24 June 2012

Stuff and Shopping for Stuff

I'm still not shopping, except when there's actually something I want, like recently when we had five overnight guests the same night, and I decided to buy an air mattress so only The Offspring would have to sleep on the floor (on Big Agnes, so not in fact that serious a hardship).

Note that I used the term "want" and not "need" there.  We have numerous camping air mattresses, and I could have stacked a couple for my brother to sleep on, but I knew he's be more comfortable on a more bed-like one.  I "wanted" him to be comfortable when he visited.

Part of the issue with not shopping is redefining "need."  I own a lot of clothing that I've bought on sale because "I need that" -- for work, for working out, for pajamas.  One result is that I own a lot of clothing that I don't like much, that I bought solely because it was on sale.

I'm thinking of getting rid of all the clothes I own, but don't like.  The idea of this makes me quite nervous, so the starting point would have to be putting all this stuff in a bag in a closet someplace and waiting a few months to see if I missed anything.  Actually, I'd probably want to wait across two or three seasons, not only because of the seasonal differences but because of the differences in my work and non-work wardrobes.

I have a feeling ditching all that stuff I dislike will be incredibly freeing.  I'm going to have to keep working on that part of me that also finds it incredibly nerve-wracking.