Should you ever throw anything away?

[stewart38]

Twice now I’ve been caught out by having a good house clearance and throwing away non essential items or tack which turn out to be invaluable to me at a later date

For me a house clearance means going back to a big black bin bag that’s came with me on my last house move and hasn’t been looked at for 2 years (been in the attic) and forcing myself to remove 10% and keep the ‘essential’ other items in the big bag to take with me on my next move


About 2yrs ago I threw away a tacky over the top 1995 Hawaiian shirt and guess what about a year later I could have used that for a themed Hawaiian fancy dress

Now recently I threw away an old ACII property book from early 90s and guess what in my new job it might be handy

I’m convince it pays never to throw anything away

Do people agree??

[Mini Mac]

of course!

sometimes if i've had an argument with dad and he's sent me to my room i tip it upside down find things i havent found in ages and pocket them and then there might be things like old nail varnishes or something and i chuck those away.

afterwards you feel so much better and tidier

it really helps!

[jeanie]

I'm a horder. I refuse to throw out my old TKD sheets *in case* I go back. The new ones aren't a patch on these.

I have put so much to charity that I haven't used for years, only to discover that I do actually need it.

[straycat]

Strongly disagree. Although I am a hoarder by nature, I think regular decluttering is a very important way of saying goodbye to things that no longer have a place in my life - it's very good for my mental wellbeing as well. Sure - there's the risk that I might throw away something I may later have a use for - it's bound to happen - but I can always get another, if it's that important. I think the benefits outweigh these occasional inconveniences.

[timbp]

I used to keep everything "just in case".

I am now going the other way -- throwing out everything I don't use often or regularly (except the vacuum cleaner -- I'm keeping that).

I guess in a couple of years I'll be able to tell you if this was a big (and expensive) mistake.

Tim

[Miss Flicts]

Originally Posted by stewart38

Twice now I’ve been caught out by having a good house clearance and throwing away non essential items or tack which turn out to be invaluable to me at a later date

For me a house clearance means going back to a big black bin bag that’s came with me on my last house move and hasn’t been looked at for 2 years (been in the attic) and forcing myself to remove 10% and keep the ‘essential’ other items in the big bag to take with me on my next move


About 2yrs ago I threw away a tacky over the top 1995 Hawaiian shirt and guess what about a year later I could have used that for a themed Hawaiian fancy dress

Now recently I threw away an old ACII property book from early 90s and guess what in my new job it might be handy

I’m convince it pays never to throw anything away

Do people agree??

That's just two things that might have been very slightly useful if you'd kept them - but think of all the hundreds of other things you threw out that you haven't missed at all. I think that ratio is pretty good overall.

[Little Black Dress]

I was brought up by a mother who keeps everything. I'm now fighting, desperately, NOT to follow her example...It's really hard though. I try to recycle as much as I can and I'm now disciplining myself to go through my wardrobe regularly (although there are a few vintage dresses I'll never give up...)
There's a great website called Freecycle where you can find homes for things you would probably send to landfill. It's amazing what people want. Even if it's broken, someone will want it to use as a "project". I find the process of de-cluttering very cleansing and recommend to everyone - if only my mum would try it

[Astro]

I't sod's law at work, ain't it?

You don't use something for 5 years, chuck it away, then need it instantly.

In my case it's even worse, as I don't remember throwing things away and conduct fruitless seaches.

[Isis]

Originally Posted by Little Black Dress

I was brought up by a mother who keeps everything. I'm now fighting, desperately, NOT to follow her example...

My mother was the opposite. If it wasn't nailed to the floor it was chucked out, regardless of how important it was to you.

I'm a hoarder who is desperately trying to reform.

The good thing about my new flat (I think) is that there is no attic, no basement, no garage etc. to dump my junk out of sight. My pile of junk that has followed me from house to house is now staring me in the face so I am forced to find a place for it or dump it.

[TurboTomato]

Originally Posted by straycat264

Strongly disagree. Although I am a hoarder by nature, I think regular decluttering is a very important way of saying goodbye to things that no longer have a place in my life - it's very good for my mental wellbeing as well. Sure - there's the risk that I might throw away something I may later have a use for - it's bound to happen - but I can always get another, if it's that important. I think the benefits outweigh these occasional inconveniences.

Couldn't have put it better myself!

[~*~Saligal~*~]

My initial thought when I saw the title of the thread - was "yes!"... especially for dirty nappies, rubbish, and other unhygienic items past their "use by" date! ew!

You need to through out stuff - to let in new stuff.... energetically it's a good thing...
(incidentally hoarders... where the heck do you store all this stuff that you keep???)

[DJ Andy]

Originally Posted by ~*~Saligal~*~

(incidentally hoarders... where the heck do you store all this stuff that you keep???)

Cupboards, drawers, wardrobes, garage, understairs cupboard, under the bed, loft space, conservatory, spare room, your own bedroom (in a corner), under a table, on top of a washing machine, on the patio, in the children's wendy house in the garden, by the dustbins ('waiting to go to the dump')...does that answer your question?!

...that reminds me; I really must go to the bottle bank.

[stewart38]

Originally Posted by ~*~Saligal~*~

(incidentally hoarders... where the heck do you store all this stuff that you keep???)

Attic and mothers house

[straycat]

Originally Posted by DJ Andy

...that reminds me; I really must go to the bottle bank.

Making a deposit? Or a withdrawal?

(it's when you get to the direct debit stage you need to start worrying...)

[Double Trouble]

Someone on the telly said that if you haven't used something for more than a year, then you don't need it and should get rid of it. I kind of stick to that rule in my house.

I had a sort out of my kids rooms a few weeks back and found about £200 worth of last years Christmas presents...still boxed and untouched. They are all going on Ebay after xmas. I'll do the same with this years unused presents next year.

It's not that they get rubbish stuff...it's just that they get so much they just don't get round to even opening the boxes of their stuff. It's not just the kids...I've got Christmas presents from last year that I haven't used/opened yet, they will go on Ebay in January too.

[Raul]

There is a big difference between throwing away things and getting attached to them.

Two years ago I sold my house and got rid of 95% of my posessions - as much as possible to charity and the rest to the council tip. I feel much freer with the knowledge that I do not need any of that stuff to be who I am. Of course, people need basic stuff to survive however a large proportion of what we choose to keep are more a hindrance than a help. It is a bit like climbing a mountain and still lugging around a raft that we had built to cross a river earlier on - it might come handy .. and how about getting even more stuff and provisions in case we cannot find the ones we have among the clutter.

75% of the stuff i still posess I still do not use on a regular basis.

I think that we better get used to leaving things behind folks - you cannot take it with you.

Things come and go, and you lose loved ones too, grandparents, parents, lovers, friends.

Hanging on just makes the attachment and the pain worse. Move on.

[Raul]

Originally Posted by Double Trouble

Someone on the telly said that if you haven't used something for more than a year, then you don't need it and should get rid of it. I kind of stick to that rule in my house.

Very good Rule DT.

Some other people have found that they can make better use of the stuff that they cannot possibly use. (same principle, different scale )

Originally Posted by Gus

OK ... its a really sad day (Bhutto murder) but at least this made me smile a bit.

Originally Posted by Baruch

The trouble is, she could still inherit around $5 million. That's not exactly peanuts, though it is substantially less than the $100 million she originally stood to inherit.

ditto Bill Gates of Microsoft

[~*~Saligal~*~]

Originally Posted by Raul

There is a big difference between throwing away things and getting attached to them.

Two years ago I sold my house and got rid of 95% of my posessions - as much as possible to charity and the rest to the council tip. I feel much freer with the knowledge that I do not need any of that stuff to be who I am. Of course, people need basic stuff to survive however a large proportion of what we choose to keep are more a hindrance than a help. It is a bit like climbing a mountain and still lugging around a raft that we had built to cross a river earlier on - it might come handy .. and how about getting even more stuff and provisions in case we cannot find the ones we have among the clutter.

75% of the stuff i still posess I still do not use on a regular basis.

I think that we better get used to leaving things behind folks - you cannot take it with you.

Things come and go, and you lose loved ones too, grandparents, parents, lovers, friends.

Hanging on just makes the attachment and the pain worse. Move on.

I've been trying to find a link online somewhere - but can't find it... but I saw a programme on telly (probably some shameless Oprah thingy)... anyway something they said made a lot of sense to me - in that hoarding items is really a waste of money. The stuff just sits there and does nothing but bring a person's energy down - and that there is probably more value in selling (or donating) excess clutter in your home. Once a year (or more) I go through a clean-out of clothes and other items (usually books). Items are either donated to charity (which makes me feel good that they are going to a good cause); exchanged for other items at second-hand stores (I use this one for books mostly); or sold (which I do online on ebay or similar). I find it quite therapeutic to do a good clean-out - but I have to be in the right frame of mind, ie ruthless, and not second-guess throwing out something. There really hasn't been a time when I've needed any of the items that I've tossed out - so, so far the activity has been good for me.