what do I want?

Today's Zen Habits post is entitled How to want very little - very apt after my post on priorities yesterday. It begins: "There are two challenges that people face when choosing to live a more simpler life: owning little and wanting little." The author talks about how wanting little is much harder than the decluttering and elimination involved in owning little, because it involves an attitude shift.

I find that these days I don't want a whole lot in terms of material goods - what I want is more about experience: travel, fun, sharing, trying new things, knowledge and so on. I have been struggling when relatives ask me what I want for Christmas and birthday presents, and usually come up with something I would need anyway (like clothes), or something related to the experiences I am working towards (contributions to the travel fund, a bigger memory card for my camera ...). I'm also struggling a bit with suggestions for what to buy the children - I would rather purchase a season ticket to an attraction they love, or put the money towards a combined holiday, than buy more 'stuff'.

And it's the 'stuff' we already own that is weighing me down. We're gradually decluttering, but it's a slow process. I love that I've been able to give friends certain items, and donate to the school fete and charities, but I have a secret desire to either a) set fire to the whole lot and start again, only replacing what we really need and love, or b) hiring a skip and just throwing stuff out - lots of it, ruthlessly. Of course, I'm far too sensible to do either of those things, but it's good to have a dream ;)

So I will go on with the decluttering, and resist the constant marketing hype, and hopefully pass on to my children that having more stuff isn't the answer to anything.