. I always wonder about being a poseur when it come to frugality. I don't buy lots of stuff, at least I don't think I do. I stay out of stores all the time. I look at catalogs and recycle them the same day. I have been known to make silly purchases though. I buy new shoes for my son. I have friends who probably think I am cheap. I'd like to think that is not the case. I don't go out to dinner very often, I can make most stuff at home just as well. Good food is important to me. We don't eat organic, but we eat mostly whole foods. I buy good clothes, but not many of them.

Just so it's clear, my frugality/decluttering kick is pretty recent. There is nothing like bringing a child into the world to change your perceptions about "stuff".

Global climate change

So, on my friend Sharon's blog (see my links) someone suggested a Peak Oil party. It's like this, instead of having a party to buy stuff (Pampered Chef, Tupperware, etc.) have a party, with wine, where you can trade seeds or clothes or household items that you don't need and drink and eat yummy food. I love this idea.

Peak oil and global climate change are linked and I tend to think of them as one and the same issue. Now if I could just scrape up a few friends to do this with. I've got seeds and probably some household stuff to start.