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Showing posts with label WHY WE KEEP THINGS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WHY WE KEEP THINGS. Show all posts

Monday, June 22, 2020

What to Do When You Want Something You Don’t Need

Whether it’s an expensive watch, a third dog, or a bear-skin rug, there’s a good chance you don’t really need it. You might want it desperately, but you certainly don’t need it. That doesn’t mean you can’t have it, but there’s a good chance you’d be better off without it. How can you know for sure?

Try these techniques to be clear on your needs versus your wants:

  1. Wait. When you want something that you don’t really need, you’ll often find that the desire to own it will fade if you give it time. Whether it’s a puppy, a new car, or a banjo, you might find that you can live without it if you wait 30 days. See how you feel about it next month.

  2. Remind yourself of why you don’t need it. Be logical with yourself. Maybe you don’t need a new car because your current car works just fine. Or, you don’t need a puppy because you already have a dog, a bird, and a tank full of fish.

  3. List the disadvantages of acquiring it. What are the negatives of following through on your impulse?

     For example, a new car is expensive, requires more expensive insurance, and you’ll be worried about someone scratching it. You’re also not sure about how much your boss likes you. It would be challenging to be stuck with a car payment without a job.

     Talk yourself out of it.

  1. Avoid buying anything that doesn’t fit into your life. If you live in an apartment and enjoy your peace and quiet, a noisy parrot doesn’t really fit into your life. Buying snowshoes doesn’t make a lot of sense in Florida. You don’t need the latest and greatest running shoes if you don’t run.

  2. Buy one thing but get rid of two. If you’re going to buy something, at least make your life a little better by creating some extra space. For each thing you bring into your home, get rid of at least two. That way, you’re gaining ground.

  3. Find a more suitable substitute. Why do you want to buy that particular item in the first place? Perhaps you want to buy a grand piano because you love the sound of a piano. However, you might not have the space and finances for an 8-foot long, $100,000 piano.

     A small, less-expensive digital piano might be perfect for your situation.

     A cat might be just as good and require less time and attention than a dog.

     A Prius might make more sense than a Mercedes.

     A sports package on your cable box could be a wiser decision than season tickets.

     What benefits does your urge fulfill? Is there a better way to fulfill it?

  1. Just say “No”. Just be strong and tell yourself, “No.” For some people, that’s all it takes. You know you don’t need to eat that doughnut, so don’t. Some people are better at telling themselves “no” than others.

     Most of us are good, however, at telling ourselves that we’ll begin telling ourselves “no” tomorrow. Unfortunately, we continue telling ourselves that over and over.

  1. Consider getting it. If we only acquired the things we truly needed, we’d have little more than bread, water, and a toilet. Obviously, there’s much more to life than the bare minimum. We need more. Just be choosy in what you decide to bring into your life.

Be careful giving in to your wants. You only have so much time, money, and space. Maximize their utility. Take note when you really want something. You might be leading yourself astray.

Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

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Monday, September 19, 2011

Organizing Your Purse (Briefcase / Backpack)....

You can admit it... your purse (or briefcase or backpack) is a bottomless pit. You throw things in there never to be seen again. We all do it...admit it!

Everything we have is important so we have to keep it. The problem is that we don't have an endless amount of space in our purse (briefcase or backpack).

There are a number of things that we could or should do on a regular basis. Clean it out! Take a few minutes, yes only a few and empty the entire thing. Shake out the dirt and bits and pieces of things that have accumulated on the bottom.

Separate everything into piles, just like in your home. Must keep, goes somewhere else, garbage.

All of those receipts that you just threw in there need to go into a file or somewhere else. It's a good idea to keep a small envelope in your purse just for receipts so that they don't end up all torn up or lost. When you buy something that you might need a receipt for (such as clothes that you might want to return or appliances....) put it into a receipt file. At least once a week go through that envelope and put the receipts in your permanent file or check it against your credit card statement and then toss it.

There are a number of great purse organizers in all sizes that have a lot of different sized pockets that let you keep your purse organized and clutter free. I have a number of them in different sizes that are great to use in all kinds of purses, briefcases, backpacks, luggage and more. Or you could just use Ziplock plastic bags for things like makeup and other small things that might get lost in your big purse.

Being able to find things quickly in your purse makes like so much easier. And you all know that by cleaning out your purse at least once a month you will lose a few extra pounds of weight that you really didn't want anyway!

Happy Organizing!

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Monday, November 8, 2010

WHY WE KEEP THINGS

Having a clutter free house or life is not always easy. Sometimes even the most organized people keep things that they no longer need or things they have never used for various reasons. Reasons that don’t even make sense. Reasons that are not logical. Reasons that go back years.

We all do it. Some of us just don’t admit it. Some of us hide it deep in the back of the closet.

So why do we keep things we really don’t need or even want? For a variety of reason. Most of them emotional or psychological.

But things that we no longer want or need really is just clutter. So let it go. And let go of the guilt that goes along with it.

Why we keep things:

* My mother gave it to me (what if she asks about it?)
* My best friend gave it to me
* It was expensive
* I might need it …someday
* I’m saving it for my children (grandchildren)
* I promised that I would keep it forever
* I can use it for parts
* I’m losing weight and might wear it again
* It might come back in style
* I promised to keep it forever
* My husband gave it to me
* My wife gave it to me
* It has sentimental value (even thought it’s broken or ugly)
* I’m going to get around to reading it (magazines, books…)
* I’m going to make _________ out of it
* I’m going to have a garage sale
* I’m going to sell it on e-bay

I’m going to” seems to be a theme.

You haven’t and are not going to.

So …… get rid of it!


Remember …… LESS CLUTTER = LESS STRESS (sm)


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