Not what the Boy Scouts had in mind

Well thanks to our backwards economy and greedy corporations (yes I said it!), The All-Star and I will be, get ready for it, SHARING A SUITCASE on our trip to New York.  Ahhh!  The horror!!  Thank goodness it’s summer is all I have to say.  Flip flops and sundresses weigh a whole lot less than sweaters and snow boots.  But really… in an attempt to save a buck, I am finally being forced to pack a little lighter and make due with what I’ve got.

Sounds like a good moto for life doesn’t it?

I’ve been reminded a lot lately that, contrary to popular belief,  it really doesn’t take much to get along in this world. Minimal food, shelter, a few layers of clothing, that’s all I really need.  Yet I’m drawn to the idea of filling my apartment with chachkies that express my longings and throw pillows to express my style. And why?  Stuff is just another thing to pack up and haul the next time we move and probably, eventually throw away anyway.  And whether it be a sore back or a bigger moving truck, it always comes with a price. Just like the extra bag at the airport. I’m not saying I’d rather be living in a dirt floor shack somewhere hunting squirrel and wearing burlap. No, that would be extreme. But maybe, just maybe, I can make due with a little less than society says I need.

I had a friend who used to come camping with me and all he would bring along is a backpack and a sleeping bag.  Meanwhile I’d be lugging all sorts of ridiculous items into the woods. (Remember the Boy Scouts?) I was always jealous of the way he could get-up-and-go with just a few choice belongings and knew he’d survive.  Whenever I pack I’m reminded of him. He didn’t lead by many other examples but that was a good one.

I think my brain has the tendency to bring along a little too much luggage as well. I’m always multi-tasking and worrying, trying to figure things out and answer life’s riddles.  It’s exhausting! And carrying the extra weight of the past and the future can sometimes leave me with little energy left to invest in the present.  But luckily there’s still a little room left for change!

So I say, enough with the extras! It’s time to pack a little lighter, both mentally and physically.  I’m tired of the baggage, there’s no more room for it.  It may take a bit of effort to purge but no need to heave more onto the load. And as far as my trip to NY goes, all I really need are a few positive thoughts, a good pair of shoes and a hat and I’m good.

Okay and maybe one summer scarf!

Item #1 – old cookie tin filled with wine bottle corks.  I’m not sure what to do with the corks, or the tin, but they seem to be happy together.

Item #2 – ribbons. Apparently I think it’s appropriate to save every ribbon attached to every candle, gift bag, and home-made soap I receive.

Item #3 – broken DVD player.  This I want to blame more on The All-Star but I’m just as responsible.  I think we both think he’ll fix it one day.  It’s going in the garbage today – this item definitely makes me a pack rat!

Item #4 – old pots with wood enhandles crafted by my great-grandfather.  I don’t have the heart to throw these away, nor do I think I should.  I never met the man but feel very sentimental over these pieces.  Plus I can use them when I go camping.

Item #5 – Grateful Dead t-shirt (purchased in 1993).  For no reason should I be caught wearing this old rag of a shirt but  it pains me to part with it.  It’s actually very soft and comfy, just a little frayed.

Item #6 – Several empty jars of various sizes.  Am I planning on jamming one day?  Perhaps, but not with old salsa jars.

Item #7 – Paper shopping bags from random stores – also wine bottle paper bags (not sure where those even came from).

The list goes on.  I did just attempt to make it a little shorter.  The paper bags stayed.  The t-shirt went into a bag for Goodwill.  Then I took it back out and put it in again.  It’s now sitting folded on the desk.  The jars are gone but the corks aren’t.  Obviously the tin has also stayed. I threw away the ribbons in a fit of frustration.  I know what you’re thinking, I could use them for crafts.  I’ve tried to so many times to use those darned things and I’m giving up (I miss them already!)

So what is the deal, why do I save so many things?  It’s partly due to my great desire to reuse, rather than throw away and rebuy.  The idea of something I threw away sitting on a dump pile for all of eternity just makes me feel wrong and evil inside.  Some things, like the jars, I almost feel comfortable recycling, but not everything can be recycled, or I don’t know how to go about recycling it.  So I stick them in the closet for a rainy day.  Well folks, it doesn’t rain much in California and these things still don’t see the sun.

Now that my life is in boxes again, I’m faced with the hard truth that either I cart these forgotten items all over the county or I simply GET RID OF THEM.  After all, you can’t save everything.  I really do have a strong desire to minimize.  But I’m also afraid.  I’m hung up on the “oh I might need it one day” feeling.  Or “I spent money on it, what a shame to throw it away.”  The truth is that more stuff will always come and most of the things I throw away will eventually be forgotten.  It’s true.  It happens every time.

What items do you have packed away?