34 + 14 = Insanity

Remember that blog post about having 34 bags? Well, I discovered another hidden "treasure trove" in my room today... and it contained an additional 14 bags and purses as well as five sweaters I survived the past two winters without wearing and a bonus flamingo pillow. (I'll be taking bids on the pillow until Friday, by the way.)

Seriously, just as I thought I was getting toward the end of cleaning house I come across this mess? And all of a sudden, this group of bags became... sentimental.

Once these bags are added to the mix, my bag count is almost at 50. Some of the bags and purses I found today I have had for over half of my life. Yet I rarely if ever use them. None of the items in this stash have been used recently (at least two years or more) so you would think I could just get rid of all of them without missing a thing. And I could. But as soon as these old and forgotten items come to view, I suddenly grow attached. Again.

I have theories about material things. They're great, don't get me wrong. I like having stuff. But having too much stuff has many negative consequences:

• The stuff starts to own you. You may be be the owner, but just try to get rid of something you have even the slightest affection toward. Somehow, that one little item grips you. It makes you want to hold onto it as if it were the last of its kind. It is painful to give that item up. 
• The stuff keeps you put. Want to move across the country or just downsize? You will have to get rid of excess. For some people, giving up all of their things keeps them from chasing their bigger goals. I know I would struggle if I had to pack up my life into a suitcase. 
• The stuff encourages risk aversion. Once too much stuff is accumulated, we no longer want to take risks. Taking a risk (especially one that includes finances) means we could possibly lose it all: not just the little stuff but the big stuff like our car, our house... everything. 

Being independent from this stuff means having a physical mobility but also a mental freedom as well. Clearing out and detoxing ourselves of the physical means putting life into perspective mentally. 

Do you have too much clutter in your life? For me, I feel disorganized and chained by all the excess. Having too much does not affect everyone this way, but I personally do not enjoy it. As much as I hate throwing things out, I also hate being chained by it. So I will continue working to stop the insanity. What about you?