As so many, during Covid19, we have been streamlining our home environment. I asked my husband a few weeks ago what he was willing to let go. What you have to know about my husband is that he is meticulous in his care of things. Everything is in like-new condition.
One of the things he offered was a beautiful high-end juicer. Clean and in the box with the original packaging, recipe book and original cash register receipt. I remember when we were together at Costco and he got it. It was a quality product at a great price and would help support a healthy lifestyle. I agreed. But because it took a lot of space and he traveled for work quite a bit, it was kept in the basement. You can see the upshot coming… I think he used it twice.
The good news is that it was easy to list on a local sales app as I had everything needed to make a beautiful and visually compelling listing. The challenging news is that it sold for only 25% of the original purchase price. The surprising news was what I saw on the receipt before I handed off the box to the happy new owner: I finally looked at the purchase date. January 10, 2010. It has literally been taking up valuable storage space for more than a decade. Where did that time go???? If you had asked me to approximate the purchase date, I would have said maybe 5 or 6 years.
My point is that time goes more quickly than we think, and we often allow things to stay in our lives long past their usefulness to us. Some of my clients have difficulty letting go of items they have bought or acquired because the items are still ‘good’ or ‘useful’.
Life gets better and more refined when we have the clarity to let go of the things that take space and are not actively adding benefit to our lives. We buy something thinking it’s a great idea, but it turns out that the idea was better than the reality. When that happens, can you revisit those items and make a new decision to let them go regardless of the purchase price?
My husband (fiancée at the time) spent $100, used the item only twice yet continued to house it for more than a decade. This is not about him making a poor decision or leading a unhealthy lifestyle. It was a ‘close to home’ aha moment for me. A decade of nonuse on the shelves I often walk past. It tied up money, space and time without benefit to ANYONE. We had literally stopped seeing it on the shelf. When we really looked at it again, we were good to let it go to someone who would actually put it to use. If it did not sell within another week, we were both willing to donate it to get our space back and free up our minds.
We have not stopped there. Don and I have been reviewing a number of idle items and we are successfully posting and parting with outdated things. We feel great and are looking to further simplify. Sometimes it is difficult in the moment but once you embrace keeping only what supports the lifestyle and activities that you are working toward, it is freeing and money saving. I hope this encourages you to reevaluate your possessions and to let things go that are no longer a good fit. Remember, it’s not about if the item still has value or is useful. It’s about how those items are actually serving you. Remove the guilt and set your sights on a brighter future. Re-home those things that no longer are used or loved. If you need help, connect, I’m WithinReach.biz