A Switch to The Cleaner

Just a small thought.

How I started to clutter the whole house (at least my zone at my family home) ? I don't know.  I used to live with limited amount of money all the time since I was a kid, so I have no reason to shop a lot and impulsively. 

Well, alright, it could happened since I lived across a fashion mall, hahaha. Or since I had my first job payment? And routinely get it?

But actually, no.  It has appeared even before I was born.  That 80s-90s capitalism culture! I live to see that people struggles for money.  Money is used to fulfill the needs (and wants) : live inside a building legally, eat everyday, clean your body and your shelter, and buy stuff. Okay, there might be some additionals: school fees, paying for bills, etc.

I realized that TO BUY STUFF is definitely a BIG thing in my generation. Maybe in my mother & father's generation, too. Happiness was called 'go to a shop and buy some toys!'.  I know, it's irresistible.  I'm keeping my Polly Pocket and Barbie collection until now.  I will never, ever, ever throw them away.  Sorry. :))

I grew up as an abundant daughter. With my brother, we were a dynamic-toys-kingdom-duo.  My father gave me dolls, fancy bags, cute stationeries, books, magazine, and all.  Beside being an illustrator, he worked in a printing business, toys and J-Culture industry, plus he's a bag designer--also a fashion designer for a dept. store brand.  My mother is a crafter.  She used to work with a lot of craft person, and she made crafts.  She brought out a crafty creation, she went back with something else. I received many crafty gifts from Mom herself, and her friends, and I made things too!

See? I'm not a rich daughter, but my life is surrounded with stuff!

Surely, I won't blame my parents.  They were growing in the capitalism era, too. 

I used to cry if I couldn't bring home what I want.  I begged a lot for stuff I want.  

Everytime we went on vacation, we has about 70% the space in the brain to think about souvenirs.
Vacation = new stuff. Okay, sometimes there WAS adorable souvenir, but most of them are useless...

The only good thing I can be thankful for now is, everything is still limited.  I got special stuff only on birthday.  No random Barbie doll purchase.  But still, when my father arrived at home with a Hello Kitty sling bag with no notification about it, I'm happy like a...porcupine (?).  But somehow, the best memory I've ever had wasn't that.  Deep down in my heart, the most lovely times in the world was these happenings:

1. Mom got home from somewhere, and she brought me a living turtle to be loved!
2. Brother won a competition in an outbond event, he received a lovely living bunny as a gift.  Surely, he doesn't pet the bunny.  I did.  I loved this bunny too much I named her Siska.
3. My friends gave me a pair of two lovely bunnies on my 21st birthday.
4. Touched a dog for the first time.  Fell in love.
5. Got bitten by a puppy for the first time.  In love.
6. Literally touched a giraffe. SUPER DUPER HAPPY.
7. Read the first email about my novel from a reader!

My best sentimental experiences are always about animals...hahaha.

Got the pattern? Happiness is now measured with belongings.  If you have more, you are happier.  If you have less, you're pathetic.

The fact is, it's killing humanity.  It directs you to greed. You forget the real meaning of satisfaction.
I don't restrict you from buying anything forever.  Not that radical! I myself, is a seller, manufacturer, whatever--to be short.  I trade.  I sell stuff !

But at least I'm trying to be wise.  Since I realized buying too much clothes is not helping.  It confuses.  Accepting many gimmicks is cluttering--not funny.  Having 1000 magazines is literally disturbing your shelf.  Yes, I'm visual.  I love eye-catching products.  But ah, now I have Pinterest to see the whole lovely things around.  I don't have to own it for real.  I love fashion, but I'm annoyed by some fashion stuff I bought with no real purpose.  Or something I thought would be nice on me but it's not.

Maybe The Sims is right.  Happiness measurement has some...deadline.  The happiness of having new stuff at home is shorter than happiness of falling in love. While the sadness of broken heart is super duper distracting for a Sim's mood.  Hahahaha.  Weird, huh? Why people is very busy about stuff, then? :D

I found that spending time to shop impulsively is less satisfying than looking at this face, dude.