Because Maybe I'll Need It Again Some Day!

I'm wondering how two people can collect so much "crap," I mean completely valuable things in such a short amount of time of being married. On the 24th, Josh and I will have been married for 9 months... I think I counted right. And I cannot even begin to fathom how much "valuable" irreplaceable stuff we have purchased within the span of these nine months. I do have to admit that we started collecting well before we got married. We started purchasing things together while we were in Germany last year, so almost 8 months before we were married we were already gathering this items, in preparation to display them proudly throughout our house. But, the real question is, "How much of this stuff has any value, and how much of it do we actaully take pride in?" I could probably do away with half of this stuff and not miss it, but there is that small chance that I may need it, and why buy it again later if I already have it now?

I remember as a child I refused to get rid of anything. Barbies, dolls, dress up clothes, crayons and markers were pushed strategically into my bedroom closet, and held captive in there for years in fear that they would all come rushing out if I was to open the door. My dad made shelves in my closet to hold "shoes" in other words, yes there were shoes on that shelf, but it was also a place to hold more stuff! I had stuff everywhere, and when I mean everywhere, I'm pretty sure that in every nook and cranny there were remnants of me. I had barbies in plastic containers, a load of dolls in the huge drawers that made up my bed. Not only did I have clothes in a dresser and my closet, but I also had another huge drawer under my bed full of clothes. Clothes were prominent in my life, although I look back now and wonder what I was thinking. I think all of us have those thoughts at some time. I had things in the extra bedroom, I'm sure stuff stashed away in my brothers room. And random things hiding throughout the house, and at least 5 pairs of shoes strewn throughout the house. Oh, what makes a house a home.

I remember going through things when my mom said it was time to get rid of some stuff and just bewildered at what to get rid of. Everything I had, had some sort of sentimental value. "Grandma gave me that for my birthday when I was five." I would say with a look of shear horror as my mom would start to place it in the "Get rid of"box. She would reply with the, "Grandma won't mind if you get rid of it." Have you asked her yourself? I would think sarcastically. My grandma died when I was eight or nine. It's sad that it's been so long I can't remember. Alas, I would end up with half of the stuff from the get rid of box going through it after my mom walked away. My brother was worse though, he kept absolutely every toy he ever owned and put up a huge fight when he was told whatever he had needed to go. I'm pretty sure he kept broken toys... Just in case.

When I moved to Germany I found out what I could live without and what I needed. I had the necessities while I was in Germany. I had a bed to sleep on, blankets, a pillow, I was clothed and fed everyday. I had my camera, I cannot live without one, and I had Josh. Sure I had a few things that I didn't absolutely need. I had a few books, and I had my pictures of my family, that falls more into the category of need, and my mom had sent a sketch book and art supplies. I was in heaven. I lived life without being surrounded by possessions and I felt free, like I could do anything because I wasn't tied down. But somehow it ended up taking a few days to get all that stuff boxed up when it was time to go. I had collected things from around Europe and somehow my crap-valuable things expanded.

And while I would like to live a life of freedom and not have things to weigh me down, I am the first one to say I like pretty things too much not to buy them when I can. I think I like too many different things to never have anything around. I like trinkets, furniture, art, clothes, books just to have books, jewelry, cameras, shoes and electronics. These are the things that surround me now, and these are the things I'm thinking of torching before Josh gets back from school today. The things that bother me the most are those little odds and ends that don't really have a box to go into, so I end up with this small box of Miscellanous (that's how I label it) valuable things and sometimes not, that I don't know where to put, little tiny things like a button for this, or a lid for this. Why aren't they with their companions? Well, I already boxed it up, or I don't know where their companions have gone off to for the time being.

My friend Kendra gave some good advice and told me to start with a room and work from there. I have that in mind when I start, but I've never been one to go from room to room. More power to her that she can do that, but apparently I am to ADD to stick with one place. My mind wanders to something else I need to do, and I abandon that box in the bedroom for the one in the kitchen. Josh followed me around all afternoon yesterday turning off lights in rooms I wasn't in because I had been flitting about so frequently I'd just leave the light on until I got back. Not good.

So, I'm here alone again today, while Josh is at school. I'm taking refuge for a few more minutes in the internet, dreading the start of seperating and boxing. I've done all of this myself, because as I told Josh last night. God just doesn't come down and pack it all for us. Someone has to make the packing happen, and that person is me. Josh said maybe if he prayed hard enough, God would pack up the apartment, but I don't think packing up our apartment is on the top of the list of things he needs to get done this week. So, I'm left doing the labor as Josh supervises as he does so well. Like I said, I could just dump it and tell him God already took care of it and the boxes are already packed in the trailer! That's definitely an idea I am willing to consider.

So where do we find the happy medium? Where do we find that balance of keeping things streamlined but having enough of the stuff that makes us feel like we are at home? I think that is all we want, a place that feels like only "ours." A place to call home. What is your home like? Do you collect things and never put them out? And then collect more? Or do you minimalize? Have a wonderful Thursday! We're getting closer to the weekend!

God Bless,

Alyssa