the reverse shopping bag blog post / by Katherine Hajer

 

You know those YouTube videos people post where they show off all the stuff they bought on their last shopping trip? My nieces love watching them, and although conspicuous consumption isn't really my cup of tea, I have to admit there's something weirdly compelling about them. I watched one with Niece the Elder where someone unwrapped about two dozen Kinder Eggs, pausing to show off what prize they got inside each one. The joy of surprise and discovery really came across.

Me, I live in a 60 square metre apartment that is always cluttered no matter what I do. Okay, mostly I read Apartment Therapy and wish I could get more organised, but last year I got rid of a lot of stuff, and this year I'm doing it again. There are ten days between today and Yule, and I've set myself a challenge to get rid of at least ten items per day.

The sad thing is, a hundred fewer things will not get me anywhere near the ultra-neat spaces featured in Apartment Therapy, but I like to tell myself that's because they hide all their stuff at their friends' apartments for the photo shoots.

I'm starting with an obvious target: like any respectable book lover, I have far too many books. Here are the ones which got collected and moved down to the book exchange in my building's recycling room today.