Stuff

We all have stuff which we accumulate over the years, and as time goes by, some stuff comes and goes. We sell things, we trade things, we throw things out. We buy things, we collect things, and sometimes, we hoard things.
All of us have, or had, reasons for the stuff that we possess. Some things fall under the basic need category; things we need for day to day living, like the fridge to keep our food in, a bed to sleep on. Some things we have for decoration, like pictures on the walls of our homes. Some things we have for memories/sentimental purposes, such as photo albums or a cherished childhood stuffed animal.

I have a lot of these things, but  I'm finding that as new stuff comes in, old stuff or used stuff that doesn't get used anymore doesn't necessarily go out. (The definition of "new" in this context, I realize, can vary and mean different things to different people) Acquiring stuff seems to be easy, even when/if we can't afford it, getting rid of things, well, that can be more challenging; and in turn, easier to simply ignore and forget about.

I'm not one to make new year resolutions, but this year I decided that cleaning, organizing and purging was something I needed to do. I have always been one to clean and organize, but I was missing out on the purging; and that one is key. I would get rid of a few things, but I'd mostly just move stuff around into places that gave the illusion of getting rid of and creating more space.

I have a rather spacious home with quite a bit of room for stuff and I can't necessarily empty it bare, nor do I want to, but I'm giving serious thought to what is important and meaningful (useful) to have. Making life livable for myself, my mom, my dog, my niece and nephew, and the rest of my close family and friends has always mattered. But I think, it may all become more enjoyable with less stuff crowding us.

Clearing the cobwebs requires a broom and vacuum, but also garbage bags and eventually in the coming months, (because this winter weather is unpredictable and hard) a garbage bin, is what I need to arm myself with. Because it seems having too much stuff allows the cobwebs to slowly creep into not just my space, but I think also my head. It can become unhealthy.

There is so much filth out there that I cannot control. But my stuff, the things I own, I can, or at least should try to get a handle on, before it consumes me and I forget what is actually important.