What Is The Perfect Amount of Things?

 

I saw this on Pinterest today, and thought how subjective this statement is. Minimalists, at least the evangelical ones, tend to view anything that isn't useful as unnecessary. To me, it depends on what it is useful for. Some things have a physical usefulness, such as dishes or clothes or beds, while others are useful to our psyches. I have been told that I have too many useless things I refuse to give up, and the problem is, they are not useless to me. They make me happy. We all need happiness, right? 

I was told to take pictures of the things my children had given me or made for me and then give them away. Pictures are just not the same as the real thing. For example, my son made me a dog out of yarn once in the Boys and Girls Club art class. I love that dog. It's bright yellow and soft. Sometimes I take it down and just rub my hands across it, and invoke the memory of the day he gave it to me. He's so far away, and I hardly ever get to see him. Neither of us has the money to fly across the country whenever we want. It's sad that both of my kids chose to move so far away from me, and having little things they have given me means so much, like the candlesticks my older son gave me for Christmas one year. They are just cheap candlesticks, and he probably go them at a thrift store, but they sit out where I can see them and they give me joy. 

So what is the right amount? That depends on what you consider useful, and why you consider it useful. If we're talking about physical usefulness, yes, I could probably part with another half of what I own, but if we're talking about things that make you whole, then no, I could not.

What is "minimal" to me is a lot more than a strict evangelical minimalist would own. I tried the 100 things challenge, and laughed my way through most of it. I have over 100 boxes of things! I could never live like that. Actually, to me, people who put no sentimental value on things and do not need the comfort they bring make me very sad. They are probably just as empty as their houses.