When my cat killed my fish, I held onto the fish bowl because I had spent over $40 to get all of the accessories. I held onto it for years thinking that I would get another fish. However I didn’t get another fish so it stayed in a cupboard for four years. That would be OK except I did that with a lot of stuff.
We all save something that we think that we will use some day. Do you remember how it feels when you lose pounds or get out of debt? It is like a weight has been lifted. You feel happier. You feel better. Well did you know that you can get a similar feeling when you rid yourself of “stuff.”
Don’t get caught up with having so much stuff you cannot find anything. Or worse! You can’t find something so you buy another one. Save your money by following just a few rules.
Get rid of clothing that does not fit!
We only use about 20-30% of what we have in our closets. We fall in love with beautiful clothing. We spend a lot of money on it. However if we are not using it — it is only taking up space. Get rid of stuff you have not used in a few months, or stuff that you will not use in the NEAR future. Do not keep your skinny jeans if you haven’t had time to exercise in months! When something does fit again, they may be out of style (I’m talking from experience).
Get rid of duplicates!
Getting ready for work can be stressful when you cannot find something you need. Get rid of the things that get in the way of having a stress-free morning. But it is the same with cooking! Donate the duplicate pizza cutters! Why do you need two pizza cutters? That is the exact question I asked myself this morning. I spent 30 minutes recycling or donating half of the things in my kitchen drawer this morning. If nothing else goes right today – I have that victory!
Rediscover what you have!
When you downsize you may unearth some gems – such as the family board game you haven’t played for two years because you couldn’t find it. That night you end up having hours of fun playing it with the family again.
One bag at a time.
I had a basement full of stuff. It was overwhelming so I kept putting it off and putting it off. Then I came up with a secret of “one bag a day.” I took one grocery bag per day and I put stuff in it to donate. Then the next day I filled another bag with stuff I could donate. The next day I collected trash. I did this for almost two months and I had a clean basement!
If you are feeling down, cleaning out your house or garage can work wonders! Imagine how nice things can look. It is also much easier to keep clean. Think of how much time you will save cleaning when there is less to clean! The bottom line is that the less you own, the less you need. That means that you will spend less on “things.” Try it and you will see!
Another way to feel richer is to invest in savings accounts. Your interest will grow over time like a nurtured plant.
