We all have a strange yet powerful connection to the stuff that we own. In some cases, it makes us feel powerful- it’s why we invest in big designer brands (even if we can’t really afford them!) In others, it makes us feel ‘safe’, being surrounded by our own things can bring us a sense of homely joy, and some items are laced with stories and sentiment. For this reason, when it comes to decluttering, it can be hard. Many of us hold onto things we really don’t need ‘just in case’ or because we feel like we’ll really miss them if they’re no longer in our lives. However, this simply isn’t true for the majority of things and causes us to hoard unnecessarily. It can actually be much better for your overall health and wellbeing to detach from what you don’t really need. Here are some of the ways you can convince yourself to part with those items.

Make a profit

Look carefully at the items you’re holding onto- would you rather have them- sitting in a drawer and gathering dust, or would you rather have some money instead? Money that could be used for things you genuinely do want and need. You can sell just about everything these days, from kids toys to clothes to furniture, old technology and much more. If you have lots of lower value items perhaps you could go to a car boot sale and sell them there. You could use apps like Depop to sell clothes, or Facebook Marketplace to sell items to people in your local area if you’d prefer them to be collected. If you need to ship larger items you always have the option to use companies like Braintree Courier Services, for smaller things you could just use the postal service. Either way, you get to declutter and make some money in the process, making it easier to let go of things you’ve held onto for a while. 

Give to charity

Another way it can be easier to let go of things is to consider how they can be given away for a good cause. Charity shops rely on selling items to raise the money they need for the great work that they do. People on a small budget are able to buy these items for less than a regular shop too, and chances are the things you’re getting rid of will be used and loved again. 

Give to friends and familyFinally, if friends and family need help then this is a perfect way you can assist. Perhaps someone you know is moving house, or even moving into a place of their own for the first time. All of those spare items you have that hardly get used- towels, bedding, crockery etc stashed in the cupboards could make their life much easier. Perhaps you just know that they’ll love and appreciate an item you have like a piece of clothing that in your heart of hearts, you know you probably won’t wear again anyway.