I've always admired those people whose homes reflect a Spartan aesthetic, and I’m not talking about a framed poster of “300” above the bed. I'm talking about those who are able to distill their worldly goods down to the bare minimum, where moving house isn't the ghastly and horrifying proposition it is for me. I remember watching cartoons as a child and being particularly envious as the cartoon characters would, for whatever reason, leave their cartoon homes and set out into the outside world with naught but a few belongings wrapped in a ‘kerchief tied to a stick. Were I to attempt the same maneuver, I'd need a far more substantial piece of cloth, such as a parachute used to drop military vehicles from planes.

I'm a collector, accumulator of various things; some valuable, some invaluable, others possessing no discernable value whatsoever. A random gander into the storage space next to my desk reveals the cruel, yet fascinating truth. Reaching into a box I pull out the following four items at random: a stone Buddha’s head I purchased at Panjiayuan in 2002, a keychain from the 2001 U2 Elevation tour, a plastic icecube complete with LED light inside, and a sheaf of flyers for a music event I organized in 2005. I prefer to think to of my packrat-like predilection as an abstract, more masculine form of scrapbooking, as with each of the items I can recall something of the events concerning its accumulation. I can’t really get rid of the Buddha's head in the conventional way, for fear of karmic retribution. Can't really throw it away, so I guess it may become a housewarming gift. It is really a lovely little head though, a stunning complement to any home or office.

The flyers, and posters, their larger unwieldy siblings, really have to go. My habit of hanging on to the unused remainder of gig marketing materials has reached the point where I have to do something about it. I'm in the process of shedding the excess posters and flyers I've accumulated over the years; saving one or two for sentimental reasons and ridding my home of the rest. This got me to thinking, a pastime I engage in only slightly more often than spring cleaning. In this era of social networking systems like MyFaceSpaceBook lurking on the interwang, are printed promotional materials still essential to attracting a crowd?

The whole process does occasionally feel like a lot of work. Get all the pertinent information together, source some photos & logos, make sure the performers, DJs or bands' names are spelled correctly and that the date and time is right, convince someone with design sensibilities to do the work, send the file to the printer, pick the paper and print quality, and then wait the prescribed printing and “cooling down” period before charging into public places and firing off these informational announcements at the unsuspecting populace.

It may not sound too complex, but that's only if everything goes off without a hitch. Invariably though, problems arise: the designer may not understand the brief, the names of those involved may have tricky punctuation, and the venue might weigh in with demands like including their name and correct address. Then the printer may not be able to open the file, or might leave off the print it with the front on both sides. If the printed promotional materials arrive in working order, the bulk of them make their way to good locations to serve their purpose. I then rely on their efficacy to allow myself to sleep soundly the night before the event, albeit among piles of flyers from past parties.

Posters, on the other hand, are easier to get rid of. Beijing's city planners are becoming less tolerant of public flyposting, which may be for the best, given the intense competion for prime utility pole locations which can make some spots a bit messy. Sticking them up inside other bars and clubs can be difficult too, as few venues enjoy promoting events held in in spaces other than their own. Promises of free tickets may gain you that coveted high traffic location for your posters, but they may not stay up for long.You know you've picked a good designer when your posters are pinched from their locations. But for those tempted to decorate their dorm room or apartment with Beijing music event posters, there's no need to resort to larceny. I've got more than enough to go around.