On Trying to Purge Belongings (Part One)

So there’s a lot going on, and most of it is exciting/positive even if it is kind of draining. I am still job hunting but have gotten responses from some companies, and I am super excited about some of the potential opportunities I have. That said, I’ve also begun applying for jobs outside of Philadelphia. I have mostly been looking on the West Coast, and the idea of a cross-country move is both exciting and terrifying. The biggest logistical thing I’ve been considering is: WHAT STUFF DO I BRING IF I MOVE? I have… a lot of stuff. I totally have the ability to be a hoarder if I don’t consciously make sure I am getting rid of things regularly (usually 1-2x/year). I used to move every year and that helped a lot with the process, but I’ve been in my current house for about five years now and while I’ve parred down a lot, my stuff seems to have multiplied exponentially.

I started thinking a lot about this after a friend recently sold everything he owned to go on the road. My reaction was “Cool!” Followed by “HOLY SHIT. HOW.” I thought about it even more after reading an article on LifeHacker How To Program Your Mind to Stop Buying Crap You Don’t Need. The article talks about making a master list of everything you own and asking yourself: how much your purchased it for, why you purchased it (sale, impulse, necessity), why you’re keeping it (necessity, sentimentality, etc), when is the last time you used the item, when will you use it again, does it bring you joy, etc etc etc. This list helps you in a few ways. First, the list can help keep you from duplicating items you already have. Second, the list helps you narrow down items you need, want, sometimes need, and don’t need at all. You can use it to par down belongings and see what you’re holding onto and why. This is something I can REALLY use.

So last night I started an excel sheet of all of my belongings. I don’t expect to be done this today but hope to get everything added within 1-2 weeks, adding little bits at a time. I’ve started with the easiest things like large furniture, linens, etc. I’m trying to make sure I add things in batches and start with items that don’t get moved around a ton to avoid confusion.