It’s Okay to Keep Your Stuff

I got in the vintage/antique biz because I love old things. Jewelry, quilts, pottery and art send me to the moon! And personally I prefer not to live in a stripped down environment but have some special things around me that bring comfort, joy and beauty.

But over the last few decades minimalism has gained prominence and favor. Self-appointed gurus encourage us to jettison our excess (and it’s almost all excess according to them) and buy only very purposefully in the future. Which is great. And sensible. Certainly clutterfree and organized homes are always a benefit. Having a closet with clothes that fit and you’ll wear is a plus. Having a functional kitchen with just the tools you actually use is fabulous. And having a life more focused on people, activities and experiences rather than things is healthy.

But I think there is a downside to minimalism as well. Some experts tout minimalism as a panacea–a cure for stress, anxiety, hopelessness, etc. They say you’ll be more joyful and “free” with fewer possessions. And yes, when I take a few boxes full of unwanted items to the charity shop I do feel joy at having those items gone and can appreciate the reclaimed space. But if I’m anxious or feeling hopeless about something it doesn’t change that one iota. Problems in life are much deeper than stuff. Minimalist Stephen Joppich writes, “Many bloggers, YouTubers and other content creators make it sound like minimalism is the ultimate magic bullet. The solution to all your problems. And so, when looking up the benefits of minimalism, you’ll find and inexhaustible list about greater health, wealth, and happiness. The problem is, of course, that you will still have problems as a minimalist….”

And I think one of the saddest aspects of minimalism is the strong push to divest ourselves of sentimental items. Most things can be replaced. Sentimental items can’t. The Minimalists Ryan and Joshua, write “Our memories are within us, not within our things. Holding on to stuff imprisons us; letting go is freeing. You can take pictures of items you want to remember.”

To that I say bosh!

I recently read an article where a young woman preparing for a job-related move decided to ruthlessly cull her possessions beforehand. That included tossing out sentimental things and donating a large portion of her beloved book collection. However as she settled into her new studio apartment in a new city, she felt bereft and realized she had cut too deeply. She wrote “I felt like I’d erased entire years of my life. I had cut ties with the tangible items connecting me to periods of my life I could never return to.”

One of the things I see in my vintage biz is folks who are buying things they lost earlier in their life. A favorite toy or piece of jewelry. Now they want that item to remind them of a special person or fond memories. I know this because some of my buyers share their stories with me! As we grow older having physical touchstones to our past can be a comfort. Plus they can be wonderful aide memoires for aging brains!

The bottom line–yes many of us have too much stuff. And letting go of the stuff we no longer use, need or want is liberating. I encourage doing that. And of course if we have so much stuff that it creates a hazard of some kind or a financial strain because of storage fees, by all means we need to bite the bullet and let it go.

But all that said, I think it’s okay to keep the things we want to!

Well, that’s my two cents.