The Easiest Way to Let Go of Stuff? Give It to Someone Who Wants It
I saw this post in my local Buy Nothing group recently. đź”˝
And I immediately thought about all the CDs I've seen in clients' houses over the years. Boxes of them. Binders full of them. Shelves full of them. CDs that haven't been played in years but are still hanging around because maybe someday someone will want them.
And suddenly, here was someone who actually wanted them!
I could picture those old CDs being turned into something completely different. Instead of sitting in a box in someone's basement, taking up space and collecting dust, they could become part of someone's art project.
And it made me think about how much easier it can be to let go of things when you know someone else actually wants them.
So if you're wondering how to make decluttering easier, this kind of intentional giving might be the best place to start.
Keeping something doesn't always prevent waste
A lot of us have a hard time getting rid of things because it feels wasteful.
Maybe we paid good money for it. Maybe it's still perfectly usable. Maybe we think we should use it someday. But if something is sitting unused in your house for years, is keeping it really preventing waste?
If you're never going to use those CDs, organizing them and putting them in your basement doesn't prevent waste. Giving them to someone who will actually use them does.
Sometimes the least wasteful choice is to let something go.
Give your stuff a new home
This is one of the things I love about Buy Nothing groups.
Instead of putting something in a donation box and hoping it eventually finds a useful home, you can sometimes hand it directly to someone who is excited to have it.
You might post a set of dishes you're not using anymore and find out that someone just moved into their first apartment and needs dishes.
You might have craft supplies you've outgrown and discover that another person is looking for exactly those supplies.
Or you might have a stack of old CDs and find out that someone wants them for an art project.
There's something satisfying about knowing where your stuff is going. You're not just getting rid of something. You're passing it along. And sometimes, knowing that someone else can use something is exactly what you need to finally let it go.
How giving things away can make decluttering easier
There's another side to this, too. Being in a Buy Nothing group can actually motivate you to declutter.
You see someone post, “Does anyone have...?” and suddenly you think, Wait. I have six of those. Maybe you've been keeping them because you might use them someday. But now you know there's someone who will use them now.
That can make the decision a whole lot easier.
Instead of asking yourself, Am I ready to get rid of this? you can ask, Is there someone who would use this more than I use it?
Sometimes that's the question that finally gets something out the door.
Pass it on
I think there's something bigger happening here, too.
When we pass along things we don't need, we're not just decluttering. We're participating in a little cycle of generosity. Someone gives you something they no longer need. You use it for a while. Eventually, you pass it along to someone else.
Maybe it's a set of mixing bowls. Maybe it's a bag of craft supplies. Maybe it's a box of CDs.
The thing gets to keep being useful instead of sitting forgotten in the back of someone's closet.
You don't have to keep something forever just because it still has some life left in it. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is pass it on to someone who will actually use it.
And if you happen to have some old CDs sitting around, well... I might know someone who wants them.
Ready to pass some things along?
I made a playlist for that, too, and this one might be my favorite yet.
Declutter Like You're Giving It Away is just under 18 minutes of songs about giving, sharing, and passing things on.
Put it on while you look around for a few things that could have a better life somewhere else.
And if you're not sure where to start with your decluttering, try Kick in the Pants - my free 10-day decluttering program. You'll get one small, doable task each day to help you make some progress without feeling overwhelmed.
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