People (myself included) sometimes joke that I am a hoarder. I have a lot of stuff.
Clothes, books, trinkets, gifts, games, toys, collectibles, crafts, office supplies, etc… I have a serious problem with sentimental attachment to items, and I am a sufferer of “Just In Case” Syndrome. I can’t throw away that shoelace, what if I need to make an emergency tourniquet with it? I can’t get rid of that fluffy pen, what if I lose every other pen I own? Pay stubs from undergrad work study? Might need those. Every single membership/loyalty card to every single store? Think of the savings I’d miss. I’ll lose that weight. I’ll wear that next fall. I will definitely get around to reading that book. Those books. Half my books.
This week, I am moving into my first apartment. And I really don’t want to move all this stuff with me. It’s 500 square feet! I can’t FIT all of my stuff in there without it honestly looking like an episode of Hoarders.
So I started reading up on minimalism, and was inspired by the Miss Minimalist blog. I decided to purge my personal inventory of the things I didn’t need. It’s been an interesting few days since I decided to do so.
This blog will chronicle my adventure to less.
I am a borderline hoarder. I started cleaning out my closet in March. I finally quit working on it in June. Maybe I will sart again in the fall . I am also the Mom-storage for 3 children. Which is a whole topic all by itself.
I definitely understand mom storage, as my stuff was in it, with two other kids’ worth! Good luck on your cleaning and decluttering!
I’m so excited that your blog is current aka taking place in “real time”. I discovered minimalism about a month ago and spend some time each week searching the net for inspiration and ideas. I am more of a practical minimalist than an extreme one. I probably will not number my things, in fact I’ve considered if it is “legal” to do your count on each room in your living space rather than a grand total. Lol. I read of an elderly woman whom when she died all her belongings fit into the trunk of a car. I think this is wonderful. She left the earth ready to travel on rather than tied here with her property. I hope that isn’t too morose. Wishing you the best!
Not too morose! Thank you for your comments – I am glad you’re enjoying the real-time-ness of the blog. I am only a month into this and I’m having a lot of fun. I don’t think I will count my belongings either, though I do enjoy reading about other minimalist’s “100 things,” etc.