Robyn Devine donated, gave away, or otherwise sold every book on her “two huge book cases” and now owns 20 books.
I’m envious.
Elaborating how she let go of books, the kicker for me is in the following:
It started with the realization that I was not so much attached to the stories and words themselves, but the physical books sitting on the shelves. Once I had that realization, I began to let go of some of my books, and moved slowly towards a more minimalist reading collection.
I’m halfway through that process. I began stacking books in a box last month — books I haven’t read in over a year, books I’ll never read again, books that were important to me once but not now, books that were mass marketed and still published and available in libraries. I have about 100 books to go, including numerous graduate school texts on public administration that I rarely peruse.
The same is true of clothes and other materialistic possessions. We habitually hold onto things because of an intrinsic belief — but closer inspection proves our connection to the thing is extrinsic.
Holding onto a t-shirt because you like the design but you never wear it is not a reason to keep it. Creating a LinkedIn profile but never updating it is a good reason for deleting your account.
Perhaps it is time for you to downsize, downgrade, or otherwise let go and be happy.
Inspired by this video, 31-year-old couple Tammy Strobel and Logan Smith downsized their California home to a 400-square-foot studio and can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Tammy wrote about the shift on her blog last year — and was quoted yesterday in The New York Times about letting go of materialistic things.
“The idea that you need to go bigger to be happy is false,” she says. “I really believe that the acquisition of material goods doesn’t bring about happiness.”
Next step for me is to make this blog uncopyrightable.
About Ari Herzog
This is really true. Many people nowadays cannot seem to let go of some material things just because they think they don’t want to part with it. I once was like this during my teenage years. I don’t want to throw away simple stuff — from books that I don’t read anymore but have cluttered my room to clothes which I have outgrown but do not want to give away to charity just because they’re mine. Seeing my very cluttered bedroom, my mom talked me into trying to let go of some things one at a time (so I won’t feel very bad if I let go all of them at the same time). I followed her advice, and as a young adult now, I’m glad I’m rid of the things that I really do not “need” anymore, and I’m happy that those things I once had were received by the less fortunate ones who really need them.
Aren’t mommies smart people?
Sorry, I can’t declutter my library. I have an emotional connection with the books I have read. Maybe I am too old-fashioned, but I do like the atmosphere I get in my library.
Your library? You have a unique room in your home devoted to books?
Yes, we have a library. My wife is a university professor and I have almost as many books as she has. We both love that room and our books.
I guess you were right, it was inspiring. How I wish I can just let go of all the things (including persons) I am currently attached with to move forward and breakthrough new horizons, but it’s just not that easy. Well, what I’m experiencing at the moment is obviously irrelevant with downsizing, but the strange part is that I can still relate and was heavily compelled by the idea of just “letting go” and “being happy”. easy to say but so hard to do.
Thanks for the very emotional reading/watching experience, seriously
Regards,
Jason