When I eventually moved into my new apartment, I decided to completely empty out the storage unit that I had been carrying for several years. Living with the giant pile of life’s physical baggage stacked up in my living room for several months made me realize how draining it all can be.
Even now, I still am holding on to various belongings that serve absolutely no purpose in my life other than taking up shelf space. Whether it is that book that I got for one dollar on the clearance shelf in Borders about fourteen years ago that I planned on reading, or the Insanity workout program that literally has a millimeter of dust on it, my life has belongings that simply do not belong.
One of the exciting prospects of going tiny is the knowledge that I will not have the space for material objects that serve no purpose in my life. Most of the decisions will not be too challenging. In fact, I eliminated roughly half of my belongings when I moved. My goal over the next few months is to purge about thirty to forty percent of what I have remaining.
The most challenging part of the process will certainly be making decisions about the photographs and the artwork that I throughly enjoy displaying on my walls. For me, they represent important reminders that help to guide me on a daily basis. Whether it is a memory or a quote that serves as an affirmation, the ability to see them is certainly something I do not wish to live without. In the sketches of my various tiny house incarnations, one constant has been a stretched wire display system for me to showcase various photographs and artwork that can be rotated on a regular basis. Building storage for the work not on display will be a priority for any design.
Although I am not officially living tiny, I have found such value in the processes that are required when someone goes tiny. The vision of not feeling burdened or weighed down by the materials that can easily happen as the years accumulate brings a smile to my face. Over the course of the past few years, I have done my best to adhere to the “one item goes when a new object enters” practice.
Out of curiosity, what percent of your belongings do you feel simply do not belong in your space?
TINY-JOURNEY 