Downsizing Towards Freedom

I’ve been a collector all my life. Rocks, shells, scarves, jewelry, ticket stubs, dried flowers, books, CDs, DVDs, vinyls, art, old photos, letters, mugs, Nat Geos - the list goes on and on. And when people in my family stop feeling sentimental about their personal collections, they tend to wind up with me. From furniture to children’s books to quilts made by my grandma and great grandma, etc.

I’ve always felt that those memories and emotional attachments to things are what makes a home feel extra lived in and cozy. They keep your loved ones near, even long after they’ve gone. And that way, even if you’re home alone, you’re never really lonely. As I write about it now, I realize that’s likely the only child in me who was so often left to fend for herself in an empty house growing up. But that’s not my life anymore. It hasn’t been for decades. Yet these habits, and perhaps coping mechanisms, never faltered. Until now.

As my husband and I prepare to take the leap abroad that I’ve dreamt of for more years of my life than not, we’ve been lightening our load. And mostly, it’s my load. My baggage. My trinkets. My memories. My comfort collections. Some of which are irreplaceable and invaluable to me, so we’ll be putting them in storage, along with my husband’s far fewer sentimental items and certain things that belong to both of us which make sense to keep for financial reasons.

But as for the rest, as hard as it is with every single donation drop off and sale, the act of letting go like never before has turned out to be incredibly liberating actually. We’re enjoying having more space in our home. More breathing room. And most importantly, clearing out the past to make way for the future. It all feels unexpectedly empowering. And this whole process makes our long awaited move abroad feel that much closer to coming to fruition. -TSS