Excess vs. Minimalism

Not only does the UK have smaller things, it has less. We were hitting up all the home improvement hardware stores for a few items and ended up not finding anything we were looking for. First it was B&Q, then Wickes, then Homebase.

B&Q looked a lot like Home Depot when we walked in, but of course, smaller and extremely quiet. None of the usual noise you'd find in one of those stores in the States. It turned out to have a lot more decorative items rather than hardware stuff. Wickes was a little more like Lowes with some lumber, but even smaller than B&Q. Homebase was more like a mix between Garden Ridge & Sears, minus the clothes.

Even yesterday's grocery shopping at Tesco, the king of UK grocery stores, left me needing a bunch more things that were on my list.

I enjoy having a minimal amount of stuff, with a few extra things for fun and entertainment. But I like to be able to go into a store being sure that I'll leave with the item I was looking for. That's an aspect of America I miss.*

*Please be assured, these are not complaints, living here is an awesome experience that I'm so grateful for. It's just that it's very easy to compare and contrast what I'm familiar with to what I'm becoming accustomed to. Thanks for reading!