Ready Blog

I am reading a great book about Rightsizing by Ciji Ware. The full title is “Rightsizing Your Life - Simplifying Your Surroundings While Keeping What Matters Most.” Like many people cautiously watching the economy, I am looking around at all the Things (Stuff) I have and trying to decide if I need it or not. It seems the answer is more often - not. But, how do I decide a logical vs. an emotional argument.

Next, when I realize I may not need something, how do I get rid of it? Most items won’t ever bring back the full monetary value needed to obtain them. Most of our possessions depreciate and are valuable only to us. So when we need to let go of them, through Craigslist, eBay or purely through a charitable donation, we can’t justify the loss of value. So, we keep our stuff. It is an emotional decision really. Logically, we typically spend more money paying for the interest on, repair of, or larger home to store the things we hardly ever use. Kind of a never ending cycle of work hard to get more things and keep the things we have.

If a decision is finally reached to let go of an item, then is it a donation or a possible financial gain? The real value may not come in the resale of the item, but in the reduced clutter, gained space and reduced cost of upkeep or storage. Inherent costs associated with an item continue to build while it’s value may decline. Selling at a loss, may be a perfectly acceptable gain for the long run. It’s also perfectly okay to keep sentimental things, but understanding the why and associated cost are important. One of the exercises I have found from another blog involves a suitcase test. If you could only pack one suitcase and had to leave everything behind, what would you take? Do you really need everything else? It is harsh, and not a good barometer for everyday living. But, the Suitcase Test does make you appreciate even more what you have and realize how much we don’t need some of our cherished items.

One of the tips I found embarrassingly effective from the book Rightsizing was to justify keeping unused items verbally. If you can say it out loud, and convince someone else why you need the expensive dress that no longer fits, then keep it. But in the verbalizing, you may find you can’t even convince yourself. If not, consider other options.

As most families and individuals are scaling back on their purchase of things, or may be considering Rightsizing to a more comfortable and attainable size of life, check out local resources to make your living space sized to your needs. It can be a slow process, but take one room, one closet, or even one drawer at a time and begin to value the things you really enjoy and need. Enjoy what you keep, and enjoy letting go of the rest.