I Have a Lot of Crap

I will be the first to admit that I am a pack rat and I keep many things I do not need. Being involved in the PF community has made me much more aware of the benefits of simplifying my life. I appreciate Seattle Simplicity and Stop Buying Crap.

In getting ready to move, I have realized how much stuff I have accumulated over the past twenty some years. Moving across the country forces you to minimize the amount of stuff you are willing to keep. However, having a mother who is willing to store your stuff allows you to accumulate even more. So even when I was living in New York, I had a ton of stuff here in California.

I keep many things because I think that I may need them in the future. I have already pared down my wardrobe to clothes that I like. I will admit that there are many clothes that I keep more for sentimental reasons than because I want to wear them. In addition, my frugality makes me think that someday when this or that wears out, I will want to wear that other item.

My mom is planning to sell her house in about 2-3 years. That means that all of my crap will have to be out of here, whether it finds a place in my new home or in someone else’s home.

I have a box of items that I want to sell, but not having a digital camera puts a damper on that. Once my fiancé and I move to SF, it should be easier to sell things off craigslist and I will have full access to his digital camera.

I really need to think about future non-consumable purchases (of course consumable purchases need to be thought about as well). I do not really need any more books. I have a lot of clothes. I do not think I could really give up buying clothes, but I am going to think about my purchases a lot more.

One thing I see myself buying stuff is with my rubber stamps and paper craft materials. This is a nice hobby, but I will have to set a strict budget for this.