Let it go….but what if I need it later?

We all inevitably have items in our home that we don't need, but continue to hold on to because...well...we may need it later. I am certainly guilty of this, and I'm sure if you're reading this, you are too. This is just the nature of life. Combine our natural emotional attachment to items with the human desire to be prepared for uncertainty and you end up with 6 measuring cups when you hardly ever bake or cook.

Although I definitely understand (and I'm totally guilty of this too) the attachment to certain items, and in some cases even the psychological desire to hang on to some items as 'security blanket', for instance why you may feel inclined to hold on to something you haven't used in 4 years. If you know its time to purge but get stomped thinking "but I may need that....one day", here is some inspiration to help you part with the junk.

1. How often have you used it in the past year?

Ask yourself have you used this item in the past year? If not, let me tell you, you may never come back to it. And let's say the rainy day does come and you need said item, after not using it for a year or more, you probably won't know where to find it and you'll probably end up going out to buy another one anyway. How often has this happened to you?....be honest. When you're in a spot or need something urgently, the last thing you want to do is tear the whole house down searching for it.

Similarly if you haven't worn an item for over a year, definitely consider letting it go. Probably that type of clothing is no longer your style, or it doesn't fit or you just don't go to events that would require that dress code as often. Either way it's just taking up space in your closest.

2. Availability and Online Shopping

Items today are a lot more accessible than they were years ago. With big box stores and online retailers at your fingertips, there is nothing I can think of that you need to keep for a rainy day other than an umbrella. Let's say you realized that you need something in a jiffy, with two clicks, you can have that delivered to your front door, sometimes within hours. Why keep something you may never use, hoping that you may eventually need it?

3. You're using space in your home you could be re purposing

Clutter leads to a lot of under utilized space in the home. Garages have become a room for discarding our junk with the thought that we will some day get back to it. We forgot the true purpose of this space was to park your car at the end of a long day. Lets reclaim our space and reclaim our homes and get rid of the junk.

I hope these points give you some encouragement that it's fine to part ways with something that isn't contributing to your life. Your life is not defined by how much you accumulate, but the quality of your time spent. So certainly don't waste time holding on things that cannot contribute to your joy.

So let me know what's that one thing your holding on to, just in case.

#declutter #tipstodeclutter #willyouneedit #garage #onlineshopping #letitgo