Not a Natural State!

OK, full disclosure, I have a reputation in my family for being an inveterate hoarder! It’s a reputation I have had a lot of trouble living down, but the truth is that I do keep a lot of things and I find a kind of comfort in that. From childhood onwards I  have collected things, books, records, football stickers and then VHS tapes, CDs, DVDs and Blu Rays, programmes from plays, concerts and sporting events and signed photos. You get the picture I’m sure!Over the years I have started to change the intensity of my collecting habits. I have started to recycle what I can or to donate lots of things to local charity shops and some downsizing has occurred.

However, I don’t buy into the idea that a minimalist life is a rewarding one. For me, possessions are part of my story. In our digital world, real artefacts may soon be a thing of the past. It is easy to see a representation of a person on a screen, but that representation is curated to give the view that person wants to project. Books,  CDs, Records and physical photos are our lives in reality. Why do I keep my records from years ago? I do it because each one was played, enjoyed and gave an insight into the person I was and, to some extent, still am.

I may downsize, I may reduce but minimalism will never appeal to me! Beware, the photos below may trigger those of a minimalist mindset 🤔 🤣