What are you still doing here?
In 2015, I let go of many things. I didn’t really count how many things I kept or got rid of, but I think I can say that I purged about 75% of my stuff, if not more. However, I look around my apartment and think I could get rid of more things.
Odds and ends
I have a bin with odds and ends in my closet. I have no idea why I’m keeping these items. I threw them all in there because I didn’t really know where to put these things, and yet, I don't think I've ever used any of it.
Clothes
When I set up my closet after moving in last September, I hung all of my clothes on the rod on the left side of my walk-in closet. As I wore items and washed them, I hung those pieces on the right. Some items haven't moved. There are also clothes in my dresser drawers that I haven't worn in about a year.
Furnishings and accessories
I have empty bins and baskets, a bookcase, a mirror, and a few lamps we no longer use that I’ve put away in the storage area.
Kitchen utensils
Many of my kitchen utensils are still in the box I set up earlier this year.
Books
All of the hard copy books I’ve kept remain unread, except for one that I've been reading here and there for the past several months.
So what’s the deal? Why have I kept these things?
I think I just misjudged the value those items had for me. I went through a big purge. There was just so much to go through that it seems only normal to me that I’d have to make adjustments later on. Things I thought I’d use have gone unused.
I’ve also added to our furnishings since. For example, I bought different lamps that suit our new place better than the ones I already had. It all seems perfectly acceptable to me as long as I don’t hold on to the things that no longer serve me.
So what now?
Well, I'll re-evaluate my things again.
Odds and ends
I’ll box up the bin of odds and ends and write a date on it. If I haven’t used anything in the box by the selected date, it’ll be donated without further consideration.
Clothes
I’ll remove the clothes that are still on the left side of my closet and start over again with what’s left on the right side. I know I haven’t worn many of those in a while either.
Furnishings and accessories
I’ll give these away before this summer.
Kitchen utensils
I’ll give my kitchen utensils another 3 months to prove their usefulness to me. Otherwise, they’ll also get donated.
Books
I’ll read one every month or two, and then I’ll give it away once I'm done.
Final thoughts
It's not a failure, not even a surprise. Circumstances and people change. What seemed useful last month might be totally useless to me now. Time to give these things a new home. Let them be useful to someone else.
I've joined a "Buy Nothing" group in my neighbourhood. Mr. Romantic was the one who told me about these types of groups. It's an online group where you can donate or receive (ask for) items or services. No money can be exchanged for these things. It's a nice way for neighbours to help each other out and to meet. Now I'll get to contribute to the group, and maybe make new friends as I do so.
Odds and ends
I have a bin with odds and ends in my closet. I have no idea why I’m keeping these items. I threw them all in there because I didn’t really know where to put these things, and yet, I don't think I've ever used any of it.
Clothes
When I set up my closet after moving in last September, I hung all of my clothes on the rod on the left side of my walk-in closet. As I wore items and washed them, I hung those pieces on the right. Some items haven't moved. There are also clothes in my dresser drawers that I haven't worn in about a year.
Furnishings and accessories
I have empty bins and baskets, a bookcase, a mirror, and a few lamps we no longer use that I’ve put away in the storage area.
Kitchen utensils
Many of my kitchen utensils are still in the box I set up earlier this year.
Books
All of the hard copy books I’ve kept remain unread, except for one that I've been reading here and there for the past several months.
So what’s the deal? Why have I kept these things?
I think I just misjudged the value those items had for me. I went through a big purge. There was just so much to go through that it seems only normal to me that I’d have to make adjustments later on. Things I thought I’d use have gone unused.
I’ve also added to our furnishings since. For example, I bought different lamps that suit our new place better than the ones I already had. It all seems perfectly acceptable to me as long as I don’t hold on to the things that no longer serve me.
So what now?
Well, I'll re-evaluate my things again.
Odds and ends
I’ll box up the bin of odds and ends and write a date on it. If I haven’t used anything in the box by the selected date, it’ll be donated without further consideration.
Clothes
I’ll remove the clothes that are still on the left side of my closet and start over again with what’s left on the right side. I know I haven’t worn many of those in a while either.
Furnishings and accessories
I’ll give these away before this summer.
Kitchen utensils
I’ll give my kitchen utensils another 3 months to prove their usefulness to me. Otherwise, they’ll also get donated.
Books
I’ll read one every month or two, and then I’ll give it away once I'm done.
Final thoughts
It's not a failure, not even a surprise. Circumstances and people change. What seemed useful last month might be totally useless to me now. Time to give these things a new home. Let them be useful to someone else.
I've joined a "Buy Nothing" group in my neighbourhood. Mr. Romantic was the one who told me about these types of groups. It's an online group where you can donate or receive (ask for) items or services. No money can be exchanged for these things. It's a nice way for neighbours to help each other out and to meet. Now I'll get to contribute to the group, and maybe make new friends as I do so.
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