Thursday, June 30, 2011

How to know when to get rid of your stuff

Collectables, memories, crap, stuff, whatever you want to call it, we all have it. Tons of it in every area of our lives, yet some of us have such a difficult time getting rid of it. What is it with this stuff, that makes it so hard to part with it? Why do we have such a deep rooted attachment to our stuff?

I don't really know. I'm not trying to claim to know. What I do know, is I have tons of it. I have a hard time parting with a lot of it. There are different reasons for different things. How do you know when you should get rid of it? How do you know what to get rid of?

I think a lot of us, put a value, whether monetary or emotional on our stuff. Doing this makes it really difficult to part with these items. Hopefully, these tips will help you figure out if you should hold on to your stuff or let it go.

Do you have a place for it?~This stuff you hold so dear to your heart, do you have a place for it? Is it just collecting dust in a box, closet, or where ever? If your things are just taking up unnecessary space, you may want to think about letting it go. If it is not being used or showcased, chances are it will remain where it is. Just taking up space.

Do you use it?~Are those items being used? Do you have kitchen appliances that you just had to have, but you have never found a use for it? Bought some gadgets that are not useful? Basically, if you have items in your home, that you have not used in the past 6 months, you probably won't use them. Take a look at those things and really think about their purpose. Can another product take the place of that? Do you play that game anymore? Is that item broken? Can someone else get better use out of the item? Weigh the pros and cons of the item and get rid of the things you really are not going to use.

What do I do with those sentimental items?~These items are always the hardest to part with. These are the things that were given to or passed on to us throughout the years. It is so hard to let go of memories. Remember, we hold the memories, not the object. If you are not displaying the items, you might want to think about why you have them. Now, I'm not suggesting that you get rid of all your sentimental objects. I would never do it. Just look at what you are keeping and why are you keeping it. If you live in a small home, and can't display all of your things, pare down. Get a chest that you can keep all those sentimental objects in. Keep them in one place, so that every once in awhile you can go, open it up and reminisce.

Why are you keeping those collectables?~We all think we have those items that are going to be worth a fortune one day. Is that one day going to be in your lifetime? Probably not. These items are more than likely just going to sit and you'll never see any profit from them. If they are collectables that you display in your home, keep them. Enjoy them, and let others enjoy them. If you are just going to sit on them and they are just going to collect dust and take up space, consider getting rid of them. Let someone else enjoy them.

Are you really going to wear that ten year old pair of pants?~A good rule as far as clothes go, is, if you haven't worn it in 6 months, get rid of it. Maybe one day that jacket is going to be retro and back in style, but does your closet have the room to wait 20 years? I'm thinking no. Purging clothes every 6 months is a good way to make room for all those new outfits that you will find. I always keep in mind that when I donate my clothes, they are going to someone who really needs them and may not have the money to buy brand new clothes. I find that makes it easier and it makes me feel like I'm doing something good for someone else.

My child has toys and won't part with them!~I have been there, many times. This is so hard. You try so hard to get rid of those toys and they tell you, “That is my favorite” or “I was going to play with that”. Teach your kids early that they can't keep all their toys. One big rule in our home is that if it is broken, and can't be fixed, it gets thrown away. That alleviates the problem of having broken toys, right off the bat. Now, getting rid of old toys. I always go through the toys myself and then I let my son go through the ones I'm getting rid of and let him keep a set amount. This gets him involved in the process. I also explain to him, that in order for him to get new toys, we have to get rid of the old ones. I also explain to him that when he gets rid of his toys, we can donate them and by doing this other kids can get good use out of them. This has always worked for me.

Getting rid of our things is always tough. We have these items for a reason and letting go is difficult at times. I hope I was able to make the process a little easier for you. Do you have any tips for making getting rid of your stuff easier?

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