I think a lot about when I will have to narrow down my possessions to one load crammed into my Honda fit to be taken to my parents house for storage. I have done extended travel and often think about teaching english for money while traveling the world. My boyfriend is looking at foreign service as a career path, so as futures go it’s pretty likely that I will end up living over seas at least for a while. But my stuff….
I work as a professional organizer so I spend a lot of my time helping people go through their possessions and deciding what is really important to them, so I have some practice at this but, what would I keep if it all had to fit into my Honda fit. I have decided that practicality be damned so I am letting go of basically all cloths, home, and kitchen items, besides my favorite handmade bowls and my pressure cooker. Furniture is basically right out there is no room for that in my little car.
There are some things that I like that I have found at thrift stores. Thrifting is my talent so I have things like a Ganesh wall hanging, some Tibetan statues, and an elephant puppet from India. I did not spend a lot on them but they do bring me a lot of joy.
The Terry Pratchett books I inherited from my grandfather. The treasures I brought home from my previous travels a cricket made from a reed on the banks of the amazon that a native made for me, a crystal I found on a hike in Scotland. There are a few gifts from my boyfriend that have a lot of sentimental value for me.
Having new matching furniture or moving to a bigger fancier apartment is not that important. A few items that connect me to memories from my life. A few treasures that bring me joy. The rest of what I value is experiences. Feelings that come with no physical presence, I value connection, and exploration. I do love my things don’t get me wrong, but I refuse to let them hold me back from what I really value.
What do you value? If you had to choose what would you give up? What would you take if it all had to fit in one car load…