It’s Time To Purge: why you should break the habit of “collecting”
It’s purge season at my house. Over the last month, I have been going through every closet, every drawer and every cabinet and ruthlessly getting rid of things that have accumulated. My bedroom was an especially large project, resulting in 31 (yes, 31) bags of things going to the donation bin. Like many people, I had hung on to things I wasn’t using, thinking maybe I would need them someday. Pieces of clothing that didn’t fit, were no longer in style, or things I had forgotten I bought were cluttering up my space. As I was combing through everything, I came to some hard realizations.
I have multiples of nearly identical things.
Because things were getting buried and pushed to the back of the drawer, I didn’t know what I really had, leading me to waste money on things I did not need.
I won’t actually put that on Poshmark.
This is a big one. I think I can make a few bucks on it, so I put it aside, imagining a little windfall of cash on all those precious things that I perceive to be valuable. Guess what? I almost never end up doing it. The only “windfall” I get is an influx of guilt and shame as the pile grows and reminds me that I failed at the project.
I attach memories to things.
Good AND bad unfortunately, and once it has a bad memory, I never wear it again. As impractical as it is, I can accept this about myself and from now on, I will not let that negative energy lurk in my space.
I keep things because I feel bad about “wasting” the money I spent on it.
Repeat after me: the money is gone. Whether you keep the sweater or donate it, the money is gone. Don’t punish yourself with clutter, but instead pass it along to someone who will actually use it.
Putting off a purge is a bad habit. It costs you money in the long run, and significant mental space. Big clean outs can feel overwhelming, so start small if you have to: a drawer here and there, a shelf at a time, one kitchen cabinet. Letting go lightens your emotional load.
Challenge: pick one spot, no matter how small and tackle the clutter that is taking over. What clean out project have you been putting off? Let us know in the comments!
#cleanout #theurgetopurge #declutter
