When I love something I full on commit. In college when I was doing an internship for an on-campus store I bought a wallet that I still use everyday. Guys, I bought this wallet in 2010 and its still in my purse. I even worked at Fossil for a year and no wallet there could beat the functionality of my wallet. It’s the perfect size holds my phone and other than being a little dirty its in great shape. I remember at the time that it seemed really expensive and I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on extra items.
Do you ever hold onto things for so long that you realize it's been years that you have owned it ( and maybe you can tell that it is that old)
I think this is something that I come by naturally from my Dad’s side of the family.
Just this year at Thanksgiving my Grandmother was telling us that the dishes we were drying were of 60 years old. My Grandmother was telling us that the pan she roasts the turkey in was in her Hope Chest (a box that women back in the day put together for the hopes that one day they would be married and this box would contain what they needed to set up a home) and that she bought this pan for only $1.
This $1 pan has cooked 66 turkeys…………….
All of her dishes are 66 years old as well. We eat off of the dishes that she received as a wedding present. These items were quality made and something that my grandmother really loves. Every year as my sister and cousins and I dry the dishes with her she tells us these stories and I’m always inspired by how different shopping used to be and how people used to consume things.
She grew up with 12 brothers and sisters in the 1930’s in Parsons, Kansas. People used to use these until they broke and then they just repurposed them. Most of the dish towels that we use to dry the dishes are old sheets that she has cut and sewn into dish rags. Items that are quality made can last years or a lifetime and that is the beauty of handmade items. Buying quality over quantity is a great way to sustainably shop.
Every Thanksgiving I am reminded of this lesson and use it as inspiration to think though my purchases and think about how I shop.
What are some of your long lasting purchases?