Are You Holding Onto Too Much Product?
It’s a common problem that today's consumers face. The urge to buy is constantly tugging at us, whether it's something we really need or not. A quick "1-click" purchase on Amazon has become much too easy and convenient for many of us to resist. We buy things and then realize we really don't need it. We buy things and forget about it or lose interest in it for whatever reason, and then end up not using what we purchased.
All that stuff adds up to clutter. And that clutter can easily cost you money!
I’ve got a really simple solution for the problem of clutter that many of us face – I call it "The 30-Day Rule." Here goes: Every time you buy something new, use what you already have before getting anything new. Obviously this includes food items as well as other things like clothing, books, etc.
I’ve been doing this for several years now and my clutter has already decreased significantly with this simple rule. The key to making some sense of your clutter is to organize it properly. But I found that the approach I took actually backfired once I started buying new things with the intent of discarding old items. After all, you want to get rid of those old things, right?
Instead, try the following:
1) Be ready for what you buy before you buy it – Once you decide to buy something, don’t think about it or shop around until then. If something catches your eye and you think to yourself “Hmm, I really want that shirt...” stop right there. Before you do anything else, decide whether this item is worth the price – What are you getting, what is it going to provide, and how much are you willing to pay for that item?
2) Commit to buying something every week – Once you start a purchase of an item, keep your commitment to yourself and buy it every week. This gives you a chance to test out the item before deciding if it is really worth the money. But note that if an item doesn’t work out, this is the time to dispose of it (I’ll talk about how below). Make sure that whatever you buy is something realistic and affordable. Don’t just settle for something because you need or want it that bad.
3) Use every item properly – Don’t just keep things you’re not going to use. Whatever you buy, make sure it is something that will be used and enjoyed. If it doesn’t work out, get rid of it!
4) Re-evaluate your purchasing habits after the month is over – After a month, look at what you bought during that time. If something didn’t work out for whatever reason, don’t get upset over your failure. Instead, identify why you didn’t like the item and decide whether or not you will purchase it again in the future.
Now, let me explain how I use these simple steps to diminish the clutter in my life (and my house).
My Clutter Rules (for people who don't drive their own cars)
1) Buy new clothes only when necessary – Since we move every year or so, I buy new clothing items every year. But I always make sure to use the clothes that I have before purchasing any new items. If my old clothes are just fine, there's no need to buy anything new. Same can be said for shoes and other clothing items. But you get what I mean: Don't buy things with no real purpose or that you don't need.
2) Buy work and school supplies only when necessary – For example, I am a student and I have to buy new school supplies every semester. But if a new semester rolls around without any major change in my study habits or class load, there's no need to buy anything. This can also be applied to other items that are used for work and school (like more folders or binders, maybe pens and pencils as well).
3) Take care of what you already have – The key here is to take care of what you already have before buying anything new. One time I bought a really nice set of golf clubs (I really wanted them too!). But, shortly after that I began to realize it was really a huge pain in the butt, and I did not play golf all that much anymore. So, instead of just getting rid of them or storing them without good reason, I decided to use them. If you have the space to store something and it’s not in the way of anything else, consider it as a possible option. This is how I used my golf clubs – they were easy to store in our garage but didn’t really take up any room at all. That way I could still use them when I wanted (which wasn’t all that often), but out of sight and out of mind when I didn't want them.
4) Decide if the item is worth it – The key here is to make sure that you are getting what you really want from an item before buying it. Don’t be pressured into buying something because you need it or because someone else wants to give it to you. If you don’t need something, there’s no point getting it (and if the person wants to give you something, not buying it makes sense).
5) Get rid of stuff after a while – If a thing doesn’t work out, get rid of it. If it was a mistake and you don’t want it, get rid of it. If you really need to replace something that you lost or broke, get rid of the item that no longer works. Don’t keep more stuff than you really need.
6) Use what you have before getting new things – Do not buy anything new unless you know exactly what those items are going to be used for.
Conclusion
As you can see, the key is to make good use of what you already have before buying anything new. This will not only help you save money, but it will also cut way down on clutter. Take your time and use the tips I’ve offered in this post for getting rid of clutter. Good luck! 🙂
About the Author: I write about my simple ways on saving money and simplifying my life on this blog. Check out my About page to learn more!
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