The fact that we, as human beings, collect things is a relatively interesting psychological phenomenon. After all, people all over the world collect a wide variety of things. No matter what it is, it's likely that someone collects it.
Most people collect things like rare coins, spoons from the places they visit, sports memorabilia for their favorite teams, expensive purses, baseball cards, or figurines. Sometimes, it's something more unique: phone books, industrial pipes, fortune cookie fortunes, or airline barf bags.
And, other times, the items that people collect are more than simply items.
When I was hired on to my first job after graduation, I started to prepare to move out of my childhood home and move into an apartment that was all mine. I plotted out what I would need to buy, where I would put everything, and what I wanted from my new place. As I got closer and closer to being able to afford an apartment, I began to realize how many things I had accumulate over the years. As I looked around my room, I realized that it would be impossible to find a place for every single figurine, music box, book, stuffed animal, and other tchotkes in my apartment. I might be content with a cluttered, well-loved room, but I wanted my apartment to be clean and walk-able.
That's when I turned to the KonMari method. KonMari is the nickname that Japanese cleaning guru, Marie Kondo, gave her technique of getting rid of clutter.
The theory of KonMari is that, while decluttering, if you look at an item and it doesn't immediately bring you joy, then you shouldn't allow it to take up space any longer.
While it's a great idea in theory, and did help me with a few items, I did run into a problem.
What happens when every single item that you own brings you joy?
It was here, in this very moment of standing in the middle of my cluttered room, holding a small owl figurine, that I realized that I don't collect anything normal.
Instead, I collect memories.
Every item I own -- every small toy, stuffed dragon, owl figurine, or necklace -- has some sort of memory associated with it. They came from a dear friend, were purchased during a vacation, passed down from a family member, or a reminder of the past.
Getting rid of an item is simple -- if it sits and collects dust, then put it in the giveaway bin.
Getting rid of memories? Not so simple.
And, yet, it was necessary.
So, if you find yourself in a situation such as mine -- holding on to items and realizing that everything you own brings you joy -- just realize that even though the item might be gone doesn't mean the memory is, as well.
