If you're one of the many people who saves things just in case, I've got some quotes that might inspire you to reconsider.
Louise over on Our Odyssey has a wonderful post abut the just-in-case stuff; she lists questions to ask yourself about all that stuff you are keeping that doesn't ever seem to get used. Here's just one snippet:
Can I rent or borrow it? Everything can be rented these days, from furniture to tuxedos, boat trailers to formal china. We need a car so rarely that we rent one when we do. Bake a cake once every three years? Your campground neighbor who bakes daily can loan you his pans.Holly addresses the just-in-case clothes:
I have FINALLY come to the place of getting rid of clothes that I either don’t like, or don’t fit. You may think that is silly…but I would keep numerous/multiple clothing items around, just in case. Just in case of what, I’m not sure…just in case I lost weight, or gained weight, or the style came back in, or I ever happened to "like" the tacky item, or really wanted to be uncomfortable…who knows?And so does organizer Jennifer Swanson:
Beware of spending money unnecessarily on closet gadgets to make room for a collection of "just in case" clothes (just in case I need five outfits to paint the house, just in case I lose weight and want to dress 80's style, just in case...) You probably have a better way to spend your money.And here are some thoughts from the Flylady web site:
Does everyone save old mayo and jelly jars? "I might need it someday and it still is perfectly useful." Well...I decluttered one of my kitchen cabinets (stuff kept falling out when the doors opened). There were no less than 53 of these jars complete with lids. I do use them occasionally but 53????OK, I'm off to dispose of that extra box of bubble wrap that hasn't been touched in years. And then there's that fondue pot ...
6 comments:
I can relate to the Flylady comment: I just cleaned out our utensil drawer and got rid of TEN bottle stoppers. Special corks, re-sealable champagne tops, etc. Ten! And this drawer was carefully pruned down from our condo kitchen only 3 1/2 years ago.
I guess we were ready "just in case" for a party with ten partially opened bottles left over. Oh, and our fridge can probably only hold maybe three bottles...
It never ends, does it? :-)
Louise, you are absolutely right- it truly never ends. We can make it easier by stopping the flow of junk mail and being more careful consumers - but stuff somehow still enters our lives, and anyone who wants to stay de-cluttered and organized will need to do some maintenance work.
LOL, "just in case I happen to like it one day", that's me. And, how many worn out shirts and pants do I need when I'm at home?
Lilja
I still have lots of t-shirts that I got for free with my sorority or dorm events, and I just can't get myself to toss them. I figure I can just wear them to bed or for exercising or something.
The funny part about that "save it until you're skinny again" mentality actually can come in handy...I went back down to my usual weight after being a little extra squishy for a while...so those expensive pants I couldn't bear to get rid of actually fit me again!
Exactly, Lilja! Many of us need some ratty clothes for working in the yard, painting, whatever. But we probably don't need 20 such t-shirts!
Graduatedlearning, congratulations on losing the weight! If you have a "normal weight" and clothes that you love, saving them can make sense.
But that's different than saving clothes you haven't fit in 8 years, that might not even look good on you again if you lost the weight, and that aren't anything special.
And of course it partly depends on whether or not you have the space to devote to such clothes.
I've saved a few things from skinnier days - mostly t-shirts in good shape with sentimental value. It's been fun to fit into some of them again, and I look forward to fitting the next size down! But I got rid of clothes that really weren't my style any more, that didn't fit my current lifestyle, etc. So I have a limited number of really special aspirational clothes.
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