stephanie brail

Fascinating article from BBC News about a new “Cult of Less,” where adherents let go of their possessions, digitize as much as possible, and sometimes even forgo homes altogether:

….Chris Yurista, a DJ from Washington, DC, cites this trend in digital music as one reason he was able to hand over the keys to his basement apartment over a year ago.

“It’s always nice to have a personal sense of home, but that aside – the internet has replaced my need for an address,” the 27-year-old said.

Since boxing up his physical possessions and getting rid of his home, Mr Yurista has taken to the streets with a backpack full of designer clothing, a laptop, an external hard drive, a small piano keyboard and a bicycle – an armful of goods that totals over $3,000 (£1,890) in value….

[Read more here...]

While I can’t say I would personally go homeless on purpose, I do find the idea of getting rid of things appealing. I’m planning an out-of-state move right now, and the amount of crap that I have is astonishing, especially considering that I am not that materialistic and rarely shop! (Yet, somehow, items seem to find their way to me.)

But it’s hard to let go of things. I get attached to the most ridiculous items…do I really need an extra key chain that says “coach” on it? I’ve had the damn thing for years, and yet I am loathe to put it in the Goodwill bag.

But I’m getting better. I recently gave away a bunch of video tapes. Yes, video tapes. It did feel a bit liberating. After all, do you really want to admit you’ve lived long enough to even have a collection of them?

Decluttering is a really good way to let go of old emotional stuff and attachments that may no longer serve you. Additionally, learning how to get by with “less” can be even more liberating. You learn how to trust the “universe” (or God) more. You become more than just your possessions. You can be defined by who you are in the moment, without the ghosts of items from the past boxing you in.

As we transition to a new world where sustainability will be a way of life out of necessity, “less is more” will become more than just a slogan. It will be a reminder of how liberating it is to be free of having possessions define you.

Do your possessions possess you? Just a little something to think about…