11 tips to help you say goodbye to your possessions and free yourself
Hi folks, Thank you for thinking of yourself and visiting my blog. Through this lengthy article, I hope to show you a new perspective on life that will show you how simple it is to be happy and break free from your mental shackles.
This year, I was introduced to the concept of “minimalism” through Fumio Sasaki’s book “Goodbye Things.” For those who have never heard of this term, here is Massimo Vingelli’s definition.
“Minimalism is an attitude, a way of being.” It is a fundamental reaction against noise, visual noise, disorder, and vulgarity. Minimalism is the pursuit of the essence of things rather than their appearance.” Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? A minimalist, in my opinion, is someone who knows what is important and discards the rest.
Our worth is not determined by the sum of our possessions. Possessions can only make us happy for a short time. All of the unnecessary material objects or clutter used to be money… and all of the money we earn to buy these possessions used to be time. Time is synonymous with freedom.
I had no idea and had always aspired to live a so-called lavish life filled with objects. Because I assumed that these objects would bring me joy in the same way that they bring joy to everyone else. We frequently believe that because our reality is so far removed from our ideal lifestyle, we must have suffered some misfortune along the way. But that only makes us unhappy. Our prized possessions are slowly but steadily killing us mentally.
Today, I’ll share 11 tips that I use to help you say goodbye to your possessions and free yourself from your burdens in a series of simple small steps:
1: Let go of the notion that you can't get rid of your possessions.
There is no such thing as a person whose nature will not allow them to discard their possessions. We only believe we are unable to let go of our possessions. “Learned helplessness” is a psychological term that can explain what’s going on here.
We can get rid of things (or habits), but we’ve given up trying due to a string of failures. But we can all part with our belongings; we just need to understand why we haven’t been able to do so in the past. It’s not because of your nature; thus, you’re not to blame. You’re simply inexperienced, that’s all. You’re not used to getting rid of your belongings, and you’ve grown accustomed to keeping them.
2: When something is discarded, you gain more than you lose.
Though it may appear that reducing your possessions means you’re missing out on something, I believe it’s important to reset our expectations on that front, There are more benefits to getting rid of excess than you might think: time, space, freedom, and energy, to name a few. Let me just tell you that the list of benefits is truly endless. Because it’s right in front of you, you can’t help but focus on what you’re about to throw away.
Furthermore, the potential benefits of this action are not visible, making it difficult to be aware of them. But believe me when I say there is more to gain than to lose. Rather than dwelling on the loss of everything you discard, focus on the benefits you will receive.
3: Discard something right now.
Maybe you’re thinking that you’ll de-clutter after you finish your current appointment. Or you might tell yourself that you’ll get to it after things calm down. But we all know that as long as our dear old possessions rule us, that day will never come. We believe that we cannot do shit until our lives have settled down. However, it is the other way around; we will not be able to settle down until we live a minimalist life. All of the time we so desperately need is within our grasp, but we must create it by saying goodbye to all of the extras. That is why starting now is a good idea. Make it your number one priority.
4: There isn’t a single item you’ll regret throwing away.
I believe I’ve reduced my possessions to roughly half of what I used to own since college. I gave away extra clothes, sold my gaming PC, and other such things, and guess what? There isn’t a single thing that I miss. Even if such a thing existed at the time, and for many things, I can’t even remember what they were. That’s how insignificant everything was to me. There isn’t a single thing that I think about and long for. This fear of regret, it appears to me, is what prevents us from saying goodbye. It’s understandable; we all have these kinds of worries. But, if you’re wondering whether you should keep that five-year-old jacket you used to wear as a kid, or those hundreds of Pokémon cards you purchased from your pocket money, tell yourself that there’s probably not a single item you’ll regret throwing away.
5: Minimize anything you have in multiples.
It’s simple to minimize items with multiple numbers. Go ahead and take a look. Do you have two or three similar pairs of stationary? Do you have a bunch of unused similar clothes? We frequently lose track of how many of the same items we have because we don’t keep them in a designated location. That is frequently how we begin to clog up our space. And the more you have, the more difficult it is to determine what you have. If you have three pairs of scissors, start by discarding one. It’s simple to decide which one will be: the pair you don’t particularly like or the pair you don’t use. You can still cut with fewer scissors. You can still write with fewer pens. Try to reduce the number of multiples you have to one.
6: Get rid of it if you haven’t used it in a year.
Discarding items, you haven’t used in a year is an important method for reducing your possessions. Get rid of anything you have no firm plans to use in the future. You don’t have to get rid of the blanket or jacket you’ll be wearing this winter. However, you probably don’t need it if you haven’t used it in the last four seasons. The only exception would be emergency supplies and equipment that you keep on hand in case of a disaster. Dust is unpleasant, but it is a useful indicator that it is time to consider throwing something away. The thicker the layer of dust, the less we’ve used. An item you haven’t used in the last year is unlikely to become necessary next year or the year after. And if you only use something once every three years, why not rent it when you need it? Let us free up all of the time and energy we waste on things we never use.
7: Differentiate between things you want and things you need.
In our daily lives, especially in metro cities, there are vast inventories of goods for sale just a short walk or drive away. The most recent electrical appliances, fashionable goods and accessories, gorgeous fast-fashion clothing, and so on are available. It causes us to buy extra items even when we don’t need them. For example: Even if you live alone or in a nuclear family of two or three, one warm blanket is enough for each person, but you’d probably want a second blanket in a nice colour and then a third, higher-quality blanket with a luxurious texture.
You can avoid purchasing more items simply by asking yourself if it is something you truly require. Ryunosuke Koike, a Buddhist monk, says he puts his hand against his chest when he’s not sure about something, and it feels uncomfortable if the item is just something he wants. This discomfort is a symptom of dissatisfaction, of the mistaken belief that something is missing from his life even though he has everything he requires.
8: Organizing is not minimizing.
During Diwali, we Indians have a tradition of doing extensive housecleaning. We throw some things away, clean up anything that is lying around, and put everything out of sight. We try to make good use of unused space and stow our belongings, so they don’t get in the way of our daily activities. But as time passes, we become preoccupied with other things, and a year later, we’re back with our clutter. We’ll end up repeating this cycle unless we’re extremely conscientious. This is because organizing is not the same as minimizing. Instead of relying on organization techniques, you should first work on reducing the number of items you have to store. Once you do that, your space will naturally become less cluttered; the cycle will be broken.
9: Let go of the idea of “someday.”
When we purchase an electrical appliance, it usually comes with lots of accessories. Consider all of the vacuum cleaner parts you’ve never used. What is the purpose of that tiny screw, anyway? You keep all those parts and wires in case you need them “someday.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve never used a warranty that comes with a phone or other purchases. They now end up in the trash can. We are constantly thinking about “someday.” We keep empty boxes and beautiful cards in the hopes that they will come in handy someday. We keep books because we plan to start studying someday. We’ll get to all of those hobby items and tools once things calm down. Someday. That’s what we tell ourselves. But we all know that time will never come. May I make a gentle suggestion? Let go of “someday.” Things we don’t need right now will most likely never be needed.
10: Let go of the idea of getting your money’s worth.
One reason we think it’s a waste to throw away something is that it was probably expensive when we bought it. We’re thinking in the back of our minds that we haven’t gotten our money’s worth yet. In Hindi, this is referred to as “paisa vasool nahi hua.” However, the reality is that it is unlikely to happen. You may have a favourite colour and design, but the size isn’t quite right. It’s still brand new, and you haven’t gotten enough use out of it to justify the price you paid. Of course, it’s difficult to throw something like that away. But what happens is that it takes up space in your home and your mind. Every time you look at it, you can’t help but think that buying that amazing outfit in the first place was a mistake. If you convert that psychological drain to a monetary value, it might be small, less than a dollar per day. It is, however, continuing to cost you.
Whether you are a stock market enthusiast or not, you would probably agree that it is better to sell stocks if they continue to fall with no prospect of a rebound. The same can be said for the vast majority of our possessions. We should abandon the idea of getting our money’s worth and cut our losses as soon as possible. It’s better for your wallet and your peace of mind in the long run.
11: Discard any possessions that you can’t discuss with passion. (H2)
Daisuke Yosumi discussed this concept in one of his books (yeah, I read a lot of translated Japanese texts). The more you like your possessions, the more you’ll learn about the brands and their histories. Things that we truly value inspire a sense of awe. Why do we own a specific product when there are so many wonderful options? There had to be a reason why it had to be that specific item. Many people, for example, are Apple devotees when Samsung is a better option (no pun intended). To us, a passionately chosen item represents perfection.
Things we happen to pick up, on the other hand, are easy candidates for disposal or replacement. We’ll be less satisfied with everything else we’ve unconsciously accumulated. I believe that our lives are improved when our possessions arouse our passions. We are unlikely to want more if we only own things we truly adore.
