I'm pretty much done with my packing and have confirmed something I already knew about myself: I am shockingly bad at throwing stuff away. No, seriously. I've packed both my big suitcase and my little one too, for taking on my travels over the next month. Full to the brim and, given the absence of scales in this house, I can only pray I'm not over on the weight limit. I've got a bag full of ski clothes to leave at Megan's house (she doesn't know that yet, so I hope she doesn't mind) as well as 2 ski bags: my skis, poles, boots, snowboard & snowboard boots in one and Megan's skis and poles that I borrowed before I had my own in the other. I also have another set of skis which I intended to sell, but there's no point in doing it right now, better to wait until the start of next season. Again, I hope Megan doesn't mind. Thank goodness she has a basement. I also have a set of 3 boxes filled with general gumph - twinkly lights, books, DVDs, that Jagermeister bottle, that sort of thing - that I want to keep hold of for when I come back to live in Banff for the summer. On top of this, I've given a huge IKEA bag full of clothes to Rory, who lives downstairs, to keep hold of for when I return to Banff and another huge bag to Chelsea containing my cold weather boots and...well that's the thing. I can't even remember what else it's got in it, and I only packed it an hour ago. What is wrong with me? I should be able to choose the things I really need and throw away the rest. I'm going to have to do it at some point, because I can't take it all back to England with me. I have even put together a bag of stuff I really don't want anymore, which contains about, ooh, four things. Pathetic. Christ knows what Pepe is going to think when he turns up on Sunday and I can't fit everything into his car - I can only hope he's done a better job than me of consolidating his possessions.
My only (slight) justification is that the extremes of temperature here in Canada mean I've accumulated a ton of stuff appropriate for very cold weather/skiing that I just don't need now it's warm and sunny, but that I don't want to throw away because if I come back for the winter I'll need it all again. But realistically, I'm just a hoarder. I know I am. I'm terrified that if I throw away that hoodie, for example, that that is EXACTLY the hoodie I'll need, desperately, next week. I know it's irrational, but it's true.
Sigh. I really am rubbish.
3 comments:
I know, I know, I know! I'm even worse at hording stuff!! I've read the books, seen the programmes on how to be less cluttered, but I just can't do it. Of course I need 15 vases of different shapes, colours and sizes - what if I get inundated with flowers on my birthday?? The rule of 'when buying new clothes, always get rid of something old', doesn't seem to happen. (yes, you probably will need that exact hoodie!) What can we do?? It must be a family thing - have been clearing out mum's house and she has stuff going back years (ie., over 20 years of bank statements and receipts - not even I'm that bad!). Funnily enough, it's always easier to chuck out someone else's stuff than your own!! good luck, Mia.
Yes, I thought you'd be one person who'd understand!
We'll never be minimalists. I think we just have to accept that.
hey mia!
i know the soloution to your problem! become a backpacker! like... literally... with a backpack!!! when you physically have to strap all those un-necessary posessions to your back....the more you have, the more your back feels like it will break, and when you rock up at a hostel, the less you own, the more backpacker-esk you are (less is more, doing it rough etc.) ... they seem to be less and less important when sweat and respect are involved ;)
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