Great Idea for Buy Nothing Day (Day after Thanksgiving in the US)

[RosieTR]

I had a great idea for Buy Nothing Day. I frequently listen to Marketplace Money, and they have had a couple of stories on people who've lost homes over the course of the summer (one from CO in the High Park Fire, one from New Orleans in Katrina). Each of these people wished they had done a better job of inventorying their possessions, even if they had a good insurance company. So I was thinking that yeah, it's a good idea to do a whole-house inventory because although we recently moved we really didn't take photos of everything or document it in any other fashion. It occurred to me the perfect time to do this is in the days following Thanksgiving. It would give me many reasons to be thankful for what I have, it would decrease my wants for gifts at Christmas, it might lead to some regifting possibilities and of course it would create a yearly tradition that would serve me well if I ever faced the destruction of my home. I may not wind up doing this on Friday after T-day because of family stuff, but I think I will make it my goal to do sometime before the end of the weekend. I thought I'd share the idea in case others are looking for a good way to use that time and help decrease the "I wants" esp among their families.

[bunnys]

I never ever go out for anything the day after T-give. Or the entire weekend for that matter. But I'm really pretty anti-consumerist anyway.

[Float On]

I don't shop that weekend either - no thanks. Usually thats a big cleaning week for me. I like to deep clean before christmas season.

I should do another inventory again, it's been a few years. What I've done in the past is walked thru the house (and outside too) with video and talked about everything in each room. It was easy to recall where I'd bought things and how much they were while talking instead of writing it down. I think my insurance agent was the first one to suggest I do it that way. I do the same thing for the studio's business insurance too. Copies go to the safe deposit box.

[Kat]

That is a great idea, Rosie! I should do this, too.

[redfox]

That is a fantastic idea.

[ToomuchStuff]

I only went out to shop once on the day after, just to see and understand what people see. I didn't buy anything, but I also didn't get in line at 3am to try to). I do traditionally work on that day and have to deal with people and that is part of why I did it once.

I had never heard of buy nothing day, but I also never understood the need to kill oneself, fighting crowds.

[Jilly]

Rosie, your philosophy about this is inspiring. Thank you so much!