There were two problems with my first job and the financial independence that came with it.
It gave me money (my own money!) that I could spend without being questioned by anyone else. (read: my father!)
It gave me weekends where I would endlessly scroll on e-commerce sites and buy the weirdest things out there. (again, without being questioned!)
Now that meant, I had my cupboard, my room and every other possible space around me bursting with new apparels, shoes, stationery, and the weirdest knick-knacky products one could own.
I lived this life as a practice and process and a lifestyle for almost two years, until I decided to quit my job and start traveling solo!
Without the same kind of financial independence, buying just about anything that caught my eye wasn’t exactly possible anymore. From a carefree, spend-all-that-salary-in-ten-days attitude, I suddenly started counting every single penny I was spending. It was a time in my life when I first learnt a lot of financial lessons.
I started finding and saving all of those pennies lying forgotten in the corners of my bags and drawers.
I started using my shampoos and face washes to the last drop.
The number of things online that I thought that I needed to own reduced to some extent.
And then came my decision to move cities. I shifted to a new place and since it was a hasty decision, I had to initially move with just one backpack (you know, the 60L travel backpack!). I thought I will come back for the rest of my belongings in due course.
And then one year passed!
I lived an entire year in a traveler’s hostel out of that single bag.
A year later, I went back to my old city. And my friend, who had had to store away my stuff for that entire year, was beyond frantic to get rid of my stuff that was uglily occupying space in his house.
So I sat down, opened the two suitcases and pulled out stuff.
Clothes that I loved but I knew from the day I bought it that I wouldn’t be comfortable wearing them. But I thought, ‘maybe, some day!’
Clothes that were smaller in size for me because, again, I thought, ‘maybe, some day!’
Clothes that others had gifted me but again, weren’t of my taste.
Shoes and accessories that I may have used once or max, twice!
And clothes that I wore at a wedding and may never wear again.
And then some weird bra-shaped box, diaries from my college days, letters from friends and family, cushions a boyfriend once gifted me and so many such nostalgia-inducing stuff.
Anyway, by this time, I knew I needed none of those.
I was so happy and comfortable living out of a backpack that taking anything more with me now started to feel like a burden.
So when I emptied my friend’s house of all my stuff, there was nothing in there that I took back with me. I gave away 35 pieces of clothing that still had price tags on. I gave away those shoes and accessories that were in good condition. And I felt relieved!
For the longest time, my family has known and seen me as a hoarder. I would buy every single cosmetic product. Buy clothes and shoes and accessories aspiring to almost have a walk-in wardrobe someday. But living without all that for a year made me realize I don’t need them.
Today, and especially because I’m a freelancer and traveler, I need the bare minimum to get around. And it gives me a sense of space and freedom that I may not be able to put in words right now. But for a person like me, the more I own, the more it weighs me down.
So yes, it has been five years since I gave away all of those belongings of mine. Do I still live out of a single backpack?
No, I don’t.
But I still own very little compared to 2013.
In terms of clothes and personal care, I still own things that can fit in a backpack. What may not fit are the books and plants that I’m obsessing over these days.
Would I mind giving them away if I had to? May be. Maybe not. But that’s a topic for next time. :)
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