To do something you surprise yourself with is a rare phenomenon, at least for myself.
Most of my life, I was all about preserving and holding on to items and routines and this “my stuff” thing.

Nostalgic me wouldn’t throw beloved treasures away. Nooo Sir! That would mean the materialised loss of a potential memory or worse: The loathed position of needing something you no longer possess.

So, my archives grew. Anything I ever claimed possession of, I stored. Some things not for very long, also replacing, selling, even throwing out at some points.
Though always consciously holding my hands over the treasures of old, dating back to elementary school times and even before. You couldn’t throw away those things, no way!

Of all the things I own, it was some kind of sediment. Things that were just there, holding ever fading memories and mostly taking up A LOT of space at the bottom of drawers and cupboards.
But it was somewhat comforting, as I knew I would always find something I look for, as I couldn’t have thrown it out. The process of finding was something else, as this kind of archive wasn’t well structured…

That’s how I left home, going to live in another place for half a year. I packed the things I needed and left only the big things, like the home cinema and all furniture. Also, I left this sediment, as I didn’t need it on my journey.

On an occasion I had to travel back for a weekend.
Strange feeling, to have left and still be back in the familiar place. It was nice. As I had some free time on my hands and needed to pick some items up that I thought would be useful at the other place, I started to go through my stuff and slowly came to a realisation: Now would be the perfect time to REALLY go through my stuff.

As all the things at the other place had already proven to be sufficient for living a good life, plus half a day of free time at my hands I went for it.

I just took everything that was in my possession out of the closets, drawers, boxes and dark corners.

When I had arrived, my room was as clean as it hadn’t been in a long while.
Now, it was a total mess! Intentionally that, as it was MY mess, which I wanted to clean up in the confined time I had at home.

An individual is made out of many elements, of which one is the material things one possesses. The nature of those things defines part of a person’s nature.
As often as I found elements of my past within myself traveling, growing, evolving, I still held on to the items that were dear to me way back in time.
But sometimes it can be quite liberating letting go of things.

Not often hours run past as quickly as at times like those.
Also, it felt like time travel! As I knew I did in fact not need any of those things for my life, I was in a fruitful mood of throwing stuff out.

In the end I had two trash bags full of memories and over 20 kg of paper that all went into the bin.
Some things went into the pool of toys for my nephews and niece, some very little items I kept and quite some treasures went to my dad to make use in the workshop of or finally get rid off.

That night I could barely sleep as my mind was all busy computing the overload of impressions I had put it through.
But one thing stood out: Relief! Not only would I return to a neat and clean room, I now really knew every single last item I own and it is not just a blurry mess of the past – some heavy sediment.

Bonus: I can finally use up all piled up travel-sized bottles of shampoo, popcorn kernels and canned jackfruit I once got from the oracle!

Many people do this on a regular basis, which is a fine thing to make a habit from!
But I always feared this. Throwing out my past seemed daunting and never the stars aligned just like at that special weekend.
Now, it will be easy. As the things to clear out can’t be ancient or nostalgically precious.

In fact, in other areas I’ve already started doing things like this the past weeks.
Making sense of all my folders on my computer’s harddrive, sorting my digital collections and even at work I am lucky to do things like that.

It feels good, actually clearing the deck and amplifying the clear view into the future, as there is a significant little speck less to look back at.
This way, my blog’s name is honoured once more: Sir Oliver Evolves!