I recently wrote, A Nation Of Over-Consumers, outlining my dismay in that regard. I discussed that I’ve begun to sell my belongings on Craigslist. About two weeks have passed since I began to purge and it’s been successful thus far, but I still have a long way to go. I’ve made some interesting observations along the way and I wanted to share them with you.

1. I’ve now sold eight items (anything from living room furniture to wall hangings to bathroom rugs…yes, for real) and I don’t miss any of it. Not one bit. Sure, this may have something to do with the fact that I’m moving out soon and won’t need these things in the future anyway, but I’ve honestly not missed a thing I’ve sold. Instead, it’s been really refreshing and freeing.

2. As I’ve begun to sell things, it’s become a little addicting…in a good way. I’ve been ready to shed the old and start new so it’s exciting to get rid of the old. Initially, it was difficult to get started. I had a hard time taking the first steps of letting go – partially in fear of the outcome. “Will I some day regret selling these things?” Apparently, all it took was the sale of a few items for me to get excited about what else I could sell. Funny how taking the first steps changed my perspective. Now when people ask me what I’ve sold thus far, I have a hard time remembering exact items immediately. I have to rack my brain a little to recall the specific items I’ve sold. A true sign that it was time to let go of these things that aren’t even being missed or remembered.

3. The extra cash flow is nice. A plain and simple truth.

4. Purging the excess in our lives helps ease our stress and lift our burdens. We can become weighted down by all of the material things in our life. The things we own vie for our attention and can bring slivers of stress into our lives without us noticing.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY…

5. Material Things DO NOT = Memories. It’s weird to me how people sort of freak out that I am selling my things. My things. Not theirs, but mine. Many people have been really uncomfortable about it and even tried to talk me out of it, saying, “Aren’t you going to miss your stuff?” or “you have to hang on to some stuff for the memories,” or flat out saying, “don’t do it.” It’s odd to me. Why do people have such an attachment to my stuff on my behalf – even more so than me? I chalk it up to our human nature of desiring material things and thus equating our measure of material things to worthiness as a human being. Silly. Additionally, material things may serve as reminders of the past, but the memories we’ve created do not lie in the material things themselves, instead our memories lie within our minds, hearts and souls. Memories last with or without the stuff. I’m not saying each of you should get rid of literally everything. What I am saying is you CAN have the memories without the material things. Remember that.