Friday, June 18, 2010

Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy

I'm currently in the process of liquidating my stuff, and it's made me realize some really profound things, so I thought I'd put them in today's post.
1) Giving away or selling my Bob Dylan collection doesn't make me any less of a fan.
If anything, I'm a superfan, because I'm passing it on and sharing my love of him with others. Same goes with a favorite book or movie--you're not losing anything by getting rid of it. Rather, you're offering the joy that it gave you to others who will enjoy it.
2) Heirlooms, photos and mementos don't belong in a pile of crap.
They should be in albums or display cases where they will be seen, not in a box on a closet shelf, or in the garage where they're forgotten and susceptible to damage.
3) If something isn't useful to you now or in the near future, get rid of it.
I have a pair of heels that I wore at my sister's wedding almost 9 years ago. I think I wore them one other time, to a Homecoming dance seven or eight years ago. I tried them on today, and while they are cute, they also don't fit well and I have several other pairs of heels that are cuter and more versatile. Getting rid of them doesn't mean I don't love the memory of my sister's wedding (see profound thought # 1), it just means they're going to be worn and appreciated by somebody with smaller feet.

For more insight into the joys of minimalism, see one of my favorite blogs, Unclutterer.

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