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Community Corner

Dollar Store Dangers

Do you love dollar stores or the dollar section in Target? I know there are times when shopping at the dollar store are appropriate and good, but have you ever thought of the dangers that arise from dollar store mentality and how shopping there can add to your clutter problems?

Danger #1: It's a great deal so I had better buy a bunch of them. If one is good, more is better! Sounds like a good idea in theory but what ends up happening more often than not is purchasing more of an item than a person can use or has room for. The value of a good deal is lost when it doesn't get used. It is incredibly common for people to tell me "I forgot I had that!".  Purchasing in bulk, can end up costing instead of saving you money because you are paying to store it. And the longer you store it, the more it costs you. Consider this: for everything you buy, you are paying to store (think square footage here), heat, cool and keep track of an item. Now if you purchased the item on credit and didn't pay off your bill, you can add an additional cost to your item in the form of interest.  And how about the emotional cost of having too much? Think of what it costs you emotionally (frustration and stress) and physically (exhaustion) every time you open the closet that is overflowing with good deals? It can often be so overwhelming to find something that people choose the easier route- to go out and buy what they can't find, thus continuing the perpetuating cycle.

Danger #2: It's only a dollar. Well now that's the catch isn't it? I mean you don't really need it but it's only a dollar, what can it hurt, right? My question to you is, how many times have you gone into a dollar store and only spent a dollar? That's like trying to eat one Oreo cookie from a package- next to impossible! Before you know it, you've spent $20-$30 on stuff you didn't need in the first place and now you have to find a place to keep it. Before you place something in your cart, ask yourself how it will be used and where it will be stored. If you can't answer those two questions, you probably don't need it.

Danger #3: The consumer mentality. Guess what percentage of things we harvest, mine, process, or transport are still in use 6 months later year later? According to theStory of Stuff, a mere 1%. Have you ever heard of planned obsolescence? Manufacturers actually make stuff to be useless as quickly as possible so you will need to buy more. Additionally, things at the dollar store are typically made with poor quality materials which means they are likely to become junk or useless even more quickly. The faster your stuff becomes useless, the faster you need to get it out the door, which in turn, requires more of your time.

What are your thoughts and experiences regarding the dollar store? We'd love to hear from you. Visit us on facebook to join our conversations.

Sincerely, 




Susan Stewart
Owner, Perfecly Placed Organization and Design
susan@perfectlyplaced.org
www.perfectlyplaced.org
636-686-0048 (St. Louis) | 623-202-9199 (Phoenix)

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