Giving things away can often be a challenge and leaves us feeling guilty about the possessions we are letting go of. However, there are so many benefits of giving away belongings you no longer use or those which are simply cluttering up your space. Let’s take a look at nine of the top reasons why you should give things away and feel good about them in the future.
essentialism
by Greg Mckeown
⏱ 14 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
Your Belongings Could Help Someone Else Out
While you might think that something that’s cluttering up your home is just junk, to someone else, it might be a piece of treasure. You never know how valuable your unwanted belongings are to someone else, which is one of the top reasons to give away items you don’t use any longer. Even if you don’t have a family member or friend you could gift something to, think about donating to charity after clearing out your home. You’ll find that other people will be so grateful for your donations, making you feel good about starting the decluttering process.
You’ll Have More Time To Enjoy Your Life
The more belongings we have in our home, the more time we spend cleaning up and organizing our stuff. All of us are looking for ways to get back our precious time, and you’ll find that decluttering is one of the easiest ways to do that. So if you are always complaining that you don’t have the time for the things you love, remove some of the obstacles in your way to start focusing on what’s really important in life.
Align With Your Values
The items we surround ourselves with should align with our values in life. If you find that you have items that no longer suit your lifestyle and current living situation, it’s not worth hanging on to them for any longer. Many of us keep belongings as we aspire to a different type of life, where we exercise every day or have a unique fashion sense. If you don’t need or use those items currently, focus on keeping hold of those that align with your current values and needs.
Memories Aren’t Stored in Our Belongings
One of the most common excuses we hear for avoiding decluttering is that the items in our homes hold our memories. While this can certainly be true for some things, for the most part, our memories are stored deep inside of us. If you are struggling to get rid of an item, for this reason, try to take a photo of the item instead to remember that moment in time. You’ll find that the people in your life are so much more valuable than items, and you’ll never remove the memories of a time just by giving something away.
You Can Always Repurchase Most Items
Nearly everything in your home can be repurchased almost immediately if you need to. When decluttering, we encourage you to adopt a rule in regards to repurchasing belongings. The Minimalists came up with a rule entitled the 20/20 rule. If your item can be replaced for less than $20 and within 20 minutes of your home, you’ll find that now is an excellent time to get rid of the item. Over 90% of the time, you’ll find that you never need that item again, freeing up space for the belongings you really love.
Your Belongings Don’t Reflect Your Relationships
If you’ve received gifts from family members or friends and you no longer use them, you might feel highly guilty about giving them away. One thing to keep in mind is that your belongings don’t reflect your relationships with a person. So if you are no longer using something, your friend or family member would rather it be passed on than left to gather dust in your home.
Free Up Space for the Future
Many of us go through a major declutter during a time of change. For example, if you are about to welcome a new baby or move in with your partner, this is a compelling reason to start giving anything you don’t use away. Remember, when you get rid of one thing, it makes space for something else that will support your new lifestyle. Keep this in mind when working towards an exciting life change, and you’ll find decluttering to be so much easier.
You’ll Be Saving Yourself Money
Time equals money, so the more time you spend on maintaining items in your home, the more money you’ll also be spending. Think of decluttering as a money-saving exercise, and you’ll soon find you are far more motivated during the process. You could even consider holding a garage sale or selling old belongings online. There’s no better motivation than making money, so fall back on this if you are struggling to clear out your home.
A More Organized Life
Do you ever walk around your home looking for something you used just yesterday? If the answer is yes to this question, you undoubtedly know how frustrating this process can be. We would all love to live a more organized and stress-free life, and we encourage you to think about this when you are next tidying up your home. Then, you’ll no longer waste hours each week searching for items or tidying up after them, and instead, you can reconnect with what’s important in your life.
There are so many compelling arguments for giving away belongings you no longer use, and these are just a few of the best ones we recommend you keep in mind. While you might feel some guilt when you first begin this process, you’ll find that you feel more in control of your life in time. We don’t have to hold onto everything we’ve ever been given to show someone else we care. Your time and energy are so much more valuable, and your family and friends will appreciate that you are less stressed and have more time to spend with them in the future.
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