OK, I am not trying to be ironic here… but I think I am getting overwhelmed with stuff. In June, I wrote a post about my finds and how they turned out after my husband suggested that I buy more things since I started writing this blog. I told him that he was incorrect, but maybe he wasn’t (as he likes to say “you are not wrong, honey.”)
That being said, I recently read a few pieces I liked on this topic. The first was You Probably Have Too Much Stuff on the Bucks blog at the NY Times. The author writes about the impact of reading about Andrew Hyde’s quest to own only 15 things for a trek around the world. The authors immediate response was to find 15 possessions to get rid of. He writes, “Even though Hyde’s example is an extreme one, I love thinking about extreme examples because they have the power to compel us to act. In this case I found myself thinking: Why exactly do you own what you own? What could you get rid of and not miss? Do I really still need that? What is it costing me to own that?
That is an interesting approach. I just found myself thinking, “Damn, I have too much stuff.” I often buy too many things and give them away, but that can be off-putting to people if they don’t know my motivation (which is normally just to share great things that I find and have too much of or find good homes for things that don’t work for me.) I read this article the other day and it made me want to come home and clean things out. I have been very busy on a project at work. By the time I got around to starting, I did not make much progress. I do have some ideas and plans to streamline things a bit.
The second article I saw was also in the Times by Gretchen Rubin who wrote the Happiness Project blog and books. In her post called Good Stuff she has a different perspective and talks about the conflict between materialism and enjoying objects that have sentimental or real value to us. She says, “I’d argue that, because we don’t want to think of ourselves as materialistic or preoccupied with acquiring things, we too often deny the importance of our possessions and don’t spend enough time thinking about how possessions can boost happiness. The things we own exert a powerful influence over the atmosphere of our homes. My [collections] — contribute to, and reflect, [my] sense of identity. Objects received as gifts commemorate important milestones like weddings, births and graduations. Photos remind us of those we love. Possessions can’t make us happy alone, but they can indeed play an important role in a happy life. The key to resolving the contradiction at the heart of ownership — the battling lures of accumulation and elimination — is to cultivate a true simplicity, in which we’re both surrounded by useful, beloved things and free from the oppressive weight of meaningless possessions.”
Rubin ends her post with, “As Frank Lloyd Wright cautioned, ‘To know what to leave out and what to put in; just where and just how, ah, that is to have been educated in knowledge of simplicity.’”
I like the idea of trying to balance valued possessions versus just having more things. I also think that I have the tendency to give more value to things than is warranted – “that is the t-shirt from the race I won in 1995 – I may never win a race again!” I am also remembering the time when Neal and I were renovating and used about 25 of the hundreds (thousands??) of things we had in our home for a summer (or how Neal used to try to have few enough possessions that he could pack up and leave in a van and take his life with him with no problem.)
So what is a deal finding blogger to do about feeling overwhelmed with material possessions??? Well to start, I am going to host a clothing exchange and bring friends together to help me by taking some of the extras and then give away what is left over to Goodwill and other organizations. The second thing I am planning to do is to blog about all kinds of deals but only BUY ones that add experiences not more possessions – for now (hello – paddle boarding lesson and crepe making class)!
After I wrote this post, I saw this new site that matches donations with charities that need them called Zealous Good here in Chicago. Seems like kismet to me! I am going to try it out! (Update: I entered that I had unused running shoes and new/lightly used women’s running clothes. I was matched with Project Education Plus for their after school/high school running program and 3 bags of goods were picked up at my building less than 24 hours later! Win-win!!)
What do you think? What do you do to streamline your “things” and your life?