These last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about a garage sale. I have already been de cluttering on a regular basis for the last year and a half. So I was afraid I would find little to sell. At the same time, I wanted this to be our best yard sale to date since I want to do all that I can to help our family prepare for the trip to California we plan to take.
In the end, we hauled four truck loads worth of stuff to the local Good Will.
As I was hauling items to sell out of various locations through out the house I noticed a trend.
Alot of items were what I like to call “someday” stock pile items.
Some day I will have the time to scrap book again so I should save these supplies. (never mind that I switched to making photo books, years ago).
Some day we might go back to tent camping and these lanterns will be needed again.
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Perhaps it was because I recently listened to the Life
Changing Magic of Tidying Up, or that I am currently following fellow blogger A Slob Comes Clean. But suddenly my eyes were opened that holding onto someday items even if I did have space for them in my house – was costing me money.
Each year you hold on to some day items they are losing value.
New and improved models for just about everything come out every year and rarely do older items go up in value, at least not the type of items I was holding on to.
Each year you hold onto some day items there is a risk that they will become damaged and there fore lose more value.
I had stuck several some day items in the basement and when I brought them upstairs into better light, I realized some items had mildew growing on them that would not wipe off and I had to toss them. Had I simply sold them right away after realizing I wasn’t going to get the project they were intended for anytime soon, I would have been able to recoup some of my initial investment.
https://uncommomspaces.com/how-to-get-motivated-to-clean-when-your-overwhelmed-by-the-mess/ I found by doing some research some really interesting facts.
Each year you hold onto someday items you have less room and this can lead to storage expenses.
This has not happened to our family yet. I hope it never does, but I know better than to say never, that word always has me eating humble pie. It is so easy to think out homes have become much too small and either spend money getting a bigger home or money on a storage unit for our stuff.
Its much cheaper to buy back things should your someday ever arrive than to pay either storage fees, more rent, or higher mortgage costs. Plus with a larger living area come larger heating and cooling bills and often higher property tax.
Need tips on how to de clutter when your on a low income? https://uncommomspaces.com/7-tips-to-de-clutter-on-a-low-income-and-why-its-different/ This post has some great suggestions.
Each year you add to your someday pile your home becomes more cluttered, which comes with a hidden price.
I have been decluttering for the past year and a half now. And I no longer want to escape my home. Instead, I want to stay home and enjoy the haven it is becoming.
Going out is rarely free. Either we spend money on food, entertainment, or more someday stuff.
How to cure the someday stockpile problem.
Thankfully the solution to the financial cost of someday stockpiling is pretty simple.
When you are about to buy something new
If you are about to buy something new (or new to you) no matter how low in cost the item ask your self “can I fit the project this item creates into my calendar with in the next 6 months?” Be brutally honest and if the answer is no, don’t buy it.
Also ask your self “how many projects have I already added to my calendar?” And will adding this item to my list be too much.
These questions can apply to supplies for a new or existing hobby, buying supplies for a home renovation project and more.
When you are decluttering.
If you are de cluttering ask your self the same questions, realistically, will I be able to use up these items in the next 6 months? If the answer is no, sell the items and get back more now for them than when you finally give up on the idea 3 years from now.
The key is to be brutally honest about your life and what fits into it and what doesn’t. You also have to be confident in who you are and what you enjoy. Perhaps you thought you could become one of those cool moms that sew up cute outfits for their babies, but truth be told sewing just doesn’t interest you.
Asking these questions day in and day out both as you purchase items and as you de clutter your home will save you a significant amount of money over time as well as put money back into your wallet through re sale.
Stop stockpiling for someday and start living today clutter free. Your home and wallet will thank you!