So after reading Jys's entry on clutter, I am once again resolved to pare down my possessions. I was temporarily working on this problem last fall when we moved into our apartment, and managed to sort everything I no longer used into one closet (my ebay closet). Unfortunately I have been too lazy to even ebay the stuff (leave it to ebay to make selling things seem like work), so it's all still sitting in that closet.
One of my favorite articles on this subject comes from Paul Graham. In Stuff, he writes:
I first realized the worthlessness of stuff when I lived in Italy for a year. All I took with me was one large backpack of stuff. The rest of my stuff I left in my landlady's attic back in the US. And you know what? All I missed were some of the books. By the end of the year I couldn't even remember what else I had stored in that attic.If you substitute 'Spain' for 'Italy' above, I could've written this. I even have my old touch-tone telephone in a box somewhere, just in case I decide to reverse a decision I made seven years ago that a cell phone is all I need.
And yet when I got back I didn't discard so much as a box of it. Throw away a perfectly good rotary telephone? I might need that one day.
What makes stuff even worse is that it usually costs time/money to get rid of it. I think that is why we accumulate so much of it by default. Getting rid of stuff is suspiciously like cleaning.
There is also the this-could-be-useful problem. I look at that telephone and start thinking up situations where I would need it. Need to test my line to see if it's working? Better have a phone handy so I can check for a dial tone I'll never ever use. I can't think of a use for the nine parallel ATA cables I have in unopened plastic bags, but you never know, the technology could come back into style.
Likewise, that complete set of PC Worlds from 1995 to 2001 might be worth something to someone someday. It's obviously worth breaking my back every time I have to move it.
I think my dumpster might get a visit or two tonight.
3 comments:
yeah... I've got a whole stack of decorating magazines that need to be gone through. I've thought of cutting out pictures/articles of clothing/recipes/interior decorating ideas and condensing them into filing folders, but is that really useful either? They are sure taking up plenty of space.
Obviously you and Kathy will have a golden opportunity to pare your stuff down before moving... and if you want to join in on our garage sale (which will either be at Cynthia's house downtown or one of Vicki's extravaganzas in Shawnee, you are more than welcome. Garage sales with alot of stuff seem to do better.
I've acquired a good amount of stuff again - my upcoming move to a much smaller place is limiting the amount of residual computer equipment I can store.
However, beyond computer parts and wires I don't stockpile much. I AM very much so looking forward to trashing my furniture. Ugly couch? gone. Huge useless mattresses? gone. It's going to be liberating going from a huge space where things can be undisturbed for days to a confined space where everything must have a purpose.
Just don't bring data clutter into the equation. I haven't thrown any file away for 1.2TB.
I like the subtle satirical organizing tips. Perhaps a long vacation from the closet/attic/basement is in order.
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