I’m recently going through the great blessing of moving from one apartment to another.
It’s not a far move, but it’s a welcome upgrade for many reasons. I have reached a new level of adulthood in that I now have my own washer and my own dryer in my home. Progress!
You wouldn’t think moving from a loft apartment to a one-bedroom apartment would take very long, be a lot of work, or require so many boxes, but you’d be wrong.
Look above: I have too much stuff.
Surviving with the essentials
The most striking illustration of this was the first night I spent in the new place.
I didn’t pack a huge haul of things — just the essentials to get me through the next couple of workdays.
Despite the fact that my TV, computer, almost all of my large furniture, most of my guilty pleasures — my books, music, and DVDs — and other “prized” possessions were not in my new place, I survived perfectly fine and continue to do so as the moving process continues.
[Full disclosure: I did have my phone with me, so I wasn’t reading Shakespeare by candlelight, knitting a sweater, or carving an owl. I had a few modern distractions at my disposal.]
There were a few times where I considered quitting while I was ahead and just continuing life with just my meager and essential possessions. I was getting along just fine.
Sigh. No. I’m moving it all over to the new place, even if I don’t “need” a lot of it.
Hoarding vs. throwaway
Until we have to move or clear space in our homes, we may all have too many things and don’t really realize it.
When faced with these situations, we ask ourselves how we ended up with all of this stuff and why are we keeping all of this stuff.
Most of it probably has not been seen or used for years and we got along just fine without them.
We always try to find balance in our lives between not being labeled a “hoarder” and not giving in to the “throwaway culture”.
Lately, I’m leaning more toward throwaway or donating if necessary and appropriate.
If I have all the things that I do now, probably accumulate more material “wealth,” and live until I’m in my 90s, is anyone going to want all of this stuff? What happens when no one does? Where does it go? Do my heirs have a large “Kevin Life Sale” and sell my football cards bundled with my football follies DVDs?
There are some things I just cannot get rid of though. Maybe I’m just too sentimental.
I really need to get my TV moved to the new place soon. Clearly, I have too much time to think about these things.
Time to purge
Either while we’re here on this earth, or after, our stuff is all going to be gotten rid of.
Perhaps we can save everyone some time and do some of it now.
Maybe I don’t need all of my books (there are a few bags of them earmarked for St. Vinny’s already!). I don’t need all my CDs. It’s the future! Streaming is a thing! The same with my DVDs.
I have a lot of framed things that I’ve never hung on the walls. Maybe I don’t need them?
Decisions. Decisions.
How about this? Every day (or every week or month, whichever works for you), find one thing you really don’t need anymore and be rid of it.
Give it to St. Vinny’s, toss it, sell it, or dump it off on someone else and make it their problem now (only slightly kidding).
Maybe when you buy something new that you might not need, get rid of two things. Then you’re still downsizing.
Keep what’s important. Keep what God blessed you with.