The Dichotomy of Owning STUFF
To keep, or not to keep, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous consumerism, Or to take arms against a sea of hoarding, And by opposing end them?
We moved into this ~1,000sq/ft apartment in June 2020. Moving cross-country has shown me that in the last 5 years, we’ve accumulated entirely too much STUFF.
Over the last month, we have sold/donated/tossed close to 60% of our belongings. Everything we own needs to fit in a 15’ UHaul. This is no easy feat for a couple that adores physical media and thrifting.
Things We Got Rid Of:
70 - 75% of my clothes (Goodbye, bins of “maybe someday this will fit again”)
All of our DVDs (only kept Blu-Rays, and out of print DVDs/box sets)
80% of my books; 40% of Josh’s
So many toys (Why the fuck are happy meal toys so cherished, but a $60 lego set is shrug-worthy?)
95% of our linens (Kept new towels, but why did we have so many blankets? It’s 100*+ 8 months out of the year here)
All but one small box worth of crafting supplies
All of our bikes
All of our furniture except for our mattress/frame, and the boys’ mattresses.
Part of me took sick pleasure in getting rid of so much. Like a chubby Marie Kondo. But then a bigger, poorer, part of me was absolutely shocked at how much money we’ve spent on CRAP over the years. I feel like I balanced being realistic with being sentimental, but I’m sure opinions vary.
