While Paul is in England with his Dad, I am going through what was left of our “stuff” after the sale of the Colorado house. Yikes. We got rid of most of it, but still. Too much stuff.
I went and rented a storage unit the other day so that we could have our stuff out of the homeowners way when they are here for a month this summer. My goal is to get whatever we have (sans couches, which we will most likely sell) to fit into the 5×10 unit.
The bulk of our stuff consists of books. A lot of my books can be checked out at any local library. A lot of his can not. So, I have decided to let go of most (not all!) of my books. I have resisted this for some time but now it feels right. I am ready.
Maybe one day Paul and I will embrace the e-book phenomenon. Not sure on that one. We are still contemplating i-Tunes, after all. I do love the idea of being truly mobile…still a book is so much more satisfying to me than a computer screen.
Do you have stuff that is weighing you down? My goal is to simply live “beneath my means and within my seams”. If this is a goal for you as well, or if you are already living this way, I would sure love to hear from you…
Getting rid of my books was definitely difficult. In fact, I still kept some of them and they are tucked away in our storage unit. We each selected a few books to bring along with us on our journey (another difficult task – I was only allowed 4 or 5 books!) I had been very resistant to the Kindle because I love holding a book, turning the pages, constantly checking to see how far I am through a book, etc. But, this past Christmas I received the Kindle. And, I must say, I do really like it. It doesn’t feel like I’m looking at a computer screen at all. It took me a little while to get used to it but I do appreciate it now and it does give us much more space.
Getting rid of stuff in general isn’t easy. But, I think you will find that once it goes into a storage unit, you tend to forget about it and see how unnecessary it is. We’ve been on the road for a year and just recently revisited our storage unit. It’s amazing what we found necessary to keep in storage last year. I would say 60% of the stuff in our unit is stuff we could sell or donate today and never miss it. Of course, we still have items that are special keepsakes or irreplaceable but the majority is and will always be just “stuff.”
Good luck simplifying. It really is a satisfying (but sometimes overwhelming) task!
This past week was satisfying, as I was able to lug the stuff from the basement and sort through it, etc. without disturbing Paul (who is typically on conference calls throughout the day).
I simplified in phases – one day I focused on paperwork, one day on books, etc. etc. Purging unnecessary items and sticking the essentials into storage one category at a time was soo satisfying.
Thanks for sharing your Kindle experience. Can’t imagine it will ever compare to the texture of a book but I suppose I’d do better to try it before I knock it…
Stuff certainly does own you! Last time I moved I needed a 28 foot truck, and that was just for me and my dog (and he doesn’t have that much stuff!!).
I like going through my things to find stuff to get rid of and when I do find stuff I smile at the thought of lightening my load, physically and mentally. I think my house is a little relieved that there is less weight in it and I own less so my mind has less to catalog.
There are some things I hoard though, art and craft supplies. Always finding things that I “might” have a use for later. Bad habit.
I’m also a member of Free Cycle and that helps me motivate to find things to get rid of stuff and I also get a feeling of appreciation from the people who want/need what I’m offering to give away. Good karma, good feelings, less stuff to weigh me down!
LOVE the mental image I get of not only you but your house breathing a sigh of relief at lightening the load : )
I hoard certain things as well. Like ribbons. Even though I rarely do anything with them. Seems a waste to throw them away…maybe I will use some on my next vision board.
And cards. I have postcards that I’ve picked up along the way and over the years. Think I will just start sending them to people randomly.
Free Cycle is brilliant. A lot of landfills offer an exchange, as well. So, when someone is clearing out and has lots of trash/recycling, they can drop off their usable items in a separate building on the premises.
I love the exchange concept and have found some of my best books, vases, etc. there. A friend of mine in CO has a clothing swap every year as well – so great…just have to resist the urge to take just as more stuff if not more than was dropped off!
I also adamantly save and reuse ribbons, bows, wrapping paper, tissue paper, and cards. I’ve been doing this for years. Dates back to when I was a kid and we reused Christmas wrapping paper over and over again each year.
Good for you !!! I clean, get rid of “stuff” twice a year and I always feel so refreshed and “lighter” when I get rid of things. I cringe when people give me gifts of “things” that will do nothing but sit around and take up space. I know that eventually the gift will not really be appreciated fully in the way the giver had intended and will be sold or donated elsewhere. It’s a reminder to me to give only gifts that have a useful purpose or a gift that will not clutter someone’s space (like concert tickets or a gift certificate to a dinner out)
As for getting rid of books, I have periodically (ha, ha) donated books that Ithought I wanted to hold on to but then later on felt ready to free myself of. Now I only keep “reference” books or other books that I re-read. All other books get immediately donated or returned to the library after reading them. In our society that demands immediate gratification, I now love putting my name of a waiting list to get a book from the library. I love the anticipation of getting the book in a few weeks time.
Personally I prefer reading a real publication. Always reading on a computer begins to bother my eyes. Hence, I have not purchased a kindle, like everyone else !
I think we were #166 in line at Evergreen Library for The Bucket List when it first came out, and we were very excited when our turn came : )
My eyesight improved when I quit my last office job. The optometrist said that it is common to see an improvement like that when one spends less time on the computer.
I am all about the consumable gift, as well. Especially now that we are traveling extra light. Paul and I don’t buy much for each other, but we go lots of fun places, which is more of a priority for us.
Doing away with credit cards for once and for all has made it easy for me to stay on track. If I can’t afford something, I can’t afford it, end of story. Such a healthier way to live!
I’m a big fan of personal minimalism, myself. Each time I move I end up getting rid of more and more stuff. It forces me to identify which things are most important. By this point in my life (and after more moves than I’d like to remember) I have whittled my stuff down to mostly memorabilia of people, places, and events that shaped me in some way- and of course, a couple things that I love regardless of influence. It’s a good feeling to be able to tell some story attached to each thing I own. Really makes me feel like a discrete package: myself, my history, and my things- all wrapped up into a mobile unit (well, fairly mobile as long as I can rent a small uhaul). Good luck with the downsizing. As always, you are an inspiration.
Thanks, Marj. You have always been an inspiration to me as well.
And yes, there are those items that will always be near and dear for one’s own sentimental reasons. Just thinking about them brings a smile to my face.
Maybe when I unpack my stuff I will post about some of my most cherished possessions, humble as they may be!
I cannot wait to be hanging with you and Laura again…we have so very much to catch up on! A visit is in the cards, methinks ; )
And our conversation from this morning evidently continues! Good for you. I will always remember last summer when you and I tried the garage sale, the consignment shop, and Goodwill, but we still have too much stuff don’t we?!? And I can’t believe you are getting rid of your books! Why couldn’t we have been this ruthless last summer?
Hee! I don’t know Em. I really don’t know. It didn’t help that you have such good taste that I wanted most of your cast offs.
Sure was fun playing cards with you and eating pastries with you and having Mike bring us all lunch and having impromptu wine parties with the neighborhood women, though! Missing you.
V, my stuff and I have an agreement. I don’t bother it and it doesn’t bother me. And my nephews can sort it out when I’m gone. And that really doesn’t bother me.
Remember when I had my booth at Ski Country Antiques and you came in and hung out with me for a while? After our conversation I thought to myself, “Oooh. I want to see Gary’s house – it’s full of fun stuff, mostly of the antique variety”. Maybe next time we are in town I will invite myself over instead of just thinking it : )
ahhh I feel your pain!…i had too many clothes that i didnt wear and wanted to donate…but when i went in my closet and started sorting through what i didnt wear, and I would say, “ahhh I havnt worn this in forever but its the only color of this i have in my wardrobe” (im very fashion conscious, haha) or “i havnt worn this in so long, but its such a nice shirt” or “i didnt even know i had this, but its a collar shirt in this color thats so nice!” hahaha…but i got myself to admit to myself what i would and wouldnt wear and i did it!…but the process was a struggle…lol
I’ve got this black wool dress and matching jacket that reminds me of something Audrey Hepburn would have worn. I will never ever look like she did in said dress. Plus, it is wool and I would probably sweat and itch something fierce if I ever were to wear it…but it does make me feel a bit glamourous, just seeing it hanging there…
i feel the same way about BOOKS. i love to read so it’s hard. i’ve yet to venture to kindle, books on cd, etc. i’m a PAGE TURNER and i love the smell of books. weird i know.
we did THE purge a few years ago and still do that on a monthly basis. it’s liberating actually. hard to do (emotionally) but so worth it. i have even helped organize other people. 3 boxes: keep, donate, trash. the ‘latter’ i say very lightly. instead look into places like: freecycle.org. one in every community. this way it does NOT end up in a landfill, huge pet peeve of mine. donate, donate, donate.
you will be surprised to find that you CAN live without such items. harder for me at times because i craft for a living. hence having to have all the supplies, tools, etc.
stayed tuned for a blog post today. no, REALLY.
and thank YOU for the lovely postcard. it was perfect timing to get that from you. HUGE hugs my sweet friend.
Tomorrow, I try my hand at e-Bay once more. Gotta finish my writing class assignments before I tackle another big project. Remembering all the while my mantra for 2010 – focus. Whatever doesn’t sell is going to the local landfill exchange or freecycle.
Yay! A fresh blog post on Lost in the Attic With Cupcakes! Can’t wait to catch up with you!
When I moved from Texas to Virginia, I got rid of 3,000 books and still had at least that many move with me. There is just NO WAY I could let go of the books I have left. I guess I won’t ever be a mobile gal! LOL
Extreme mobility is not for everyone, that is for sure! If Paul and I ever decide to settle down in one place, I am thinking a library room in the house (villa?!?) will be top priority.
Have your ears been ringing? Joyce and I were just talking about you and your cyber greatness on Friday : )