[William Kazak]

My first year of college was in SoCal. I am from the Midwest. I stayed with my relatives that year. My cousin, who was a senior, had an interesting, to me, shoe collection. It included one pair of Sperry canvas CVO, Sperry two eyelet leather boat shoe and a leather pebble grain shoe in tan. I am not sure if he had a Chuck Taylor basketball shoe in black but he could have. How simple things were back then for him; practical and useful for his climate. Now, as an elder back in the Midwest, I have a shoe collection. I am not sure why I do. Perhaps because I like them and I used to go places and wear them. Humans seem to collect what they like; cameras and lenses, books, linen shirts, blazers, etc. Any thoughts on "overdoing" it by collecting things?

 

[Dhaller]

"If it gives you joy, and it's not hurting someone else, have at it" is my view of collecting.

I'm not a collector myself - at all - in part because I grew up with very avid collector (art, antiques, antiquities) parents. The house was a museum (echoing the Addams family), literally, because my mother tagged everything. Upend a random vase and a little card would tumble out like "Song Dynasty, c. 1100 A.D., celadon" or whatever. I was constantly terrified having rough friends over, for fear they'd scuff a Carolingian chair or break some antique Meissen.

I'm a fairly strict practical minimalist myself (usually whenever I buy something I get rid of something), BUT... that's me and my particular set of preferences. I don't regard my approach as having some kind of moral elevation; mostly, I want to live in a house where my tomboy daughter can break a sofa by leaping on it once too often (this has happened) and it's not a loss to history. Other people with other priorities can enjoy different lifestyles, like that of The Collector.

Well, I admit one exception: ties. My neckties are a biography, in part because I mostly bought them (Hermés guy here) at duty free shops when I globe-trotted in my youth. Ties I haven't worn in 30+ years, but they don't take up any space, so... there's a little hoard of stories there.

(Also my daughter has expressed an interest in using my ties for some kind of fashion look, so she's welcome to them... they'll be happy to be in play again!)

DH

 

[William Kazak]

I have read the books and watched the videos about decluttering and having a minimalist wardrobe. Some of it seems silly to me. Wearing the same outfit everyday seems so ridiculous to my way of thinking. Some of the info makes sense like removing what does not fit, removing duplicate items, removing what does not bring joy because my style has changed or that I no longer have occasions that require certain clothing. It seems to me that problem areas occur when those criteria no longer apply. All of the clothing, shoes, hobby items are appropriate to what I can do or currently "wish" to do or "wish"to go. Also, there is a certain emotional attachment and familiarity.

 

[Troones]

removing duplicate items

I have duplicates of a few things and there’s a reason. After many years, it seems I might actually be attending a year end party with living, breathing colleagues again. There’s a very specific tie I plan to wear, and I absolutely do not want to worry for a second about spilling food/drink on it, getting it snagged on something, etc. So I bought two! It’s a fairly inexpensive tie so it’s not wasteful in my opinion to own a backup. It’s the perfect “party tie” if there is such a thing.

 

[Shehryar]

I have duplicates of a few things and there’s a reason. After many years, it seems I might actually be attending a year end party with living, breathing colleagues again. There’s a very specific tie I plan to wear, and I absolutely do not want to worry for a second about spilling food/drink on it, getting it snagged on something, etc. So I bought two! It’s a fairly inexpensive tie so it’s not wasteful in my opinion to own a backup. It’s the perfect “party tie” if there is such a thing.

That's something good to hear. I do the same too. People think it crazy but I know myself that I'll certainly spill something and ruin it. So I buy a spare thing of the same product.