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From Barcelona to Helsinki and back. I finished my bachelor’s and master’s and moved to Sydney, Australia, for my PhD. After three years there, I moved to the United States for half a year to do part of my research. Then, back to Australia for another year to graduate with my PhD, and back to the United States, with a month layover in Europe, before starting my first postdoc.
When I landed in the US for good, my possessions could fit in four backpacks. Decluttering had become a way of life. Nonetheless, possessions started accumulating again, especially after having my children.
So, I recently decided started the process again — but this time, I wasn’t being forced by an impending move. There was simply a voice in my head telling me that my stuff couldn’t own me, that life would be simpler with less, and that it was time to stop wasting my money. I’d rather use it to go see my family.
But how could I do this without contributing to putting things in landfills, too? Was I affecting the planet as much as I was trying to fight to protect it?
All the intentional and unintentional decluttering wasn’t just about clearing space. It turned out to be the beginning of something bigger — a shift in how I think about money, possessions, and even the planet. |
