There are many aspects of our relationship to objects and consumerism that I believe are problematic; like the illusion that something external, like physical possessions, will bring lasting happiness. This is especially on my mind with the resurgence of Kon Mari decluttering. As a recovered shopaholic and declutterer, I’ve experienced the hold that clothing and stuff (second hand included) can have on you emotionally. The idea that when you have just the right things- or get rid of all your things, everything will be great. This is not true and it distracts us from what actually needs our attention.

Stuff doesn’t get unmade, and just because something leaves your house doesn't mean it “goes away.” When we get rid of a thing, even as a donation, it’s still waste. Continually pushing stuff in and out of your house on a repeated cycle only outputs more and more garbage, wasted time, money, resources, energy. To stop this cycle, we have to really understand why we buy something, rewire patterns of consumption at the origin: our internal self. Then make different decisions from that place moving forward.

When we separate our attachment to a material object from it’s objecthood, attached meaning is held within us. Whatever we feel or think about a thing, the personal or cultural value we place on the item is separate from the object itself. Culturally made meaning is not intrinsic to the thing. This means the whole experience of how we relate to and perceive an object, beyond its factual properties is personal, cultural, emotional and internal. This is the place we address the issue from.

When we look at clothes in this way, remove our attachment and reduce the item to thingness, we can see it more clearly as waste or plastic pollution. Objectifying clothing allows it to be tackled more clearly as a waste issue in the same way we would approach a plastic single use water bottle.

Over the next few months I want to write more about apparel consumption, since it relates to a project I’ll be launching in a few weeks. What are your thoughts, interests, concerns or struggles?