Why it is important to get rid of unnecessary things: how it will affect your life
A full closet of clothes and nothing to wear - does this sound familiar? You open the door and carefully examine the contents of the closet: clothes from the distant past - from your student days or even from school, some colorful blouses, pants that have gone out of fashion, a couple of raincoats for what weather, evening outfits that have been worn many times, a thousand stretched T-shirts, and a separate section for things "when I lose weight". Boring boring.
If your closet fits this description, it's time to get rid of all the unnecessary stuff to make room for new things. So, how to get rid of unnecessary things and why it's important, read on.
Why we hoard clothes
Hoarding things you don't need is one of the symptoms of poverty psychology. The motives can be different:
✓ A person who has been traumatized by periods of lack of money (in childhood or as an adult - it doesn't matter) is subconsciously afraid of repeating this situation and tries to prepare for possible blows of fate. His logic is as follows: if I don't have the money to buy a new sweater, I'll wear this one - with pellets, stretched elbows, but no holes. Do you throw something like that away?
✓ People who have lived through the times of total shortages cannot buy clothes and wear them right away. All the newest and most beautiful things are in the closet for a special occasion. Think of your grandmother's stocks - stacks of snow-white towels with factory tags, while she used to wear washed-out "rags". Leaving the best things for later is a bad idea, because in a year or two they will go out of fashion or your figure will change. It's a waste of money.
✓ Many people believe that if an item cannot be worn right now (small/big, does not match other clothes, outdated model), then it should be hidden away in the closet. The money spent on the purchase does not allow them to easily say goodbye to what they don't need.
The psychology of poverty is also manifested in the reluctance to wear expensive things. The logic is as follows: if I wear a new dress to a cafe, I will get it dirty, and it will be an extra expense to take it to the dry cleaners. Let it stay on the shelf, it will be safer. Such people may have a lot of unique, designer clothes in their closets. And in their socks - at best, mass-market on weekdays and holidays.
Marie Kondo's theory of cleaning
Japanese living space decluttering consultant Marie Kondo has already published 4 books with tips on how to get rid of unnecessary things. Her approach is based on the understanding that all the objects around us (including clothes) affect our physical and psychological state. And those who want to change their lives for the better should get rid of the accumulated junk as a first step. And it is so important to understand how to get rid of unnecessary things.
Marie is a fan of the philosophy of a minimalist and anti-consumerist approach to life. According to her, a person can be content with little, and all the objects that surround him or her should bring pleasant emotions, make him or her happy, and cheer up.
Marie Kondo's advice will help people who have overcrowded closets not only throw away all the unnecessary things, but also learn how to organize the space for storing the remaining things.
- Get rid of everything you don't need. Two selection criteria will help you: a) if you have never worn this item in the last year; b) if you realize that you will not need this item in the near future.
- Unload your closet by category. Divide your clothes into several piles: winter, summer, home, out, sports, bottom/top, hats/scarves, and so on. From each category, keep only what you definitely wear now and will wear in the future.
- Keep universal items - those that can be combined with others. Extravagant and pretentious outfits bought to experiment with style are best thrown away.
- It's better to store unwrinkled items, underwear, socks, T-shirts, and T-shirts in boxes rolled up. This way, they will be visible to you and take up half as much space as if you just put them in a pile or store them in bulk.
- Hang things on hangers according to the principle "from light to dark, from light to warm". And if the size of the closet does not allow you to place both summer and winter items at the same time, then use special organizers or boxes for seasonal storage. They can be folded in the lower compartment (under the hangers) or put away on the mezzanine.
- Fold the bags into each other - the smaller one into the larger one, leaving the handles outside. Put bras with cups inside each other, and fold socks into snails.
- When thinking about the next thing, focus on your inner feeling - does it bring you joy? If not, throw it away.
- Say "thank you" to each of the things you part with. This will make it morally easier for you to get rid of it forever.
If you feel sorry to throw it away...
Supporters of the method of rational consumption of resources and preserving the purity of the planet advocate the reuse of things. They advise not to throw away unnecessary clothes, but to give them to other people. If you're not too concerned about the environment, consider this idea from a different perspective:
- You can not only throw away unnecessary things, but also sell them, earning a tidy sum for shopping;
- you can do charity work and give your clothes to someone who needs them;
- It's a shame to throw your favorite things into a trash can, but it's better to find a worthy use for them.
Recycling unwanted items involves different approaches. Let's describe each of them.
Sell
In every city, there are thrift stores that will be happy to accept your clothes for sale. Before hanging it out in the hall, a thrift store employee will inspect the fabric for defects and dirt. You determine the price together, but remember that the store will add 30-50% for its services.
You can sell your unwanted clothes through free bulletin boards and on social media. To do this, create an ad, take high-quality photos, and take measurements (chest, waist, hips, sleeve length, and the item itself). Do not hide the true state of affairs so as not to run into negative feedback from the buyer.
If you are planning to get rid of new, expensive, and relevant items, do not rush to sell them to strangers. Offer them to your friends at a similar price. Many people will gladly take advantage of this opportunity to save money.
Give it away
The shortest way to get rid of things is to take them to the nearest trash can. But don't throw it in a pile, put it in a clean bag and put it somewhere nearby. People have already gotten used to the idea that they can take what's near the container. Sometimes it takes a few minutes from the moment you put an item out until it disappears.
You can also donate clothes to a church, Red Cross office, orphanage, nursing home, volunteer organizations, or simply to families you know who need this kind of help.
Use it yourself
If you know how to sew, you can easily turn old things into new ones. You can make bags out of jeans, sundresses out of dresses, T-shirts or tops out of sweaters, and shorts out of pants. There are thousands of videos on the web about such alterations. You will need a sewing machine and a set of accessories, as well as a lot of free time.
An easy way to reuse clothes is to wear them in the country, on outings. Of course, not all things will be suitable for this, but some of what you plan to throw away can certainly be worn.
And the last way to use unwanted clothes is at home. It is convenient to wash windows and floors with a cotton cloth, scraps of brightly colored materials can be used for needlework, woolen items can serve as insulation for vegetables in the basement, and an old coat will make a great dog bed.
How not to clutter the closet again
After you have learned how to properly throw away old things, you need to avoid falling back into the habit of "hoarding" unnecessary things. It's not as hard to do a general cleaning and throw away all the excess as it is to prevent your closet from cluttering up again. It's not so easy to get rid of the psychology of poverty and mindless hoarding - it takes work on yourself, personal development, and a visit to a psychologist.
Still, try to follow a few principles when buying new things:
✓The wardrobe should contain 70% of basic items - calm colors, classic styles, without flashy details. And only 30% of clothes should have catchy accents.
✓ Before you go shopping, make outfits based on your existing items. This way, you won't have clothes that don't match anything. Apps for organizing your wardrobe: Cloth, Wardrobe Assistant, The Iconic, Goodlook, Keep Shopping.
✓ Love yourself and allow yourself beautiful, expensive things. Let there be a few of them in your wardrobe, but in any of them you will feel at your best.
✓ Refuse to make spontaneous purchases, don't take clothes because there's a promotion. Unless you were going to buy it anyway.
✓ Do not hesitate to return an item you bought in a fit of shopaholism to the store. You have 14 days to think about it, provided that it is in good condition.
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From the point of view of psychology, unloading the closet is regarded as purification - from sad thoughts, an unpleasant past, false abundance. This is the easiest way to bring a sense of order and harmony into your life. And be sure to tell your friends and family how to get rid of old things. Let there be more harmony in their lives as well. We wish you good luck!