15 Comments
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Hilary Mosberg's avatar

Excellent post. I like to call bits of paper "stuff" ephemera which elevates it in the eyes of minimalists (and people who might share your space) and makes it unnecessary to explain why I keep it.

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Millicent Souris's avatar

Exactly. Language is important and that word classes it up.

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Tucker Schwarz's avatar

Ah yes, I too used to have a file folder, which eventually expanded to a plastic tote bin, that was labeled (I love labels) simply "ephemera". I had that going for a long time over different parts of my life. It's a good catch-all and is indeed classy.

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Tucker Schwarz's avatar

Ooff I have so much to say on all of this. I have been a stuff person, but am also a bit of a minimalist. I need to dig into this further. And my relationship to stuff is changing/has changed in the last handful of years. But I do miss my stashes of "ephemera". Thanks for this reminder.

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Lana-Emerald Mary Astin's avatar

I am a stuff person, who desperately attempts to be a minimalist because I travel so much and I can’t do any more lugging around of trinkets! I take so many photos of notes/cards menus but it’s not the same. Love this, thank you

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Millicent Souris's avatar

I think what you’re referring to is what makes us stuff people and not hoarders. At least yet, for me.

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Alicia Kennedy's avatar

In your tube pass, you look like the artist Tracey Emin — so beautiful!!! I'm definitely a stuff person and behind my desk is the evidence, pinned up. (The rest of it is in my parents' garage.)

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Millicent Souris's avatar

Thank you! I love a haphazard pinning of stuff. A sort of kinetic energy.

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Jean's avatar

I loooooove this post, because I too am a stuff person who keeps these little memorabilia and because it brings back so much memory (and also your London tube pass photo!!! So gorgeous).

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Millicent Souris's avatar

What is one or three of your top memorabilia?

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Teresa Finney's avatar

God, I loved Jimmy’s when I lived in New York, a lifetime ago. Thanks for reminding me how special that place was to me/still is.

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Millicent Souris's avatar

Still here and still special!

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Karmela Padavic Callaghan's avatar

Literally just had a conversation with my partner about the romance of that oyster bar yesterday (and I don’t even eat oysters), reading about it here makes it so much better

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Millicent Souris's avatar

What do you get there?

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Karmela Padavic Callaghan's avatar

Oh, I’ve not been yet, we were talking about going sometime soon. I’d probably just get some fries and a drink, I’m always happy to do that if vibes are good

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