FIND THE BEST OF KANTHA! — DOMESTIC SHIPPING $6/$10

Menu
0

FIND THE BEST OF KANTHA! — DOMESTIC SHIPPING $6/$10

    0

    Your Cart is Empty

    Home / Shop Good Blog
    Previous  / Next

    Black Friday & the 7-Year Dishwasher

    November 23, 2012 2 min read

    Black Friday Ethical Shopping Practical Ideas & Tips Tensions

    Recently, my sister-in-law was in the market for a new dishwasher. This shocked me, knowing that they had only moved into their new-build home in 2006. Really? A new dishwasher, already? Come on, I thought. And, as it turned out, so did she. But, the thing just wasn’t working effectively after many repairs, so she had finally embarked on a quest for her next, lifelong, dishwasher.
    “Which model should I choose to last, because I don’t want to be back here again any time soon,” she asked the appliance salesperson.
    His reply?
    “Oh, I’d say that a typical lifespan of a dishwasher made this decade is about 7 years.”
    !!!
    Sad, but, apparently, true.
    The best advice that I have ever heard about “stuff”, and shopping for it, is this:

    Good. Beautiful. True.
    A former professor at my husband’s alma mater said that in his family, they had decided to only bring an item into their home if it fit into the parameters of something that is Good, Beautiful, or True.

    This has become a very real mantra in my life, my home, and my wallet (I have even heard of others who, having heard this advice, wrote these words directly onto their credit card!). I can’t say that I am 100% effective at implementing it – ask my daughter, who has convincingly begged me to allow in more than a few annoying, cheaply made junk toys, to her great delight – but, it has absolutely informed the way I think about shopping in general, and especially about the things I want to keep in my life & home.
    It has also been a key mindset for my business, as I’ve sourced & stocked dignify.ca, and as I’ve purchased everything else needed to effectively operate it.
    Today, on Black Friday, I encourage you to steer away from the “7-Year dishwashers” and their ilk, and choose instead stuff that means Goodness, Beauty, & Truth.
    Here are some of my top picks:

    - Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Store

    - Olive Manna: textile & paper goods

    - Art, from society6, poster cabaret, etsy, etc.

    - Who am I kidding? dignify.ca

    - Don't shop at all; I'm sure that you have lots of great stuff already ;)

    (one of my faves, Alberta homeboy Tim Okamura)


    - SJ


    Leave a comment

    Also in Shop Good Blog

    Global Supply Disruption & dignify: What It Means for You

    October 08, 2021 3 min read


    This dignify post draws from Derek Thompson's October 7th article in The Atlantic.

    Thompson's article explains the practical challenges in 2021 for consumers as well as for retailers.

    Here's how some of these points relate to dignify right now and in the coming months:

    Read More
    Something to Read: Mysteries for All Ages

    September 24, 2021 4 min read 2 Comments

    Mystery novels have often appealed to people with jobs that are never fully resolved (doctors, pastors, social workers). In this cultural era of many-problems-few-resolutions, reading a good mystery can be a refreshing break.

    Our 12-year old daughter is the most avid, prolific reader I know! We teamed up to create a list of mysteries for all ages of independent readers. The recos below are listed with increasing age levels in mind, but no specific age parameters (as a mature, well-read, near-teen, she has read up to Agatha Christie on this list).

    Read on!

    Read More
    Built to Last

    August 11, 2021 3 min read 1 Comment


    Our 11-year old computer is showing creaky signs of age, just about ready to go to sleep (and never wake up). But, we feel that it has served us well. When I compare it to other expenses over the years, the laptop is — at about a $100/year investment — one of our best value-for-dollar belongings.

    When shopping for items like this, how do we choose well? How do we discern what brand/style/variety is built to last? Or, how do we determine even if “built to last” is relevant to the purchase?

    Read More