’ve been doing a lot of research in the area of de-cluttering and I’ve been covering organisation and productivity on Smaggle for years now. One of the main issues a lot of Smaggle readers have is being given permission to get rid of items they’re no longer using. It feels like a waste of money and a waste of stuff, so most people resist it. The solution is simple though: If the item is usable, donate it to charity, if it’s not throw it away. That crusty plastic container will end up as landfill eventually so you might as well ditch it now. If you’re having guilt about throwing away a lot of stuff (and we all should have guilt – we’re a very wasteful society) make a promise for every item you throw away, that you will either do without a replacement, or replace it very thoughtfully. For example for every crusty plastic container I throw away, I’m only allowed to replace it with good quality Tupperware (actual Tupperware – that stuff is indestructible) or glass Pyrex containers which last a lot longer. They’re a lot more expensive but you don’t replace them as often and you’ll have far less guilt than you would if you throw away a $4 supermarket container every few months. With that in mind, here are 5 ways you can downsize and simplify your life.
Get rid of excess baggage
I used to have an entire wardrobe full of handbags. Beautiful clutches, leather shoulder bags and more designer shopping totes than I knew what to do with and I never used any of them. I’ve recently donated all my excess bags to charity. I now have one backpack, one shoulder bag and one clutch bag and it’s honestly all I need.
Get rid of any books you will never read again
This can be hard for book lovers but there’s no point in having a house full of books you will never look at again. I recently recycled a whole lot of of university text books because they’re actually useless and I’m never going to re-read my pedagogical behaviour study text from 2004. It cost me $90 but none of the information in it is relevant anymore. It had to go. I know it hurts to get rid of books but they’re just dead weight unless you look at them regularly. You can totally keep your dog-eared Roald Dahl books but that self help book you got given in 2009 and never read can totally be given to charity or given to your library if they accept books.
Embrace the fact that boxing wasn’t your thing
If you bought boxing gloves ten years ago and haven’t used them since, give them to charity. Yes they were probably very expensive but that’s no excuse to have them knocking around in your wardrobe, annoying you every time you go to get something. Ditch them. Note: If you have boxing gloves you use every day obviously keep them. Pro Tip: If you’re going to start a new sport or gym regime, look on Gumtree for second hand equipment. It might not be much cheaper than new stuff but if you’re only going to use it for a couple of months, you might as well get it second hand. That way you can donate it to charity in a few months time, totally guilt free with out increasing your waste creation.
Let go of novelty gadgets… and stop buying them in the first place
That Hello Kitty rice mould was super fun to use that one time you made sushi but if you’re not using it, donate it to charity. Same goes for those weird dolphin and turtle shaped back massagers everyone had ten years ago. If you’re not using it most days, ditch it.
Tip: Don’t buy this stuff to begin with. No one needs a weird cutter thing that turns carrots into roses. There’s a reason why we call these ‘impulse’ purchases because if you thought about it for a day, there’s no way you’d buy it. If you go to buy something like this, try waiting a few hours before laying down your cash. You’ll probably change your mind.
CDs and DVDs
Four years ago, I got rid of all of my CDs and DVDs and I don’t think I’ve touched a disc since then, nor have I missed it. If you spend most of your TV time watching Netflix or Foxtel, it’s time to ditch the discs. It’s really hard – I get it. I threw away my Alanis Morrisette Jagged Little Pill album. It was all scratched and hadn’t played well in years and I had the whole album on my iPhone anyway. I can remember going to Sanity at the Tuggeranong Hyperdome and laying down my $30 to buy it (that was a serious amount of coin back then) so getting rid of it was tough but I haven’t regretted it. It was a physical tie to a time in my life that I will never forget – my teenage years. I don’t need a raggedy and useless old CD to remind me of that.
Oh and if you need a little bit of guidance I have a free 7 day Cut The Crap course to help you do just that. Sign up here to get all the bits and pieces you need to clear your life of crap over the next 7 days.
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Do you struggle to get rid of things? Are you a hoarder or a chucker?
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