Over the past little while, I've noticed a trend with people becoming less materialistic and less focused on getting "stuff". There was an article in the Herald a little while back -- basically, people trying to minimize and/or simplify their lives rather than always accumulating more possessions.
Materialism aside, I admit to being a bit of a "pack rat" -- not a full on hoarder or anything like that, but I have a hard time getting rid of stuff or throwing it away.
I've also read books and other articles on simplifying your life, as well as decreasing clutter, etc. Apparently there are even experts out there on home organization, etc.
Anybody have any tips or experiences on decreasing the clutter and "stuff" that I'm sure clogs up a lot of our lives? How about avoiding it to start with (i.e. being less materialistic and "stuff-focused")?
I have a rule that I live by - if I haven't used it in a year then I'm getting rid of it.
To me, the cost of keeping things around for years while they collect dust isn't worth the cost of throwing it out and just buying another one years later. It's like inventory in business, there's a cost to carrying excess junk. Seriously, I know people who keep half filled bags of tile thin set in their basements for the day when they are going to tile their basement bathroom. Like seriously, you're keeping 15 dollars worth of thin set around for 4 years instead of just buying a new bag????
For clothes it is easy, if you haven't worn it in a year, put it in the charity bag. For kids toys, we put them in a bin in the basement, if they don't notice them missing after 3 months, same deal.
By quality products.
Keep everything organized. I find clutter tends to lead to more consumption. If things are hard to find, you end up buying another one.
Try renting or buy things used, especially when starting a new hobby or sport. We just sold our bouncy castle after a couple of years. Paid 100 on kijiji, sold it for a hundred this spring. If we had paid 400 new for it, it would have been a lot more difficult to let go of.
The hardest thing is dealing with sentimental things. We decided not to scrap book but do have a private kid's blog for that kind of thing. We scan a lot of the kids drawings and cards. Hand me downs from relatives are a tough one too. Lots of times they just go straight to the curb. Example a used car seat that didn't seem as safe as the ones we already have.
One of the most wasteful things in my opinion, is corporate junk. Everybody has closets full of crappy jackets, shirts and bags that you never wear yet the company insists on always giving them out.
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Because I live in a 850sq ft condo with no extra storage - simplicity is a necessity imho.
I use my hockey equipment maybe 40 times a year but durring the summer I have to store it and it rgmg that I dont have a basement or storage spot to hide it.
In the end, simple streamlined living is less expensive than being a hoarder. It also makes cleaning the place ALOT easier.
I guess it depends what you have and what your situation is - if you have pics of some of the areas you find cluttersome than more suggestions might be forthcoming.
The one thing that really helped me is I ripped all my DVD to electronic copy, turfed all the cases and book cases they were in and now keep all the DVDs in a couple of 64 CD case binders. I know just copy the movie file to my media extender and play it that way - it good if you are fine with not watching special features, director commentary etc.
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One of the most wasteful things in my opinion, is corporate junk. Everybody has closets full of crappy jackets, shirts and bags that you never wear yet the company insists on always giving them out.
This bugs me. A lot.
In the past 6 months alone I've got 2 soft shells, a winter coat, 2 back packs, a shirt and numerous desktop trinkets. The trinkets just line my bookshelf so that's not so bad but the 3 coats (all of which I won't wear) and 2 back packs (again not going to use) seem excessive...
This thread couldn't be more appropriate to my situation right now. I just decided to leave my job and move back to Shanghai last week. All my stuff is being picked up tomorrow, and I have no I idea how I managed to accumulate so much.
I moved here with two large bags. After two years, I'm leaving with those two large bags plus another nine boxes of stuff, two bicycles and a spinning bike! Maybe that doesn't seem a lot for some people, but I have always been a person to live and move very minimally.
Really, the only thing out of everything that I'm actually attached to is my bike. That's by far the most important thing to me, but the other stuff I'm taking too because I just feel I shouldn't throw a lot of it away and might need it at the next place I stop for a couple of years.
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Actually this is just a place for my stuff, ya know? That's all, a little place for my stuff. That's all I want, that's all you need in life, is a little place for your stuff, ya know? I can see it on your table, everybody's got a little place for their stuff. This is my stuff, that's your stuff, that'll be his stuff over there. That's all you need in life, a little place for your stuff. That's all your house is: a place to keep your stuff. If you didn't have so much stuff, you wouldn't need a house. You could just walk around all the time.
A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. You can see that when you're taking off in an airplane. You look down, you see everybody's got a little pile of stuff. All the little piles of stuff. And when you leave your house, you gotta lock it up. Wouldn't want somebody to come by and take some of your stuff. They always take the good stuff. They never bother with that crap you're saving. All they want is the shiny stuff. That's what your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get...more stuff!
Sometimes you gotta move, gotta get a bigger house. Why? No room for your stuff anymore. Did you ever notice when you go to somebody else's house, you never quite feel a hundred percent at home? You know why? No room for your stuff. Somebody else's stuff is all over the place! And if you stay overnight, unexpectedly, they give you a little bedroom to sleep in. Bedroom they haven't used in about eleven years. Someone died in it, eleven years ago. And they haven't moved any of his stuff! Right next to the bed there's usually a dresser or a bureau of some kind, and there's NO ROOM for your stuff on it. Somebody else's #### is on the dresser.
Have you noticed that their stuff is #### and your #### is stuff? God! And you say, "Get that #### offa there and let me put my stuff down!"
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Both Mrs. Rathji and I are in the same boat at the OP. We are not hoarders but we hate to throw away things that are useful. We just finished a major dejunk with the help of my mother. She was very aggressive in deciding what needed to go, and only a few times could we come up with a reason for something to stay.
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I'm borderline OCD about getting rid of stuff, but for some reason there's always crap accumulating somewhere in my house or garage. About the only things I hoard are cords like converters, USBs, extension cords (lol jolinar) and tools. Everything else needs to be thrown out or donated if I haven't used it in the memorable past.
I just took about 8 bags of old clothing to the Goodwill, and around 2 boxes of books. I am definitely someone who likes to keep things around just in case, but with a move to Ottawa in August, I am trying to go as minimalist as possible.
I try to keep my 'stuff' at a minimum as it just creates clutter and is a nuisance.
For those of you who may get inspired to do a big purge after reading this thread, please try to avoid taking stuff to the dump if you can! It makes me sad when I go to the dump (been there a few times the past couple months due to flooring reno at the house) and see perfectly usable items sitting there. There's Goodwill, clothing bins, Kijiji, Craigslist, Garage Sales , etc. for alternatives. I know it requires a little extra effort on your part but it's better than tossing it in the bins at the dump!
In the past 6 months alone I've got 2 soft shells, a winter coat, 2 back packs, a shirt and numerous desktop trinkets. The trinkets just line my bookshelf so that's not so bad but the 3 coats (all of which I won't wear) and 2 back packs (again not going to use) seem excessive...
Golf tournaments are the worst for this, I get so much crap from them I just bring it back into work and put it in the lunchroom with a big "take me home" sign on them.
For my family it has been a little easier to keep down on clutter since we are in a 2 bedroom condo, but we will soon be moving to a house and I really hope we can keep nice and organized like our condo living.
Go to your closet right now, and turn all your hangers backwards. When you wear something, put the hanger back the normal way. In a year, go in your closet, take all the stuff still on backwards hangers, give it away.
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Getting rid of "stuff"
