Sometimes, throwing away things can be cathartic. Sometimes, it can be a bit emotional. I’ve never really had that emotional feeling until the past few days. Maybe it was the sheer volume of stuff I threw out: 
And this was just from going through my school papers, my writing and my financial files.
There’s something comforting about having a lot of stuff. I keep a wide variety of clothes I don’t wear because I keep thinking someday I will find a use for it. I don’t spend a whole lot of money on clothes, shopping mainly at Target and Marshalls, but there’s something about having so many options that makes me feel less… bare. If I throw out all the clothes I don’t wear, my closet would be practically empty.
I was brought up in a society and a household that pushes material things. Not to say my family believes material possessions are the key to happiness, but they went from having very little to being fairly affluent. This made money seem…easy to come by and even easier to spend. I’ve always been somewhat of a cheapskate—never spending too much on one item. But, there was never much I felt I needed to have, and I think that’s the only reason I’m not more of a free spender.
If I want something (within reason), I generally get it whether by buying it myself or getting it for a birthday or Christmas. There’s not a lot I do without.
Currently, I don’t make enough to afford anything. While I go to school, the boyfriend pays most of the bills and rent. All I am responsible for is the things I solely use—including very expensive health insurance. These were things I never gave much thought to before the past few months—everything had been so easy (in the money department) up till then.
It’s hard making the adjustment from the lifestyle of my parents, to my lifestyle now. It’s hard parting with all this stuff and being left with very little. I’m almost afraid to let it go. I used to say it was because I was afraid I might need it someday, but I think it goes beyond that. I think it goes into more sociological factors. In this day and age the message is you are your stuff. Without stuff, what am I?
I’m tackling my clothes next. Maybe, it would be good to be stripped of all this unnecessary stuff—to go bare, to go simplistic. It’s a scary prospect, but I think in a really weird way it could be freeing as well.
And this was just from going through my school papers, my writing and my financial files.
There’s something comforting about having a lot of stuff. I keep a wide variety of clothes I don’t wear because I keep thinking someday I will find a use for it. I don’t spend a whole lot of money on clothes, shopping mainly at Target and Marshalls, but there’s something about having so many options that makes me feel less… bare. If I throw out all the clothes I don’t wear, my closet would be practically empty.
I was brought up in a society and a household that pushes material things. Not to say my family believes material possessions are the key to happiness, but they went from having very little to being fairly affluent. This made money seem…easy to come by and even easier to spend. I’ve always been somewhat of a cheapskate—never spending too much on one item. But, there was never much I felt I needed to have, and I think that’s the only reason I’m not more of a free spender.
If I want something (within reason), I generally get it whether by buying it myself or getting it for a birthday or Christmas. There’s not a lot I do without.
Currently, I don’t make enough to afford anything. While I go to school, the boyfriend pays most of the bills and rent. All I am responsible for is the things I solely use—including very expensive health insurance. These were things I never gave much thought to before the past few months—everything had been so easy (in the money department) up till then.
It’s hard making the adjustment from the lifestyle of my parents, to my lifestyle now. It’s hard parting with all this stuff and being left with very little. I’m almost afraid to let it go. I used to say it was because I was afraid I might need it someday, but I think it goes beyond that. I think it goes into more sociological factors. In this day and age the message is you are your stuff. Without stuff, what am I?
I’m tackling my clothes next. Maybe, it would be good to be stripped of all this unnecessary stuff—to go bare, to go simplistic. It’s a scary prospect, but I think in a really weird way it could be freeing as well.
1 comment:
I guess I'm at the other end of the spectrum from you. My four kids are mostly gone from the house now, but I have a lifetime of accumulation they have left behind (as well as stuff my wife and I have accumulated). I'm finding how liberating it can be to get rid of stuff and live lean. I love to see the emptiness of a shelf or a closet now. Of course, my change is willing. Yours seems to be more forced.
The good part is that you're reflecting about it. That's always worthwhile no matter what conclusion you reach.
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