I've wanted to be a minimalist for a very long time now. Let me give you some background: my parents kept everything. EVERYTHING. We always had to have two car garages, not to hold cars, but stuff. Family memorabilia, photos, every dish they've ever owned....you name it, it was probably in our garage. For years as my family moved around the southeast we lugged that stuff with us. Then my mom passed away, and when my dad remarried all of that stuff went to the kids. Because my parents had been holding on to it from their parents and so on, we all felt like we had to keep it too. So every year when a lease is up on a place I've been renting, I move to a new spot and take boxes and boxes and more boxes of things I don't need or use with me. The amount of stuff I have is overwhelming. Not just the old, family knickknacks I have, but I buy a lot of my own unnecessary shit too! Because every time I move, I feel like I need all new stuff. (More on this at a later time)
Last year my boyfriend and I moved in together into a house with two other guys. We had our bedroom, our own den and storage shed. Now we're moving into a smaller apartment where it will be just the two of us and there is no storage at all. I'm so freaking happy about this!!!
I am now being forced to get rid of everything I've been dragging around the past 12 years. It's been a lot easier than I thought it would be too. Mostly because we found mold in the house and a good chunk of those old pans and Christmas decorations are ruined. I thought I would never be able to get rid of my mom's things because if I did, I would be killing her memory with them. That is not the case. First of all, old spatulas don't define my mom's legacy. I do, by living and sharing her stories. Pointing out the personality traits I and my siblings have that were her's. Cooking meals she use to prepare for us growing up. Continuing her traditions. A legacy isn't defined by material positions. And secondly, she would not want me to be cursed with the burden of moving worthless items from place to place and eventually making it my kids problem when they come around.
Now our home is filled with boxes and furniture as we're all set to move tomorrow morning and I can't believe how little there is for us to take. It feels amazing knowing we're going to a smaller space with just what we need. And my mom's cast iron skillet. :)
* Join me as I continue my journey into minimalism! This was one of the many steps it is taking to get to where I want to be. *