I’ve been thinking about writing this post for a long time. It’s something I feel strongly about. In this world, the difference between the haves and the have-nots is vast. And the gap is getting bigger.
Advertisers tell us that there is a material solution for every problem. Got a problem? Buy this product.
But does buying more stuff really solve our problems?
I would argue – No, not always. And in fact, it often exacerbates our problems.
With more stuff comes the need for more space, which comes at a cost, increasing debt or at least the need to earn more money, and spend more time earning more money, making us less connected with friends and family.
I’ll say it again, buying more stuff is not always the answer. It sometimes is. We can’t walk around naked, sleep on bare earth and eat only what we forage for. As humans we have other needs, like the one for creative expression, as well. There is definitely a place in our lives for shopping. But when did it become a sport? When did it become the way we connect with family and friends? When did it become our go-to leisure activity?
Because of the work I do helping people to live abundantly with their most important stuff by decluttering their least important stuff, I see first hand the effect of overshopping, and the damage it can do. So here’s some encouragement to spread the word about living life to the full without shopping. And a list of 199 things to do on the weekend that do not involve shopping. (You know I love a list.)
1. Acting
2. Aerobics
3. Animal husbandry
4. Archery
5. Astronomy
6. Basketball
7. Be merry
8. Beach combing
9. Belly dancing
10. Billiards
11. Bird watching
12. Blogging
13. Blow bubbles
14. Board games
15. Boating
16. Body building
17. Book club
18. Bowling
19. Brunch
20. Build a fort
21. Build a snowman
22. Build sandcastles
23. Cake decorating
24. Call your mum
25. Calligraphy
26. Camping
27. Canoeing
28. Canoodle
29. Car rally
30. Charades
31. Chess
32. Cloud watching
33. Coin collecting
34. Concert
35. Cooking
36. Cosplay
37. Create photo albums
38. Cricket
39. Crocheting
40. Crossword puzzles
41. Cycling
42. Dancing
43. Darts
44. Day tripping
45. Daydream
46. Debate
47. Decorating
48. Deep cleaning
49. Dining out
50. Diving
51. Doodling
52. Drawing
53. Dressmaking
54. Drink a toast
55. Eat ice cream
56. Embroidery
57. Exercising
58. Explore
59. Fishing
60. Fly a kite
61. Fly to a mystery destination
62. Football
63. Foraging
64. Fossicking
65. Four wheel driving
66. Frisbee
67. Gaming
68. Gardening
69. Genealogy
70. Get a facial
71. Get a massage
72. Ghost hunting
73. Girl Guides
74. Golf
75. Grab coffee
76. Gymnastics
77. Handball
78. Hiking
79. Historic reenactment
80. Hockey
81. Home brewing
82. Hopscotch
83. Horse riding
84. Hot air ballooning
85. Housework
86. Interview an elderly loved one
87. Jigsaw puzzles
88. Journaling
89. Judo
90. Juggling
91. Keep a pet
92. Keep chickens
93. Knitting
94. Lapidary
95. Laughing
96. Leadlighting
97. Learn a language
98. Learn something new
99. Lego
100. Listen to a podcast
101. Loom bands
102. Lunch
103. Macramé
104. Make jam
105. Make paper aeroplanes
106. Marbles
107. Meditation
108. Model trains
109. Models
110. Mosaics
111. Movies
112. Museum
113. Nap
114. Netball
115. Orienteering
116. Origami
117. Paint ball
118. Painting
119. Paper quilling
120. Papercrafts
121. Parkour
122. People watching
123. Philately
124. Phone a friend
125. Photography
126. Pick berries
127. Picnic
128. Pilates
129. Plan ahead
130. Play
131. Play cards
132. Play music
133. Pottery
134. Protest
135. Quilting
136. Rafting
137. Raise funds for charity
138. Random acts of kindness
139. Read the news
140. Reading
141. Rearrange the furniture
142. Reminisce
143. Renovate
144. Restoration projects
145. Rock climbing
146. Roller derby
147. Roller skating
148. Run
149. Sailing
150. Scavenger hunt
151. Scouting
152. Scrapbooking
153. Sewing
154. Sightseeing
155. Sing
156. Ski
157. Sleep in
158. Snowboarding
159. Soak in a tub
160. Soccer
161. Softball
162. Sport
163. Squash
164. Storytelling
165. Surfing
166. Swimming
167. Table tennis
168. Tai chi
169. Tap dancing
170. Target shooting
171. Teach someone something
172. Tennis
173. Theatre
174. Tinker
175. Trainspotting
176. Travelling
177. Try a new recipe
178. Unwind
179. Visit a library
180. Visit an art gallery
181. Visit friends
182. Visit hot springs
183. Visit the beach
184. Visit the zoo
185. Volunteering
186. Walk the dog
187. Walking
188. Watch a sunrise
189. Watch a sunset
190. Watch sport
191. Windsurfing
192. Wine tasting
193. Woodworking
194. Worship
195. Write a love letter
196. Write poetry
197. Writing
198. Yoga
199. Zero in on the real you
