Props to those Zen people who can give it all up and live minimally, stimulated by the richness within their souls; ditto the very wealthy who seem to have it all yet keep none of it in their homes. It must be nice not needing things—either because you practice peaceful non-attachment or because you know if you do get an urge, you can have it in a second. Though I dabble a little in the former and sometimes pretend to in the latter, both of those lifestyles ain’t me.

I’m not a hoarder and my pack-rat tendencies have cooled off a little after moving cross-country a couple times; still, I have a ton of Stuff: books and magazines, especially, plus tons of clothes and shoes and accessories and beauty products; all kinds of correspondence, strictly decorative objects, and creative ephemera; hundreds of CDs and LPs; stationery, old notebooks, photos, and journals; half-started ideas and long-finished projects; and kitchenware out the kazoo. I appreciate all that I have, and do my best not to be wasteful. At the end of the day, however, I have too much.

Last weekend I was supposed to move out of my apartment, and the day before I was leaving, the place where I was going fell through. (That’s New York for you.) Thanks to my 11th-hour wheeling and dealing skills and some very understanding and generous people, I am staying put in my apartment, signing an extension on my lease. So now everything is in boxes and I am moving back into a place I never left, which is a little nuts. It is also a good opportunity to reassess what is actually important.

So for this week, I’m keeping it all packed up. I’m visually stimulated by objects and very sentimental about them. Here’s a chance to discern how that is useful and how that is a hindrance, where the line is drawn between wanting and needing, and how much of each side is helpful. I’ve pulled out some essentials, plus a couple fun things—this isn’t about total asceticism—targeting my weaknesses: decoration of the body and the home, reading material, and kitchen things.

Here’s what I get to use for the week:

Clothing/accessories: 3 pairs of shoes, 1 pair of slippers (no shoes indoors!), 2 pairs of jeans, 2 T-shirts, 2 cardigans, 3 tops, 1 dress, 1 frivolous pair of socks, 1 pair of tights, 1 belt, Pajamas (one top, one bottom), Seasonal outerwear (jacket, knit headband, scarf), jewelry I wear every day (1 pair earrings, 2 necklaces, 2 rings), Glasses, 1 tote bag, 1 small backpack used as a purse

Grooming products: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, mousse (yes, mousse! It’s back and it’s awesome), moisturizer (face for day and night, body, hand), eye cream, eye makeup remover, tweezers, emery board, brush, comb, a few hair bands

Cosmetics: mascara, blush, lip balm, lip gloss, concealer, powder, eyelash curler, mascara, eyeliner, brow pencil, and 1 perfume

Other: Lint roller and 2 books

Kitchen: 1 pot, 1 pan, 2 plates, 2 each of fork and spoon, 1 butter knife, 1 kitchen knife, 2 small Mason jars, 1 cutting board, 2 drinking glasses, 2 mugs, 1 shaker cup, and utensils: spatula, peeler, can opener, basic corkscrew/bottle opener

Not pictured: Daily underthings, daily socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, hair dryer, slightly larger food storage container (currently in the fridge), and a Vitamix blender

If I didn’t have an office job I do think I could pare the wardrobe down further. My furniture, small iPod dock, and a couple mirrors are still around. The art, books, and various homey things are packed away. Also, cleaning supplies abound and they will be put to good use.

A week is not long enough to really long for or truly miss anything; in all honesty, my Stuff has been packed away for a while, so there’s a little more distance. Sure, this is very much like living out of a suitcase for a week, which is no big whoop, most of us have done that. Usually a suitcase implies some sort of removal from home, where it’s understood you will be living minimally and improvising, possibly collecting new things along the way. This is not about vacation mentality or starting a new life with nothing. This is about the editing process and examining how we grow attached to our possessions.

Further Reading:
Week Without Stuff, Day One: War of the Roses and Turban Thoughts
Week Without Stuff, Day Two: Spelunking the Closet
Week Without Stuff, Day Three: Progress!

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