I had to look deeply through my possessions before I could participate in the Cleaning Out My Closet Contest because hoarding has never been my thing. I do not hesitate to discard things that are of no use to me, and the only reason an object will remain in my possession for a long time is if it's serving a particular purpose.
I don't have issues with discarding some items like clothes, gadgets, footwear, and a few other things because I have three male siblings who wouldn't even let me put them aside before taking them. They browse through my possessions when they have the time, so it's somehow impossible for me to hoard.
As for items that can be recycled or upcycled, I don't hesitate to use them because there is always one thing or another I can do with them.
| Upcycled | Newspaper |
|---|---|
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One of my artwork from upcycling newspaper
As a minimalist, decluttering is one of my major practices, and despite doing this often, I still have something in my possession that letting go of seems impossible because I have feelings and memories attached to it. The truth is that I always pretend not to see hoarding this item as a big deal, but that doesn't change the fact that I can't let go, which is against my minimalist ethics.
Thinking about hoarding this item while writing this post reminds me of our imperfection as humans, and no matter how sincere we can be in all our dealings, feelings and emotions will sometimes cloud our decisions.
The item I have kept for years without using is the very first television I bought with my money. It was sometime in 2018, and I felt really happy because I had waited for a long time before I could afford one.
This is my only old picture which the TV appeared in
It wasn't that expensive, but I became jobless after renting my first apartment. All I had then was a bed and cooking utensils, because I don't joke with food. During that period, I engaged in different jobs, which included making small chops, serving food at events, serving drinks at bars, and others.
I always ensured I saved little cash from my earnings, and one morning, I went to get a second-hand LG 19-inch TV from an electronic market. It cost me 20,000 naira then, and the TV put an end to boredom for me because, being an introvert, I spend a lot of time indoors when there is no job to do.
In those years, there wasn't much activity I did on my phone, so I preferred to watch programs on TV when indoors. It wasn't long after I got a salary job, which made it easy for me to get a TV decoder, and watching my favorite international programs became a lot easier.
| Back And | Front Of The TV |
|---|---|
 |  |
The TV served me for about 2 years before I acquired another one that was stolen by a burglar, and luckily for me, I didn't discard my small LG TV yet. It's been 6 years now, and a lot has changed. I have a smart TV, but I still have my old LG TV in my store room.
Just like I did today, I bring it out once in a while just to power it, and just seeing it reminds me of not just my struggles then but the changes that have happened over the years.
Reflecting on the past with this TV opened my eyes to the fact that it's the world that is moving at a fast pace and not our lives as individuals. We have the power to move at our own pace, but trying to catch up with the speed at which the world moves has made a lot of humans lose themselves. There is usually no need to be in haste because, soon or later, things will always work out as planned as long as I don't give up.
The only time I had thought of giving it out, my wife said it was too small for her shop, and somehow I smiled because it wasn't an easy decision for me initially. I don't know how long I will still have to keep this TV, but sooner or later, it might belong to someone else.
The need to give out the TV might arise, but I don't see it happening because the TV looks too small compared to what's in style today. Although hoarding this item contradicts my lifestyle as a minimalist, let's not forget that minimalism is all about happiness, and as long as having this TV in my possession doesn't hurt or affect me negatively, I can have it as long as I desire.
All Image In The Post Belong To Me