106. Anti-Hoarder

I think I might be the anti-hoarder. I like traveling light and not having a whole lot of stuff. I don’t have much in my new apartment and I’m kind of okay with that for now. I think that’s because I’ve done the process of accumulating and shedding stuff for nearly a decade now. (Is shedding the right word?) It’s a cycle that I’m used to. Buy a few things and let other ones go. It’s the only way I know how to do things.

I haven’t gotten a whole lot of stuff in my new apartment yet. I have one table (donated from by brother), two chairs (donated from my parents), a couch (donated from friends), and stacks of Sunday edition New York Times (which I paid for myself.)

That’s pretty much it for furnishings in the main room. There is a part of me that sort of worries that it’s going to stay like this. While I disdain the accumulation of “stuff”, I wouldn’t mind having a stylish interior room. I like the idea of minimalism, even if I don’t always practice it.

But I’m sitting here at my table. It’s warm out, but not deathly hot. A late night spring rain has started to fall. I’ve got the windows open and I just put on some Grateful Dead tunes. I have a beer open. I’m happy. I mean, how much more stuff do I need? I sometimes feel a bit underprepared when I have company over, but does that really matter all that much?

Of course, I’m sure there are other days where I’ve been bored as heck and cursing my lack of stuff to do in my apartment.

Maybe a part of my aversion to stuff is my background in environmental studies. I honestly think a good portion of what’s destroying our planet comes from cheap plastic junk that people use for a couple minutes and then throw away to never be used again. I don’t care for party favors or most holiday decorations. They just don’t do it for me. I get in my anxious state thinking about all the resources that went into making that one thing.

I also hate when people buy gifts and they just end up on a shelf somewhere, unopened. It just feels so weird to me. I try to purchase thoughtful gifts for my friends and family. Hopefully they have worked.

I was in a bit of an anxious state when I went to Ikea the other week. I kept thinking, do I need this stuff? Should I be spending this money? Is this a worthwhile buy? I suppose there are a few things I could use (lamps, blinds), but most of the other stuff wasn’t all that necessary.

Maybe I’m destined to forever be an anti-pack rat. I’m okay with that. I like things being simple. It makes you appreciate those things you really do enjoy, like writing, a cold beer, a warm night, and just a little bit of music.