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I do this every month or two, mostly to keep myself honest. Seven things came into the flat in July. Four are still here.
Kept
The balcony shelf. Two years of saying I’d build one and then I bought one instead. Powder-coated steel, three tiers, has survived a month of monsoon without a spot of rust. It wobbles very slightly on our uneven floor — the floor’s fault, not the shelf’s.
Rattan pot covers, eleven of them. They make plastic nursery pots look like a decision. I’d bought four in June and immediately wanted more. One note: they go brittle in direct sun, so mine live indoors now.
The soy candle. My “work is done” signal. About forty hours of burn, which is two months of evenings at my rate.
The paperback. Finished it in a day. The middle sags a bit and then earns it back. Already lent it out twice.
Returned
A self-watering planter from a different brand. It leaked from the seam on day two, straight onto a wooden shelf. The ones I actually use are fine; this one was not, and I’m not going to pretend it was because it was cheaper.
A “poodle-safe” grooming glove. Did nothing at all to a poodle coat. Might be great for a short-haired dog.
A ceramic mug I bought at a market. Beautiful, and the handle was too small for a whole finger. I gave it to my flatmate, who has smaller hands and no complaints.
The rule I keep
If it’s still in the box after two weeks, it goes back. I’ve stopped telling myself I’ll get to it. Four out of seven is a normal month for me — a good month is five.
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