Stuff

I read this blog on stuff. Then I clicked on the links in the blog to read other blogs about stuff. I also read their comments. And I came to conclusion I've come to many times before. I have a lot of stuff. More specifically, I have a lot of unimportant and/or unnecessary stuff. And so does my family.

Recently, my nephew Sammy came to live me and my brother full time. He already had a room of his own filled with more toys than it could hold when he was just here part time. But when he moved in, another roomful of stuff came with him. Right now, he can't play in his room because it's filled with too much stuff.

It's time to pare down and live more simply. It's going to take a while, but it'll be worth it.

Here are a few of my thoughts:
1. I don't want to define my life by the stuff I have. I don't want my stuff to have so much of a hold on me that I place a higher value on it than on the truly important things in my life.
2. I need to simplify by REDUCING what I have, REFUSING to buy more, and REJIGGERING my priorities.
3. If something new comes in the house, something old has to leave the house.
     Phase 1: Stasis
     Phase 2: Reduction
4. I could never live with only 100 things like some people have. Certain items are grouped, but even then it would be a stretch.
5. I complain that my little house doesn't have enough storage. Why? What am I storing? Stuff I haven't used in a very long while or only use 1-2 times a year. Why is it more important to hold on to them than to make room for what I use on a regular basis?

If you want to feel bad about yourself, watch this 20-minute video The Story of Stuff. It was a kick in the pants. It helped me reprioritize.

Time to get to work. Time to simplify.