caillou’s blog

every time i move from one apartment to another, i get rid of stuff.

just like splitbrain did, i worked on reducing material that can be digitally archived.

i sold many things on e.bay.

i gave away things.

but every time there is this clutter seem to be moving from one flat to another, only to never look at it again. splitbrain categorized clutter as follows:

1. They look nice and decorative
2. They might come in handy some day
3. They were a present by someone
4. They are still in good condition, throwing them away would be a waste
5. They have low value, selling them on eBay wouldn’t be worth the time
6. They usually have some place on the shelf and only become a burden on the next move

when thinking about the clutter problem, a came up with a definition, that seems to include all these items:

most clutter consists of material, which helps me remember my past. it consists of “memory keys” which are necessary in order to remember events of my past life. by throwing them away, i would loose this my memories.

this, above all, is the reason why i keep some of my childhood toys, a stone i picked up in a holiday when i was 16 and in love, the dictionary my late father gave me when i was 8, my first pair of Dr. Martens boots, the crucifix i got at my communion, etc…

it took me quite so time to understand, why i was attached to clutter. but once i did, the solution was most obvious: digitally archiving clutter

1. take a picture of these items.
2. tag the picture with “memory.key“.
3. trow the item away.

that’s it. problem solved. the obvious benefit is: i get rid of clutter. i have more space. thus i feel good.

but there is a much more subtle benefit to digitally archiving clutter: i can dig into my memories at any given time. without having to go to a stinky, humid cellar. whithout having to any effort. and by having the pictures displayed in my screen saver, these things are always with me

wasn’t that easy?