The third element of our saying is "make it do."

Though we live in a society of specialists, in the business world, people are discovering the value of cross-training and flexibility, providing for more flexible staffing and broader job opportunities.

It's not the same in our lives as consumers though. Ads and lifestyle magazines tell us we need to buy specific tools for each job. Kitchenware and knives are sold in large sets. There's an appliance or gadget for everything.

But, in most cases, you don't need a ton of tools and specialized gadgets. I have easily 15 knives in my house. I use maybe five of them with any regularity (my two chef's knives, two paring knives, and a bread knife). The only reason I have multiple pots is because I'm sometimes using 5 or 6 at a time (4 on the burners, one in the oven, and one on deck).

For me, my most frequently donated item after a bout of de-cluttering is a piece of specialty cookware or an appliance. I'm a big fan of having one item that does multiple things. I don't need specialty serverware for holidays or a new gadget for every task. (My one big exception — a cherry pitter. When you can, it's sort of essential. Plus, I loan it to friends.)

You can make it do by putting what you already have to a new use. Or, you can borrow something from a friend. (As I noted before, I loan out my cherry pitter. I certainly don't need it everyday and one pitter amongst many friends it more than adequate. I have also loaned out my canning pot. Great for canning and you can boil a mess of crabs in it!) Some communities and libraries have loan programs for tools that only need to be used occasionally. In a pinch, home improvement stores may offer a rental that can take the place of a purchase.

Now, I'm not saying you need to refrain from buying altogether and I don't advocating using your old magazines and catalogs in place of toilet paper. Conscious consumption is a great start. Fundamentally, making it do is a state of mind. Before making any non-consumable purchase, ask yourself, do I already have something that can do what I would buy this to do?