Moving back into Los Angeles proper has caused me to downsize. Over the past few years, family deaths have increased my amount of inherited heirloom items. From depression era dishes, pre-war china sets, crystal wedding goblets (of two varieties), silver teapots; and not to mention the furniture - all wood, all ornate, all handcrafted.
Up till now, it's been hard to release these items. They had, not just a sentimentality, but, they were kept to be handed down. But I have no children. I will hand none of these things down. Furthermore, many of these things, these knick knacks, were not disposed of by their owners - my ancestors. The disposing of these items is something left to me.
A few weeks ago, there were fires in the hills. I woke to smoke and thought the fires had spread to my mountainside. For a brief moment, I considered the idea of losing all my belongings, minus what I could carry in my car. Losing all these inherited items to a fire. There was a feeling of freedom in this. I instantly knew which pieces of sentimentality I would grab. They were not the large pieces of furniture. It was the tiny buddha, the picture, my laptop.
Realizing this, empowered me to release the items I've held. Even as the movers arrived, and moved my items, I thought, I'm going to sell that piece, and that one too. As I sifted through items, I thought, do I want this, and if not, placed it into the not-want pile. Which I then sifted further into items I thought I could sell and items for swap/donate.
Even as I unpack, I notice things I could live without. I don't need to be surrounded by the past, by these objects, I can select a few memories to cherish and love.
I've gone through downsizing a couple times, as well and I fully understand your empowerment and the struggle to get there :-) Thanks for sharing this experience with us.
Posted by: Carolyn Allen | 10/11/2016 at 10:48 AM