Last June I moved out of the apartment I lived in with my ex for almost 4 years. It was a small studio but we still managed to acquire so many things. When the day came to leave the place, I ended up getting rid of a lot of things I didn’t use but still couldn’t manage to let go of certain material goods. It wasn’t until the third move that I realized I don’t need all these things I’ve managed to hoard, it’s all just a mindset.

When I moved out of the apartment, I ended up moving in with my cousin, who didn’t have room but was kind enough to let me crash on her couch and let me store my things there. Fast forward to now, I am now sharing an apartment with a roommate and once I started unpacking all the things I had in storage bins, I realized I actually didn’t need a lot of it. I mean, I managed to survive 9 months without seeing these things so why carry it to another place?

The answer was simple, I had an emotional attachment to a lot of these things that I didn’t realize I had until now, silly right? I have clothes that don’t fit me but remind me of the time I lost weight so I’ve kept them, I have purses I ever use but like to think one day I will, textbooks from when I was in college, you name it. I even have a craft bin I never open. I’ve quickly realized, a lot of the belongings I’ve kept have just brought back a feeling or a thought and that’s been the only reason why for me keeping them. Until now that is.

As I begin to donate things and transfer to a simpler, less materialistic life I’m filled with so many emotions and thoughts and I can’t help but ask why. It’s just stuff ya know. Despite it all, here are a few things I’ve learned throughout this process:

• While cleaning things out you learn how much money you truly waste: For me it’s on clothes, lipsticks and shoes. I had to throw out so many shades because they were old and so far I think I’m on my 4th or 5th garbage bag of clothes. To me, that’s all money that could have gone to my car payment, a trip anything that actually mattered really. (FYI some of the clothes got donated and the things I’ve worn only a few times are up for sale on my Poshmark and Depop accounts. Feel free to help a sista out)
• Getting rid of the things you worked for is hard! I can’t even begin to describe to ya’ll how many times I’ve had to talk myself into getting rid of because I truly didn’t need it. My consumer self just wants to keep it all even if I don’t have use for it!

Side note: That’s how I realized we (as consumers) let material things run our lives. We value materials for what they represent not realizing they own us not the other way around. I mean, I literally slave away at work so I can one day afford a Tiffany’s ring for myself. Talk about a fucked up goal.

• Material things won’t help you reach your life goals: This one is huge for me because I keep holding on to size 5 clothing knowing damn well I’m a size 9. Keeping the clothes, the trophies, the make-up or whatever is not going to help me be skinny, become a master make-up artist or get first place in life. It all comes with work so why add value to something that can so easily be burned, broken, tossed or forgotten.
• You gain a sense of freedom: It’s definitely been hard to muster up the courage to get rid of what I’ve worked for but in all realness, it feels so liberating knowing I can.

To be clear, I’m not getting rid of all my belongings, just things I don’t need, or have use for. I’m trying to live a more fulfilled, experienced, balanced, well-traveled life and I’ve come to the conclusion that consuming things is not going to get me closer.

What are your thoughts on minimalism, consumption or what is the things you hoard or have too much of? (for me it’s lipsticks and shirts)