Stuff and nonsense
February 13th, 2006Up to this point, I have subscribed mainly to the maximalist theory for living. The more stuff, the merrier. I am proud to come from a long line of hoarders, all the way back to… oh, at least my mum. Apparently, my Grandad had a clear-out of the drawers in his flat every single week. I do not take after him. Recently, as I’ve been packing up my beloved posessions to store in Mum’s loft while I’m away, I’ve found boxes that haven’t been opened in all the time I’ve been in my house. That’s four and a half years, folks. So I guess you could say that I’m well overdue a clear-out.
Cunningly, I have avoided this by simply transferring all my stuff from one house (mine) to another (mum’s). Although this involves a bit of short-term pain, in that we’ve had to pack it up and then haul it up into the dark and mysterious loft (including one moment when the ladder slipped, and I found myself wobbling over the tall stairwell like someone in a Laurel & Hardy film), I’m thinking that the long-term gain will be threefold: i) When I come back a zen-lovin’ minimalist, having lived out of teeny backpack (three pairs of shoes!!! three!!!) for 18 months, I will realise that ‘stuff’ is nothing but materialistic, earthly trappings; ii) It postpones the clear-out for another 18 months – procrastinators rool ok. Tomorrow. And iii) Possibly, instead of feeling zen-like, my enforced absence from my ‘stuff’ will just reaffirm my addiction to it, and what’s more I’ll have a ton more to add to it, what with all my souvenirs.
Only time will tell. Look out for all the parcels I’ll be sending home, though. And I actually had fun giving away a free tent, which sparked off a bidding war between my cousin Paul and my brother Michael – so I’m glad to know that other people want my stuff as much as I do.
Suzanne