Before…..(I had everything out so I could sort through it)
About a month ago I woke up, took a quick survey of my one-room dwelling and realized something that shook me up to the core…I had way too much crap! People close to me know that I have never been much of a collector of anything. If pressed, I would definitely label myself a ‘minimalist,’ however, looking around my apartment told a different story…a story that made me uneasy.
It all started about a year into my last relationship. I began to feel like I needed more to make my place more comfortable/normal for my then girlfriend, so I started accumulating stuff…couch….desk…T.V., utensils, etc.
‘Jack Skeleton’ given to me by a Jr. H.S. student six years ago
When we parted ways a year and a half later, I felt burdened with all of my new possessions. While comfortable, they brought a certain sadness that I could not seem to shake, so one day I decided to dispose of them. I combed through all of my papers, hard copy photos, trinkets, etc. and took pictures of the things that I wanted to see again and then proceeded to dump them all.
The loose papers were tough enough, but getting rid of big items was even more challenging. It’s eerie how attached we get to these things. I had an internal debate for at least two weeks about whether or not to get rid of this or that piece of furniture, but in the end, it all went, except my television/PS3 player that is (I’m a bit of a movie junkie).
My new nest
I know it isn’t for everyone, but my new ‘spartan’ living suits me nicely, at least for the time being. I no longer trip or bump into random things that most people are able to avoid, it’s easier to clean and it feels a lot more spacious, which is a definite plus when you are living in a 34sqm apartment.
If you ever want to give it a try, be tough. It’s human nature to want to
My last vice…s (Oreos excluded)
hold on to things, even if those items that have long outgrown their usefulness. I will give you a tour of the rest of my palace another time, but until then, I urge you to get rid of the clutter in your house/life and see if it doesn’t free up your mind a little. I hope all of you have a great day!
'Man of Action' 
very inspiring…maybe i should give this a try. my apartment is getting filled with more architecture crap every day!
I’ll tell you how it’s done…easy breezy. Grab a huge garbage bag, find what you don’t use anymore, put what you’ve found into said bag….close bag….voila! Welcome to your new place! ;0)
Hey Joe,
Any advice for a man whose clutter belongs to his girlfriend?
yeah….throw her out with the rest of the clutter and let’s you and I do a world tour! :0)
j/k Hiromi. m(_ _)m *don’t let her see that.
You could always try getting rid of her stuff slowly and see if she notices? ;0)
i hope that you meant you got rid of those photos you were harbouring as well. yeah you know what i’m talking about.
I just got rid of a fresh batch the last couple days and thought of you!
done 😉