The Happiness Sale

The central mall in the city has a sale on. They call it the “Happiness Sale” and I realise that it is just that. Happiness on sale. Mine that is.

There is so much clutter in my life. So many things I don’t need but have. So many things that I should not have but have. And yet there are things that I want.

I have an iPod nano, but still hold on to my Samsung MP3 player.

I have 6 bags collected over the last few years. I don’t really need more than two – one backpack and one ordinary handbag… Maybe a third fancy one for parties…

I have more warm clothes than there are cold days in Hyderabad.

More nail colors than days in the week.

More salwar kameez than days in the month.

More shirts than days in a year perhaps…

More sarees than I care to wear.

More bangles than I would ever have occasions to wear.

In my defence, I have clothes from over 5 years ago. Which means that I have not really grown too much either vertically or horizontally since I entered college. But at the same time, it also means that I have too many clothes that I do not wear!

What do we do with so much stuff?

Why do we own DVD’s when we can rent the movie for a fraction of the price at the local video parlour?

Why hold on to stuffed animals from so long ago?

Why do we keep gifts that were never useful or far outlived their usefulness? After all we say its the thought that counts more than the gift. So why hold on to it? Surely you should be able to remember it…

In reality, it’s not that easy to remember. Because gifts are not given just on occasions anymore. Saying the words “I Care” now comes with the attached burden of finding an appropriate gift that supplements the words. Beloved angry? Buy her a diamond ring. Boyfriend not happy? Buy him an obscenely expensive gadget. Kid unhappy? Buy him a new game. Wife unhappy? Take her shopping on your new piece of plastic.

I realized the other day that a card doesn’t really count anymore. It must be accompanied by at least a chocolate. A guy can’t take a girl on a date without bringing at least flowers.

And in the midst of it all, there’s clutter.

The first thought I had when I tried to put the new clothes in my closet and they didn’t fit was, “Wow! I have so many clothes!” In a few seconds, that morphed to, “Hmm… I don’t have enough closet space…” It took me almost two minutes to realize that I have more clothes than I need. It’s not an easy thing to realize. Because we’re always conditioned to want more. And to never be satisfied. And it’s the dissatisfaction that in all due fairness leads to progress, we would have never learned to cook dead animals and insects before we eat them otherwise. But there are some things we need enough of. And we seem to have forgotten that.

I cleaned out my closet today. I aim to ultimately reduce the number of clothes I own to a number that can be remembered. And have enough clothes to be able to name everything in my wardrobe without looking. Clothes shall be replaced when they are worn out. A new addition to the closet means letting go of a similar item. And most important, nothing shall be thrown out. Only given away.

I made a few rules for myself today:

1. No new clothes without occasion
2. No new clothes without giving an equal number of old ones away
3. Ask if I really want it before I buy it!
4. Pay only by cash
5. Do not hang out with spenders
6. If a purchase is justified as an indulgence, ask if I deserve to be indulged
7. Buy all the books I want. No questions there…

Long post. But it’s been a rather long day. Like I said to someone today. It’s not as much about how much as it is about too much…