How do you buy your groceries these days ?
The only way in the 80's in Bangalore, India was to go to stores generally called as 'Kaaka shops' with a list of items they would like to buy. 'Kaaka shops' were stores where a person behind the counter attended to the consumer (kind of like a pharmacy). One went up to the counter and mentioned all the items needed and the person behind the counter would get all of them and bill and bag them. Many people still opt this way for buying groceries even to this day in Bangalore.
These days things have changed quite a bit. One has the additional option of visiting large supermarkets for grocery shopping. One goes to these places, browses and looks around and buys what one needs. This is probably the most popular way of buying groceries in many consumerist societies outside of India. One need not have a list of things nor does one need to carry just enough cash for this purpose (Oh yes! we have credits cards to support this!).
This post merely points out the gentle and gradual change in the consumer thought process that these newer options have brought about and place it in the context of being a minimalist. Please note that I am not for or against either of these ways.
In my opinion, the central and most important change that this causes is in the consumers' awareness of their 'real need'. In the background, visiting large supermarkets (mostly on the way to somewhere else) takes away the necessary thought process required for arriving at the decision of what a consumer's 'real need' is. The consumer is gently and gradually led away from the path of planning the purchase to the path where no plan is required before making purchase. Having credit cards along with this just adds more comfort for the one taking the latter path. In the process, the purchase plan gets murkier and blurrier.
Eventually for a consumer without a plan who is presented by options and features by marketing and all supportive purchase plans by sales, logic gives way to emotion and purchases happen !
It would be interesting for one to find out how many people in their circles go to shops with lists and most importantly 'stick' to them.
Here is an obvious but interesting observation - Though the need remains the same, I always notice my grocery cart having more items for purchase while shopping on an empty stomach!
Going forward, things bought without a plan for usage will eventually be of no use. The one who has purchased this is not going to let go of it since the value (money) put in for it. Hence, without a plan for purchase and usage everything starting from one's refrigerator, closet, living room or kids' room are eventually going to accumulate stuff and be cluttered.
Eventually things are not found when they are needed, management and maintenance efforts are high. Most importantly, clutter completely takes one's focus away from the important stuff and scatters it around. And this also holds good for your disorganized digital data clutter as well. Having to wade through a hundred thousand pictures each time is not happening when looking for those clicks that captured 'real special moments'. It also holds good for achieving clarity of thought - an uncluttered mind.
So here are options for those looking for smart uncluttering ways for organizing one's material possessions.
Eventually, even with these smart ways, you will hit the ceiling and then might want to explore the core of the problem. The problem starts when you start accumulating. This is where being minimalist helps greatly. To get you started the little book Simplify by Joshua Becker is a heaven send. Joshua classifies himself as a 'rational minimalist' and in his book he describes 7 guiding principles woven from his own personal experiences for becoming minimalist. And all this comes with very convincing rationale as well !
The book is written in true minimalist fashion, no grand theories, just simple practical steps.
An important take away for me from the book is that 'a very important general outcome of minimalism is that promotes what you value the most and removes anything that distracts you from it'.
Minimalism can be applied to doing the things that mean the most and declutter all aspects of your life as well. For example, minimalism need not stop at being applied to things and material possessions, as it becomes more a part of you, it can be applied to your work - knowing, planning and doing the most important things and avoiding useless tasks. Check out this article by Leo Babuta on 20 practical strategies to defeat the urge to do useless tasks.
Want to continue on this path? Follow these interesting links
The only way in the 80's in Bangalore, India was to go to stores generally called as 'Kaaka shops' with a list of items they would like to buy. 'Kaaka shops' were stores where a person behind the counter attended to the consumer (kind of like a pharmacy). One went up to the counter and mentioned all the items needed and the person behind the counter would get all of them and bill and bag them. Many people still opt this way for buying groceries even to this day in Bangalore.
These days things have changed quite a bit. One has the additional option of visiting large supermarkets for grocery shopping. One goes to these places, browses and looks around and buys what one needs. This is probably the most popular way of buying groceries in many consumerist societies outside of India. One need not have a list of things nor does one need to carry just enough cash for this purpose (Oh yes! we have credits cards to support this!).
This post merely points out the gentle and gradual change in the consumer thought process that these newer options have brought about and place it in the context of being a minimalist. Please note that I am not for or against either of these ways.
In my opinion, the central and most important change that this causes is in the consumers' awareness of their 'real need'. In the background, visiting large supermarkets (mostly on the way to somewhere else) takes away the necessary thought process required for arriving at the decision of what a consumer's 'real need' is. The consumer is gently and gradually led away from the path of planning the purchase to the path where no plan is required before making purchase. Having credit cards along with this just adds more comfort for the one taking the latter path. In the process, the purchase plan gets murkier and blurrier.
Eventually for a consumer without a plan who is presented by options and features by marketing and all supportive purchase plans by sales, logic gives way to emotion and purchases happen !
It would be interesting for one to find out how many people in their circles go to shops with lists and most importantly 'stick' to them.
Here is an obvious but interesting observation - Though the need remains the same, I always notice my grocery cart having more items for purchase while shopping on an empty stomach!
Going forward, things bought without a plan for usage will eventually be of no use. The one who has purchased this is not going to let go of it since the value (money) put in for it. Hence, without a plan for purchase and usage everything starting from one's refrigerator, closet, living room or kids' room are eventually going to accumulate stuff and be cluttered.
Eventually things are not found when they are needed, management and maintenance efforts are high. Most importantly, clutter completely takes one's focus away from the important stuff and scatters it around. And this also holds good for your disorganized digital data clutter as well. Having to wade through a hundred thousand pictures each time is not happening when looking for those clicks that captured 'real special moments'. It also holds good for achieving clarity of thought - an uncluttered mind.
So here are options for those looking for smart uncluttering ways for organizing one's material possessions.
Eventually, even with these smart ways, you will hit the ceiling and then might want to explore the core of the problem. The problem starts when you start accumulating. This is where being minimalist helps greatly. To get you started the little book Simplify by Joshua Becker is a heaven send. Joshua classifies himself as a 'rational minimalist' and in his book he describes 7 guiding principles woven from his own personal experiences for becoming minimalist. And all this comes with very convincing rationale as well !
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| Simplify by Joshua Becker |
An important take away for me from the book is that 'a very important general outcome of minimalism is that promotes what you value the most and removes anything that distracts you from it'.
Minimalism can be applied to doing the things that mean the most and declutter all aspects of your life as well. For example, minimalism need not stop at being applied to things and material possessions, as it becomes more a part of you, it can be applied to your work - knowing, planning and doing the most important things and avoiding useless tasks. Check out this article by Leo Babuta on 20 practical strategies to defeat the urge to do useless tasks.
Want to continue on this path? Follow these interesting links
- Joshua Becker's site on Becoming Minimalist
- Joshua Becker's book Simplify
- Leo Babuta's site on Zen Habits
- The book on how to Unclutter Your Life in One Week
