We, Filipinos have the tendency to hoard things like luxury bags, antiques, and kitchen equipment. We are also prone to keeping stuff for years and years.
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Unfortunately, overspending and overstocking on things eats up space in the closet and clutters our home. All those racks and piles of stuff really just add a layer of unneeded stress to our lives.
Source: www.istockphoto.com
Clutter has been found to overload our minds with too much stimuli, because there’s simply too many things everywhere. This forces our brain to process information that aren’t necessarily important.
Clutter also takes away opportunities for alternative uses of the space, especially if you’re living in a small home or apartment.
Homemaker blogger, Chrissy Halton, explains it simply,
“The main advantage of decluttering is that it makes your environment less busy so you can find and use those things that matter to you, without having to work around the rest.”
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Decluttering has been gaining attention in the Philippines. Professional home organiser, Marie Kondo’s best-selling book, “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, has created a movement in the country with it’s simple explanation on how to only keep only the things that spark joy.
So, how do you decide what to keep and what to throw? Which of your belongings will make the cut?
Be Ruthless
Organize and know when to let go. It’s time to take charge of your own life. You’re the boss and you get to decide what stays and what goes, which of your belongings empower you and which ones are holding you back.
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Be objective, and most importantly be firm about your decision. Remember you don’t work for your items, your items work for you. Ask yourself key questions such as:
“Have I actually used it?”
“Do I still have use for this?”
“Does it still fit my lifestyle?.”
“Does it still fit me?”
“Does this item bring me happiness?”
If any of these questions are answered with a “No”, seriously consider why you might want to hang on to this item. Perhaps this item has served its purpose and it’s time for you to move on to newer, better things.
Source: instagram.com/bryansochayseng
With these questions, you’ll get a clearer picture of which things still deserve a spot inside your room.
26-year old Janina Manipol shares how she keeps her life in order. “Generally, I’m an organized person so the only reason why I would want to hold to my things is when it’s something really valuable to me that I can’t let go off or throw away like old letters and photos.”
Throw? Donate? Sell?
You’ve gone through all your possessions and now what do you do with all the junk?
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The quickest and easiest method is to simply throw them away.
Some things are a no-brainer, they don’t work anymore or are broken, but as you look through the pile, it pains your heart to see a certain items end up in a landfill. It could be a brand-new lamp that was a corporate gift, or a copy of a book that you already owned.
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To make the letting go process easier you might opt to donate your previous possessions to charity, to another family member, or to a friend. Doing this act will make you feel good, but also make the recipient happy as well.
But when you stop think about it, you have so much stuff and only so many friends. Would they really appreciate all this stuff you’ve trying to get rid of?
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You can consider selling some of these items, especially if they are still in working order. You once loved it, and now, another person can love it and form their own memories with your pre-loved item.
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Imagine, you might just grant the wish of a girl who’s been hoping to buy a Gucci handbag for her birthday, or a young couple looking for a lamp to light up their new home. You would not only be making someone else happier but you get to turn your pre-loved items into cash.
Stay-at-home mum and mother of four, Rhonellen Angodung shares how apps like Carousell helps her keep the house in order.
Source: Pexels.com
“I figured that most items on Carousell are preloved clothes so I thought about selling some of my preloved clothes as well as my kids' outgrown clothes. To my surprise, my first buyer bought all my 4 year old son's preloved clothes. So that's where my Carousell journey started.”
Starting afresh
Here’s another great thing about letting go: you make room for a new adventure. If you’ve sold your things, perhaps you can use the money to buy something that your home or life really needs, such as that getaway you’ve been meaning to take to recharge yourself.
Or you could even browse on sites like Carousell, there’s a whole boatload of great things you can find on the marketplace. Who knows maybe somebody else is looking to offload an item you’ve had your heart on for the longest time on Carousell as well.
Are you finally ready to let go? Let’s do it!
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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