Many are brought up in the tradition of “do not throw it away, it will suddenly come in handy.” The number of useless items waiting in the wings is growing and littering the living space. Our reader shared a list of things that can be found in your bins and that you should definitely get rid of.
For several months now, I have been feeling that things and objects have filled the apartment. I have been living in it for 7 years now, the amount of rubbish has increased during this time, nevertheless I try to fight the excess and regularly get rid of unnecessary objects and thoughts too.
The things we possess eventually possess us, said the philosopher. Watching myself, I ask myself: “Are these age-related changes? Want to follow the popular trend of minimalism? Marie Kondo’s bestsellers? I became uncomfortable in an apartment where all closets and corners are crammed with things despite the cleanings that I do twice a month.
I am not from a poor family, I always had enough of everything. But parents taught that it is necessary to throw away only the thing that is broken and it can no longer be repaired. It is clear that with such an anamnesis it is especially difficult for me. But since I realized that there are many alternatives to throwing in the trash (give, sell, give away), life began to improve. So, I hasten to share tips for getting rid of excess.
- Branded packages, bags. In large stores, things are packaged in a corporate style, rewarding for the purchase with a beautiful durable bag or package. You carefully fold them, they pile up and take up a lot of space. Do you need that many?
- All items waiting in the wings. Not very necessary, so far a random dish, but suddenly it will come in handy if you manage to move to a big house? A beautiful card will be needed to wish a friend a happy birthday. A cup given by someone, it’s all out.
- Magazines and books. I read a lot, I like to buy magazines. I study them from cover to cover, and then I keep them, although I know that I will never open the magazine I read again. The story is similar with books. I have three shelving stacked vertically and horizontally. When I could no longer squeeze in a single book, I collected a package of books and put them in the entrance, such a kind of bookcrossing.
- Accounts it is better to keep it in scanned form. Why do you need a bunch of unnecessary papers?
- Old cosmetics. Have you recently bought another lipstick, realized that the color is not yours, and your hand does not rise to throw it away? How many bright shadows do you have for a special occasion, half-used powder boxes? Expired nail polish and mascara? Recognize the list, maybe parse and get rid of at least half?
- Tablets and medicines. My favorite “boutique” when I travel abroad is a pharmacy. I always buy drugs in other countries to compare the effectiveness, but I understand that my collection of drugs is excessive. What about your first aid kit?
- Old bed linen. When my parents sold the big house and moved into an apartment, they gave my brother and me sheets, towels, tablecloths. For a long time, putting all the wealth in the corner of the closet, I did not dare to part with it, because these are dear childhood memories. But I feel the time has come. Surely you have a similar treasure.
- Notebooks, diaries. I have a whole collection of them. Paradoxically, I can write with a pen and use them. But I am working on myself: I can easily part with diaries that are not filled to the end.
- Dictionaries and old notes. I graduated from the translation school. The husband we met there is also a translator. Imagine how many dictionaries and notes we have at home. Have you ever opened notebooks after college? Conclusion – get out!
- Single socks. Every housewife knows: no matter how carefully she puts her socks in pairs before washing, there will always be “orphans” at the exit. We postpone them in the hope of finding a pair, the result is predictable. Maybe enough?
- Useless kitchen appliances. Do you also have a pressure cooker in your kitchen that has never been used? A couple of weeks ago, I collected everything and distributed it via the Internet.
- Things don’t fit. My silhouette and weight have not changed over the years, so there are no things that I could wear when I lose weight. I have a rule to get rid of dresses and skirts that I have not worn for two seasons in a row, even if they suit me and have not gone out of fashion. Most do not live in palaces, but there are so many rags that the closet barely closes.
- Uncomfortable underwear. Surely there are panties or a bra in the collection that were bought in a hurry or on sale. They make you uncomfortable. Throw away without hesitation!
- Cosmetic probes. Do you also have a whole collection of miniature jars of cream, perfume, lotions and more? You keep them in case of a short business trip, not wanting to lug a heavy cosmetic bag, it grows, taking up more and more space. A familiar picture?
- Old phones. The cost of smartphones is high, it’s a pity to throw out old models. Suddenly a new one fails, then a spare will come in handy. Don’t let this collection grow.
- Wires, adapters. You have a box for storage, but you are not able to determine which device is from which cable. Everything is in the trash.
- Dry-cleaner’s hangers. I hope you throw them out right away.