De-Clutter

The first step towards my itinerant lifestyle is de-cluttering. Getting rid of the things I’ve accumulated over the years. The majority of it is a hindrance.

When did we become so obsessed with owning things? The amount of stuff we each accumulate over the year’s borders on the ridiculous. We spend half our lives at work, bemoaning our fortune at having to be there, then as soon as the weekend arrives we go out and buy some of those things we don’t really need, or drink ourselves into a stupor in a vain attempt to forget how bored we are, thereby forcing the requirement to return to work to pay for the unnecessary things we bought or money we pissed up the wall.

It’s a vicious circle that doesn’t allow the majority of us to escape from its tangled web until we have reached a good old age, bought all the things we assume will let us live comfortably, and decided that 40 years of working for The Man is enough. Only then does society say

“Ok, you’ve paid your dues, done your time, now you can go enjoy yourself.”

But by then it’s too late. Our responsibilities won’t allow us to just up and leave. We’re stuck. We have our things. We’ve got the house, the car, the furniture, the clothes, maybe even the fancy boat that we use for three weekends during the summer.

What then? Do we really enjoy them? Are our lives really made better by the Audi in the driveway, or the 42” LCD flat screen television in the living room? Or is all just clutter?

This project is fundamentally based around the belief that life should be enjoyed. I am positive that in years to come I will look back upon moments, places, times and people as the fondest memories I have. While I may look back and think about a possession I liked, I highly doubt I’ll ever reminisce about a pair of shoes I bought, or a particular car I owned.

I’ve had some of my favourite experiences while travelling. I worked for a few years after university in order to pay off my overdraft and credit card debts and save enough to comfortably backpack for a year. It took me over two years to save the money which made my travels possible, so throughout the trip I was cautious about money, but I knew that if I spent my money wisely and didn’t waste it or buy unnecessary things, I could spend a full year seeing new things, learning new skills and growing as a person.

All told, that year cost me about £8,500 – roughly the price of a small car. If someone gave me option of a new car or another year of travelling, I wouldn’t have to think hard about my choice. I’d take travelling every time.

Why?

During that year I visited 14 countries, saw ruins from long-dead civilizations, swam in both Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, climbed volcanoes, felt the heat of molten lava, trekked in rainforests, worked as a Gaucho, white water rafted on a river in the Andes, experienced numerous UNESCO world heritage sites to name but a few. I also learnt Spanish and met a gorgeous girl who is now my fiancé.

Despite all this, I only have a few material mementos of my time in Latin America, and I gave the majority of these away as presents. No matter. I have my memories and the images in my head. That’s the most important thing.

To really make the most of my short time here on earth I need to de-clutter the way I live. I am announcing my intention to de-clutter here on Itinerant Lifestyle to provide impetus and focus to assist me in my quest for freedom from things.

To start planning the de-clutter process, I have discovered a nifty little tool that will help on the Good Housekeeping website.

I have commenced the de-clutter process and I’ll keep you informed of progress.