More Thoughts on Small Change

More thoughts on Small Change…Wanting less, being content buying less, and saving more.

Making Enough Enough.  That’s the title of a section of the book Small Change by Susan & Larry Terkel. Wise words! The authors suggest that there is more than one way to feel rich. On top of earning a lot, inheriting money, marrying (or divorcing) someone rich. Possibly winning the lottery (all more conventional ways to go about it). Why not consider wanting less, being content with what you have, or buying less and saving more. This is what the author means by “Make Enough Enough”.

In a society of consumption, where we earn much of our status from how much we spend on our lifestyle, simple living seems an unattainable ideal, worth striving for but not at all easy.

If the clutter in your home or office is affecting your life, consider this.  Has over-consumption/over-buying gotten you to where you are? Maybe the idea of Making Enough Enough is something to consider. Read Susan & Larry Terkel’s book about thoughts on Small Change and perhaps it will shed new light on ways to feel rich.

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Janet Schiesl

Janet Schiesl

Janet has been organizing since 2005. She is a Certified Professional Organizer and the owner of Basic Organization.

She loves using her background as a space planner to challenge her clients to look at their space differently. She leads the team in large projects and works one-on-one with clients to help the process move quickly and comfortably. Call her crazy, but she loves to work with paper, to purge what is not needed and to create filing systems that work for each individual client.

Janet is a Past Board Member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals and a Past President of the Washington DC Chapter of NAPO were she has been named Organizer of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

Janet Schiesl

Janet Schiesl

Janet has been organizing since 2005. She is a Certified Professional Organizer and the owner of Basic Organization.

She loves using her background as a space planner to challenge her clients to look at their space differently. She leads the team in large projects and works one-on-one with clients to help the process move quickly and comfortably. Call her crazy, but she loves to work with paper, to purge what is not needed and to create filing systems that work for each individual client.

Janet is a Past Board Member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals and a Past President of the Washington DC Chapter of NAPO were she has been named Organizer of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

7 Comments

  1. September is Self-Improvement Month on September 3, 2012 at 4:27 am

    […] and posted 2 blogs on my thoughts on the book. Here they are  Ten Advantages of Slowing Down and More Thoughts on Small Change. I found it to be an enlightening book and I am still continuing to make improvements to my life […]

  2. Linda Samuels on February 13, 2023 at 10:51 am

    I love the idea of “enough.” Consumption has been a theme for many decades, yet some trends like minimalism, getting organized, and the slow movement create a counterbalance to acquiring more. I’ve been working on a “live with less” project. I’m not looking to downsize because we already live in a right-sized home. But I no longer want to own so much or leave our possessions as a burden for our kids to take care of.

    • Janet Schiesl on February 15, 2023 at 11:42 am

      I agree. Enough can actually be enough and it’s important to evaluate that.

  3. Seana Turner on February 13, 2023 at 3:25 pm

    This is just so incredibly on target. We will always feel a “lack” and a drive for more until we choose to be content. Of course, there are life stages when we honestly need more (e.g., the arrival of a baby, moving into a home for the first time, etc.). However, at some point, further acquisition probably isn’t adding much joy. In contrast, having a reasonable/manageable amount is a source of joy. I love this!

    • Janet Schiesl on February 15, 2023 at 11:43 am

      Yes, we have more control over how we view things and decide what will add more joy and how we can achieve that.

  4. Julie Bestry on February 15, 2023 at 12:32 am

    I’m definitely someone for whom experiences, rather than stuff, makes me feel “rich” in life. Acquiring memories is key to my joy, from being with friends to traveling, but acquiring “stuff” just means that I’ll probably have to make space for the stuff, make effort to take care of or maintain or clean the stuff, and OMG, don’t we all have enough stuff? We’re on the same wavelength; I generally only acquire what I need, and my tangible wants are so few that when I do buy a non-consummable thing, it pretty much means I want it A LOT and that I’ve wanted it a long time.

    • Janet Schiesl on February 15, 2023 at 11:43 am

      Experiences are great and they satisfy us in a way that ‘stuff’ never can. You have a great outlook and I hope you get more experiences soon.

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