This is so great! “I’m all around more conscious about my spending habits- with how I spend my money, time, and energy.” This was my goal for the year of 2023 - not just $$ but how i spent my time and energy (and, if you think of it, money and time are both forms of energy).
It feels like it’s made a tremendous difference to my life as i feel as though I’m more conscious of the people + activities + items that i spend said time/money/energy on - and i can feel inside me when something doesn’t feel like a worthwhile expenditure. My home is something that desperately needs to be decluttered and organized - i can also feel within me these sorts of stressors you’re talking about!! I do struggle with being a sort of person-of-many-interests with lots of sporting and camping equipment, musical instruments, books, art supplies, incense sticks, etcetera etcetera - but i do think there is a way to be this sort of person consciously. thx for the piece !!
Thank you for reading!! Yes! I totally get it with all of the stuff that comes with the activities. I am trying to be crafty with how I manage the incoming stuff by seeing if it might make sense to rent, borrow, share, or even look at the re-sale value of something before buying it. And it is absolutely okay to have all of the stuff as long as it is being used and adds value. It's a fine line for us multifaceted hobby people to dance on! You are I are on the same thought train for our 2023 goals- I can't wait to see what 2024 brings for both of us!
Thank you for the shout-out! I’m so happy to see you tackle this organizing series — it’s a hobby for sure, and I agree one that can change your life. And there is so much misleading/bad organizing content out there (cough cough home edit) that I really believe it’s a service to share grounded advice.
These are really good questions, Elizabeth! Both are objections I hear often and have some ideas around.
Here is my thought about dealing with the guilt around adding to the landfill: Whether you start taking care of the belongings you have now, or you never do (and your loved ones have to do it-) it's going in the landfill. Not a great feeling. I get it. BUT! Here is where you get to course correct- by going through this process now and feeling the guilt about adding to the landfill now, you will most likely be more considerate about the things you bring into your life moving forward. Think of it as a "one time" cleanse that will set you in a motion that is far more eco-friendly lifestyle. Since you are already eco-conscious, you can do a little bit of research on the most responsible ways to recycle things in your area. Try donating things, and rehoming them to people who will use them. While I don't necessarily condone pitching things hap hazardously and irresponsibly, I think it is important to realize that some people fall into a trap of being a little bit paralyzed not knowing exactly what to do with every little item and that may impede your progress to reaping the benefits from decluttering. It's a little tricky to play these games with yourself, but once you strike the balance of being responsible without it holding you back, you will be better for it!
As for the money. I hate to be blunt here, but it's already gone. The urge to re-sell high ticket items can be totally worth the effort. You can list things on Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, or try consignment stores. I had a garage sale this summer and made a couple hundred bucks even though the value of the things were much higher. I did mistakenly sell 2 items that my husband really likes so I did I have to re-buy $50 worth of things but I am so glad I don't have the rest of it sticking around taking up space in my life anymore! Similar to the landfill issue, I would exercise caution when thinking about the cost of things when trying to get rid of them and strike a balance. A lot of people like to think of a specific dollar amount that they would be able to get for an item before deciding to sell it. For some people that number is $10 and some people it is $100. Up to you, but that's where I would start!
Again, great questions! Let me know if you have any more! Clearly this is something I love talking about :)
Wahhh
This is so great! “I’m all around more conscious about my spending habits- with how I spend my money, time, and energy.” This was my goal for the year of 2023 - not just $$ but how i spent my time and energy (and, if you think of it, money and time are both forms of energy).
It feels like it’s made a tremendous difference to my life as i feel as though I’m more conscious of the people + activities + items that i spend said time/money/energy on - and i can feel inside me when something doesn’t feel like a worthwhile expenditure. My home is something that desperately needs to be decluttered and organized - i can also feel within me these sorts of stressors you’re talking about!! I do struggle with being a sort of person-of-many-interests with lots of sporting and camping equipment, musical instruments, books, art supplies, incense sticks, etcetera etcetera - but i do think there is a way to be this sort of person consciously. thx for the piece !!
Thank you for reading!! Yes! I totally get it with all of the stuff that comes with the activities. I am trying to be crafty with how I manage the incoming stuff by seeing if it might make sense to rent, borrow, share, or even look at the re-sale value of something before buying it. And it is absolutely okay to have all of the stuff as long as it is being used and adds value. It's a fine line for us multifaceted hobby people to dance on! You are I are on the same thought train for our 2023 goals- I can't wait to see what 2024 brings for both of us!
Thank you for the shout-out! I’m so happy to see you tackle this organizing series — it’s a hobby for sure, and I agree one that can change your life. And there is so much misleading/bad organizing content out there (cough cough home edit) that I really believe it’s a service to share grounded advice.
These are really good questions, Elizabeth! Both are objections I hear often and have some ideas around.
Here is my thought about dealing with the guilt around adding to the landfill: Whether you start taking care of the belongings you have now, or you never do (and your loved ones have to do it-) it's going in the landfill. Not a great feeling. I get it. BUT! Here is where you get to course correct- by going through this process now and feeling the guilt about adding to the landfill now, you will most likely be more considerate about the things you bring into your life moving forward. Think of it as a "one time" cleanse that will set you in a motion that is far more eco-friendly lifestyle. Since you are already eco-conscious, you can do a little bit of research on the most responsible ways to recycle things in your area. Try donating things, and rehoming them to people who will use them. While I don't necessarily condone pitching things hap hazardously and irresponsibly, I think it is important to realize that some people fall into a trap of being a little bit paralyzed not knowing exactly what to do with every little item and that may impede your progress to reaping the benefits from decluttering. It's a little tricky to play these games with yourself, but once you strike the balance of being responsible without it holding you back, you will be better for it!
As for the money. I hate to be blunt here, but it's already gone. The urge to re-sell high ticket items can be totally worth the effort. You can list things on Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, or try consignment stores. I had a garage sale this summer and made a couple hundred bucks even though the value of the things were much higher. I did mistakenly sell 2 items that my husband really likes so I did I have to re-buy $50 worth of things but I am so glad I don't have the rest of it sticking around taking up space in my life anymore! Similar to the landfill issue, I would exercise caution when thinking about the cost of things when trying to get rid of them and strike a balance. A lot of people like to think of a specific dollar amount that they would be able to get for an item before deciding to sell it. For some people that number is $10 and some people it is $100. Up to you, but that's where I would start!
Again, great questions! Let me know if you have any more! Clearly this is something I love talking about :)