* Old clothes- You’re saving clothes that fit five years ago for when you drop that elusive twenty pounds. Chuck it. Donate it to one of the many needy causes out there. Drop it in a church bin. Whatever. Make it leave. It doesn’t matter that it was once expensive. If it’s not useful to you, how much is it worth? And shoes? Really. Look at all your shoes and tell me you’re really using all of them. Keep your Top 5 pair.
* Books- I just heard you gasp. Yes, you bibliophiles. There are books on your shelf — I know this as well as I know my name — that you will never refer to again, and that aren’t especially valuable. Donate them to the library. Get your kids to sell them on Amazon.com or eBay for summer money. Whatever. But really take a look at your shelf and ask yourself just which books you really use for reference, or keep because you know you’ll reread the story again, and then determine which you’re keeping “just in case someone wants to borrow them.” Chuck the latter. Everyone has access to books. If you feel really bad, ship the books to a developing nation program (Anyone here have good links to such?)
* Electronics- Do you have a seven year old camcorder that you used a lot when you first got it, but haven’t even charged the battery in well over a year? Give that to a school. Let kids use it for producing movies. It’s out of date. It’s not useful any more. Cheaper, smaller, better, faster ones exist. Feeling like you’re throwing away money? Try selling it on eBay and see what it’s worth.
* Dishes, Pots, Pans- Some folks keep things around “just in case” they need it. Consider how much stuff is in your home and really give that another look. Do you think you’ll be deep frying dough again any time soon? Do you need twenty glasses in case you have a party like the one you had four years ago? Donate this. Plenty of people can make use of it.
* Old computers- You want to do something great for your community? Take all your old, functioning computers, throw Ubuntu linux on them, and give them away to various community services. Give the working peripherals away, too. You’ve got your system. What are you really going to do with those other clunkers?
* Furniture- Some folks keep furniture around for “just in case” as well. I think this all stems back to a time when things weren’t so readily avaialble, but ask yourself: when was the last time you needed an emergency dresser or extra kitchen chair? The world economy is built for such emergencies these days. You need something quick and cheap? Go to WalMart or IKEA or your local craftsperson of note. Donate the old stuff in your house to people starting out families or who’ve survived a fire, or who otherwise need the stuff.
It’s not what these things cost you when you bought them that determines their value. But if you start looking around your home (or your business for that matter), you’ll find that there are things that linger in your home that cost you something else: ease of use of your home, extra expense (for instance, if you have to rent a storage space because your house is so cluttered), upkeep time when doing housework. There are costs related to those things sitting in your house for free, and I argue that more often than not, they outweigh the benefit of having such things around “in case you need them.”
Finally, try this as a method for determining what should go: pretend your house has suffered a terrible fire or flood. What would you wish above all else survived the experience? Everything on your list that didn’t qualify for that question? Chuck it.
–Chris Brogan tries hard to simplify through reduction and editing, including cutting back on superfluous words on his posts at [chrisbrogan.com].
posted by sandl
over 2 years ago
A great post. Reducing all my stuff has given me a new freedom from THINGS.
Very timely! It is cold now...all over the country. It's time to go through those coats and sweaters and sweatshirts and find some gently used ones to give to those who are without, and maybe living outside. We all have so many things that surely each of us can find something to share with someone who has nothing, or practically nothing.
If it helps, don't think of it as "throwing away" good stuff, think of it as "sharing" with someone who needs it more than you do.
It's a win/win: somebody feels warm and cozy and YOU feel good about helping......AND you decluttered, too!
Cali
Yes I need to de-clutter. I'm one of those who think what if I need....or just in case.... I did get rid of my clothes that don't fit anymore because I know if I ever lose all this weight I'll want something new!
Thank you for this post! It's something I need right now. My mom has been thinking of moving closer to where we live, but has been putting it off because she has so much STUFF! Last week she broke her hip and is recovering in the hospital. Her house has a lot of stairs, so she may have to move here sooner than she thought. I'm going out there as soon as she's released from the hospital and while I'm there I hope to help her at least start to go through her stuff and decide what can go. She doesn't like to let things go when "it's still perfectly good", but if we take it to a used store or something instead of the dump, she might let more of it go! Some of it is over 30 years old!
Thanks for the article. I too need to divest myself of "stuff." I live in a small house now and I need to think along the lines of "one thing in - one thing out." I like small "old" houses.
Rae60 posted in a different thread something that I think is important. Do not move stuff from one room to another. I used to do that thinking that some how if I moved the thing from one place to another I wouldn't have to deal with the keep or toss issue. I moved the same stuff from room to room for weeks. I finally got so sick of having to handle it again and again, I tossed it. What a wasted effort to just move stuff around!
I have become an obsessive minimalist. I went through the declutter process a few years ago and promised myself I would never have to do it again. I am keeping that promise.
SharonGray1- I have two things that may help with your mother's issues.
Her attachment to the things is not "The Things" it is the memories. Get a photo album and take pictures, have her write a memory to go with the photo and she can keep that instead of the actual item. Years later you and your siblings will value her writings. Special things can be kept and put in shadow boxes as art for her new space. That way the new space will feel like hers.
In advance of the time to clear things out, seek out charities to give the things to. Some like Habitat's re-store will pick up. That way she is not letting her things go to the junk. She can also say that her things still had a value and were doing good for whatever project the charity supports.
These may take some of the sting away for her.
I worked yesterday, seeing patients in their homes. One family I saw has practically nothing. They cannot afford their medications, much less food and clothing. It was heart wrenching!
Please, get rid of your clutter by giving usable things to charities in your area. Not only is that old coat, or those shoes, or that frying pan taking up your valuable space, but there is someone, somewhere who desperately needs it!
Please, do it sooner, rather than later. Someone is cold and hungry, right NOW!
Cali
Thanks Cali!!
Lets start a holiday donation drive.
I will put a sticky about it at the top of the page and members can put up ideas about where to donate or things that they are donating.
We will have a group Christmas of Giving!!!
