Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Today's story of stuff

As I'm packing our world into boxes and bins, I've realized something strange: As much as it's become an American pastime to complain about how much stuff we have--how we really should throw out more/buy less/get organized/simplify--that's not true for me at all. Maybe it's because I've moved a lot, or because we've always lived in tiny condos, or because there are whole swaths of my history I have no desire to commemorate...but my experience of packing has not been of the "I'm so overwhelmed/how did we accumulate all this?" variety. Rather, it's made me oddly grateful.

Is it totally uncool to say, "I like my stuff"???

Let me clarify: nothing in these boxes defines me. I'm not overly proud of it, or excited to show it off. There's a chance you could offer the entirety of my possessions at a yard sale and not make enough money to order pizza for friends and family (Unless of course THAT DOG set up a booth to sell autographed pics, in which case you'd clean up...) But for the first time in my life, I guess I feel like I have what I need to set up camp in a new place. Before, with each move, there was always so much I knew I'd need--like there were endless trips to box stores in my future trying to make my new digs a home. I don't feel that this time. I feel like it's the life that will be new for us in Ithaca, not the stuff. I'm excited about that :)

(Omigosh, I just re-read this and it's just a bunch of pseudo-philosophical babble. Readers, I apologize. You deserve better. But I'm on day four of heavy cold meds, and that really is what I'm thinking about. Pitiful (and worse, pedestrian...) but true. I'll be back, hopefully off the meds and with a new internet connection in the great state of NY, next week!)

But if you LIKE my delusional, fogged out musings, I'll be twittering (tweeting?) from my iPhone for the next few days here. Want to see how DayQuil affects my ability to navigate a moving truck down I-90? Come on along!

And now, a question: Do you secretly like your stuff, too?

8 comments:

heidikins said...

I love my stuff. I love going through boxes of it and remembering the good and crazy times with it. I have no problem with owning a storage unit. :o)

I hope your cold goes away soon!

xox

Stacy said...

Well, that is the perfect place to be. Not much extra, but everything you need.

I, on the other hand, will need to do some weeding when I move in June.

Stella said...

I've taken great care collecting my stuff, so yeah I like my stuff too(except the "fat" clothes which I can proudly say are going to the Goodwill ... doing my praising Jesus dance--haha!). Sorting through my stuff often ends up rediscovering where I put that thing I was looking for several days/weeks/months ago. Or, in heartfelt surprises ... OH! That's where my childhood Barbie was! LOL Psssssst--Trish, maybe husband Steve had better drive. Hug & a Big Grin, Stella

Sarakastic said...

I like my stuff enough that at least once a week I promise my books that someday I will get them a proper library to live in. Good luck on the move!

Allie said...

I love my stuff too. Some of it I wonder why I ever kept - when I moved house earlier this year I threw out a lot: old notes from school maths etc. But the stuff I kept, I love.

mslizalou said...

I love my stuff. I have way too much of it, but I do love my stuff. I'm actually doing a yard sale this weekend to see if anyone else would like to own some of my stuff too. Whatever doesn't sell, goes straight to Goodwill or the library(lots of books and movies to sell).

Have a safe trip to your new home!

Krista said...

Yes, when I moved back to Boston, all of my stuff was in storage for 4 months while I lived in hotels, and I used to go to the storage facility and just sit in the compartment amongst the boxes and furniture. U-Haul Storage was the only place that felt like home for 4 months. Sad, but true.

Good luck to you and Steve on your new life!

TV Fan said...

I am a total pack rat. I can't get rid of anything. It's very sick. I have books from when I was like 6 years old.