After a certain amount of confusion, our Pod with all our belongings arrived this morning. We had a crew ready, and they unloaded everything quickly and cheerfully. In fact, the crew was so good, moving was actually fun — thanks a million, Dave, Emily, David, Mike, Mara, and Dick.
With all our belongings, our apartment feels a lot smaller than before. For a moment, we almost wished that we didn’t have all our belongings. We only wished that for a moment: it’s nice to have pots and pans, and clothes. But we continue to wish that we owned fewer possessions, and we are talking about what we can get rid of. I think I may be getting rid of some books — sixty boxes of books is too many books.
I don’t have sixty books worth but I have enough. I’ve stopped buying books. Makes no sense when my library has a good selection and can get me just about anything they don’t have. I’ve thought of starting to re read most of what’s sitting on shelves and then getting rid of them. Just hanging on to some key books and reference books. Have you bought a kindle? Do you download from google books? Those seem like the future.
Hi Dan –
Don’t get rid of your books. They are old friends, and can never be replaced, certainly not by the clunky Kindle and various other replicas. Just make some really tall bookshelves and move the books in. They don’t take up that much room, really.
Glad you are finally moved in!!
– J
I’m between the 2 above. I think you should keep some and lose some. Clutter.. Ah clutter. If you can manage to remove stuff you no longer need and want and give or sell it to someone who needs and wants it. Isn’t it better? But keeping stuff you need and want is important too.
I yearn for simple living, yet I am attached to things including things I no longer need and want. I consider this a spiritual failing on my part and I am working to detach myself from material goods that serve no function for me. I get romantic about the most unusual things. It took me a good decade to get rid of construction paper flowers from my wedding tables. I have the video it’s good enough. It happened I can prove it. I have the certificate.
My apartment has gotten smaller over the years. Starting small takes one aback though. I Love the idea of the high shelves. Think up! Use the top 1/2 of your living space. Tall dressers are my favorite. I find if I am in the right mood I can really let go of stuff, maybe now is the time to go through and see what’s there.
A few years ago I cleared out a majority of my books. I found that I rarely pulled them out to look at, though I did get a lot of comfort just seeing them on the bookshelves and recalling where I was/what I was doing when I read them. Mostly though, passing them on to the next reader was a very liberating experience. Now I primarily use the library, and I’ve used my brother’s Kindle a few times. It’s handy and easy to read, but I really like holding a book. Guess I’ll keep a foot in both worlds.
Bill @ 1 — You write: “have you bought a kindle? Do you download from google books? Those seem like the future.”
I agree that the future is headed towards books in electronic formats, but the future is still a ways away. I don’t like the Kindle — it’s over-priced, not pleasant to read, and the EULA is ridiculous (they can take back a book that you bought at any time, which they in fact recently did to many of their customers). I use Google Books regularly, but because of copyright restrictions they don’t offer much that has been printed after 1921. Maybe in another five to ten years electronic books will be worth my while, but they aren’t quite yet.
Jean @ 2 — Yes, books are my friends, but my books simply won’t fit in our new apartment. I’m not sure what to do.
Myra @ 3 — The question for me is whether my belongings make my life better, or whether they hold me down. I’m not quite sure how I’d answer right now.
MIME @ 4 — Like Jean @ 2, I write a lot, and as a writer I refer back to books constantly, so actually I do pull out many of my books to look at them. In the past year, I probably referred to more than half my books. So I don’t know — I like the thought of clearing out the majority of my books, but in the long run I think maybe it’s not such a good idea for me.
Dan – Maybe this (which I have done): if you have an office, most of your books can live there. It makes for a smaller office, especially when an entire wall or two is lined with books, but it helps.
– J
Jean @ 6 — Yesterday, most of my professional library moved to my office. When the rest of my professional books arrive at the office, that should relieve most of problems at home. And yes, my office is smaller now!