Stufflessness
So the house is mostly empty and on Thursday it'll be all the way empty and we'll be in one hotel or another for the next ten days. Hotel here, hotel in Richmond, hotel in Frankfurt, and hotel in Florence.
I have hauled probably 12 SUV loads of crap to the dump. We've crammed a 10 by 15 foot storage locker. And we've donated enough stuff to Habitat for Humanity, the library and the PTA thrift shop to trigger an audit: books by the crate, bags and bags of clothing, chairs, stuff. Stuff.
So. Much. Stuff.
And you know what? Life is not really any different. Except I miss the couch and sometimes find I have to lie down on my back on the cold living room floor. But aside from that, the difference in the way we live our lives is so minor as to be nearly invisible. I've just subtracted 75% of everything I own, and it's had almost no effect on my life. Put another way, the net enjoyment value of 75% of my stuff is only slightly greater than zero.
It makes me wish I had all the money I spent on that stuff back. And I'd like it back in euros.
I have hauled probably 12 SUV loads of crap to the dump. We've crammed a 10 by 15 foot storage locker. And we've donated enough stuff to Habitat for Humanity, the library and the PTA thrift shop to trigger an audit: books by the crate, bags and bags of clothing, chairs, stuff. Stuff.
So. Much. Stuff.
And you know what? Life is not really any different. Except I miss the couch and sometimes find I have to lie down on my back on the cold living room floor. But aside from that, the difference in the way we live our lives is so minor as to be nearly invisible. I've just subtracted 75% of everything I own, and it's had almost no effect on my life. Put another way, the net enjoyment value of 75% of my stuff is only slightly greater than zero.
It makes me wish I had all the money I spent on that stuff back. And I'd like it back in euros.
This entry was posted by Michael Reynolds, on
Monday, April 28, 2008.
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12:46 AM
Gee, maybe it's your stuff (or K's) I've started buying at the PTA thrift shop. What an amazing place! Stunning, all-but-new designer outfits for seven dollars! I concluded as I bought one today that I'll never go anywhere that will give me a chance to wear it. I decided they'll just have to bury me in it.
1:12 AM
Auguri per i vostre viaggio!
2:02 AM
I was going to do a riff about how moving every 3 years kept me from accumulating too much stuff, but then I remembered you are an Army brat and know all about that.
I'll confess that, now that I've lived only two places in 14 years, I have closets full of stuff, including a couple of boxes I have yet to open despite having moved to this house 4 years ago.
Anyway, inquiring minds want to know: did you sell your house and how quickly did it go?
11:28 AM
Annie:
Unless you got taller and Jacques got smaller I doubt it's our stuff. But someone got some deals. Some of my wife's stuff had never actually been worn. (What can I say, she's a shicksa.)
11:29 AM
Thanks, TL.
11:30 AM
Randy:
No sale yet. It's been on the market for about 11 days and we've had 6 showings, one second showing, no offers.
Wouldn't you like to move to Chapel Hill?
3:44 PM
No, but thanks for asking! I'd consider a move to Timbuktu, however.
3:45 PM
Forgot to say, that's pretty good traffic through the house these days. Sounds like you are priced right and the local realtors think they can move it quickly. Here's hoping...
2:19 PM
Hmm. We could have used that couch.