I took a break for my birthday, but I’m still mad-focusing on decluttering our home. The donation site’s pick-up crew is coming to the condo on Friday, so my Spring Cleaning has a deadline. Come Saturday, I hope to only own things that are dear to me.
Despite my zest for a more minimalist existence, getting rid of things can be hard. When I’m having that internal “should it stay or should it go?” debate, I think to myself “could someone else use this more?” This is a non-starter, however, as the answer is always yes.
Odds are that the answer is the same for you, dear reader.
The better question is:
This is what helps me get rid of some of the “sticky” things: dresses that are a size too small (but I hope will fit again if I try harder!), something on which I spent too much money (but if I keep it I might get my money’s worth out of it!).
Understanding the realities of my body and the concept of sunk cost don’t always help. I have to really focus on the best use of the item in question.
For example, we are currently reorganizing the living room and in the process, it may lose this overstuffed armchair I’ve had since I moved to the city six years ago. While part of me has trouble letting go of something that was such a huge purchase at the time, I know that rooms evolve depending on the needs of their inhabitants.
Perhaps the armchair will have an amazing second life in the apartment of a new college grad. That person can definitely use it better than we are right now.