Why Share?

Have you ever wondered how some people live very happily with just a few possessions while others accumulate so much stuff that moving house is a logistical nightmare?

Having less stuff means you don't need such a large house, you have less to maintain and clean, it's much easier to keep things tidy and to find things, and you don't spend as much money. Perhaps you won't have to work as many hours, which frees up time to spend with family and friends and to grow your own fruit and vegetables – which means you save more money and free up more time!

Most of us own stuff that we haven't used in years but dare not get rid of because it just might be useful one day. But there's a very good chance that someone nearby has the same thing that we've been hoarding.

There's other stuff that we use perhaps only a few times each year, such as a lawnmower, a sewing machine, a ladder or a wheelbarrow. Many of these things take up a lot of space so people in small dwellings simply don't have room for them.

Often we have things that we don't realise could be enormously useful to our neighbours. For example, that old refrigerator in your shed could be used by a neighbour whose refrigerator has died, giving them some time to have theirs repaired or to research new energy-efficient models.

But perhaps the best reason for sharing is to meet other people in your local area. When you link up with these people you immediately have a common interest – a belief in the value of sharing things!

See also What to Share.