Right in the middle of our month-long shopping ban, we had the chance to sit down for a long, thoughtful conversation with the author who inspired it all: Cait Flanders. She opened up about what she learned, some of the regrets she still carries, and how her experiment, The Year of Less, permanently changed her relationship with things. Cait also cleared up common misconceptions — shopping itself isn’t the enemy — and talked about how the ban affected her relationships and her finances. We also share a backyard update from work we had outsourced last fall that’s finally showing results, and reflect on why neither of us misses being in high school.
You can download the episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, or Spotify — or listen to it directly below. Use this page to find any links, notes, or photos we referenced. Note: if you’re reading this in a feed reader you may need to click through to the full post to see the player.
What’s New
- Our backyard is finally greening up, and it’s a relief to see that most of what we planted survived a very harsh first winter. Everything will continue to grow and fill in, and we’ll be adding fresh mulch soon.
- In the photo below you can spot some of the ornamental trees we had planted: a non-stinky gingko in the foreground and a weeping cherry in the background. If you look closely you can see the line where deer nibbled the bottom of each branch — fortunately, new growth is coming back.
- We talked through the decision to have this corner of the yard professionally landscaped on Episode #86, and that conversation covers the process and warranty (hello two-year plant warranty!). Those show notes also include earlier photos that track progress from start to now, including a bleak before shot that shows how far we’ve come.
- Here’s a similar angle photographed this week. The next project on our list is a stone patio where you can see the pea gravel and worn path in the lower right of the photo.
Cait Flanders, The Year of Less
- Cait Flanders is the author of The Year of Less and the voice behind CaitFlanders.com. Her writing inspired many readers — and us — to rethink consumption and try intentional shopping challenges.
- We’ve discussed her work before on Episode #89 and announced our own month-long shopping ban on Episode #93. In this conversation Cait talks about what the ban revealed, how it shifted her habits, and what she learned in year two when she tracked every single purchase she made.
- If you’re curious about Cait’s second year and the detailed inventory of everything she bought during that time, she wrote a thoughtful post that includes an infographic summarizing feedback from hundreds of others who tried shopping bans. The findings are revealing and helpful for anyone thinking about a similar challenge.
We’re Digging
- Sherry has been especially fond of an eyebrow pencil she already owned during our shopping-free days. It’s a small example of how sticking with what you have can help you rediscover useful items and save money. She keeps a small makeup case with a few favorites — and yes, there’s a little coconut oil obsession in the mix.
- If you enjoyed the culinary-styled reality series Undercover High, full episodes are available through the network’s site if you sign in with your cable provider. We switched to Sling for more channel options and fewer fees; our experience cutting the cable is covered in an earlier post.
If you want to find topics we’ve dug into in past episodes but can’t remember which show notes to click, we keep a master list of everything we’ve discussed across the podcast. It’s a handy reference for projects, products, and resources we’ve mentioned over the years.
Finally, thanks to Annie Selke for sponsoring this episode. They offer a wide selection of indoor and outdoor rugs and seasonal collections that can refresh a space. If you’re shopping with them, there’s a promo code available for a discount at checkout.
Thanks for listening and reading — we appreciate you joining us on this experiment and on our little journey with the backyard and beyond.
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