Thoughts on Stuff

Thoughts on stuff, for the umpteenth time! In a lifetime, we accumulate stuff. Kids become attached to a blanket or stuffed animal. Later it becomes other things. As adults, we tend to fill our homes with more stuff. 

Why?

Most of it isn't so much as useful as it is perhaps attached to some kind of memory. Or adds beauty over function.  I like being surrounded by my familiar things like most people.  But is it too much? 

"We accumulate things to fulfill deep psychological and emotional needs rather than practical ones. We acquire items to advertise our identity, cope with stress, seek a sense of control, or soothe a fear of scarcity—the anxiety that we will be without what we need in the future."

And maybe, just maybe, we need to take a step back from so much consumerism.  Its breaking our banks,  not to mention overwhelming us at times.

Why these thoughts?  I look around my home and wonder what it is I should pass on to my daughter? Will it be a treasure or a burden??  She has her own stash of stuff in her own house.

I recently cleaned out my mom's house, and didn't want to keep much of it. Consumable items were easy, I will use them. Foil, dish soap, garbage bags, etc. But the things she saved for years?? *sigh* I tried to pick out the most meaningful. 

I started packing things in my home for an eventual move at some point in the future.  I became frozen in place after I got so far ..... then realized that all this stuff packed in boxes was just taking up space.  Is this how I want to live my life?  Can I break it down even more? 

I went through the last two boxes I packed, and narrowed down the choices. I laughed when I pulled out six lime green plastic bowls. I used to use them in Girl Scout meetings back in 2002/2003.  *smh*  so I carted these from Ohio to Arizona, from a house to a townhouse, to an apartment, to a house again, and haven't used them. Yikes! But a good example of stuff I don't use. But it might be useful "someday".  Nope, 20+ years and someday hasn't arrived. 

I know there will be some things I'm unable to part with, but the things that are "iffy", I am photographing them.  A photo will remind me, even though I no longer have the item.

I wonder how I will feel paring things down. I'm hoping I feel good about it. 

Choosing things isn't easy.  Yes, that little vase is cute, and looks just right on my shelf. 

Or does it?? 

My son's Jr high art project, metal etchings his initials mounted on cardstock. He got an A on it. That's a keeper.