To nuke or not to nuke?

Two years and almost four months ago, when Martin and I moved to San Francisco, we limited ourselves the amount of stuff that would fit in a Toyota Camry. And I admit that we did store (and still are storing) some stuff at mom and dad's before we left in order to get down to only a carload. We also donated and sold a lot of our belongings before we left as well. Since then, we've lived in two small studio apartments and have still accumulated more stuff than we need or use. It's hard not to in our consumerist culture. Every where you look someone or something is telling you what you need and want.

Martin making pesto, note the need to stack the ingredients due to the lack of counter space.

A few weeks ago, Martin and I decided to go through everything in the apartment and ask ourselves if we needed or wanted to keep it. We were able to donate two appliances, clothes, shoes, books, toys and a number of other household items. Some we had purchased. Some were gifts. Some were things we had brought with us. It's interesting how over time how one's perceptions of what one needs changes.

A flower bud on the kitchen table.

One of the appliances that we got rid of was our microwave. Not because we're afraid of the radiation or anything like that. When Krista, my sister and her boyfriend Tommy came to visit in August, they talked about how they didn't have a microwave. After they left, I kept thinking about how much counter space our microwave took up (did I mention we live in a studio apartment). So sometime in October, I asked Martin if we could put the microwave in the closet, just to see what it would be like to live without one. And we managed. We make popcorn on the stove. I heat my rice sock, for my headaches, in the oven. Leftovers go in a pot or a skillet. The extra time it takes, which is not always the case, is more than made up for by the ability to have room on the counter to actually make something.

Our newly found counter space.

Now that we have de-cluttered the apartment, I find myself torn between two conflicting impulses. On one hand, I want to continue purging and opening up more space. To continue questioning if I really need this or that. On the other hand, I find myself thinking about things that I want, things to fill the space I've cleared out in my internal and external space.