I knew this would happen. I’ve thrown something out/donated something that we now need.
But if you saw this shirt in your husband’s closet you’d probably send it away too.
If you’re ever in a band and playing a gig around Halloween, Lumberjack costumes are a) a hit and b) pretty easy to pull together. Unless the bass player’s wife threw his out when pairing down his wardrobe.
Other casualties: I took two Coach purses and a wristlet to a thrift store and donated them. It was nearby, I liked the cause and I wasn’t getting around to listing them on eBay or Craigslist. eBay is not in my good books after I tried to sell my iPod shuffle and a Nigerian Prince tried to buy it. Seems like a lot of work and after eBay and Paypal take their cut, and you miscalculate shipping costs, not much back in your pocket.
After donating the purses and feeling good about helping a cause, I told my sister and she said she had coveted the black leather messenger style Coach purse for years and would have gladly taken it off my hands. Oops. My friend C also said she would have liked them. Sorry friends.
Also have a sneaking suspicion that the heart rate monitor for my husband’s never used Garmin running watch (he prefers a GPS running program on his iPhone) – which I am now hoping to use – may have been swept into a pile of goodbye stuff.
These are small tragedies in the face of a lot of progress.
Decluttering your home takes work and there will be some casualties. Like you husband’s Halloween shirt. And probably a few more things. But should you take it easy and live in fear that you will end up needing something someday that you got rid of today? No. I know that if we end up needing something down the road that we donated or sold, we can find it second hand, borrow it or, worst case, buy it new. We’re lucky that we’re not living paycheck to paycheck and can find the resources to buy something should it be a necessity. But… how many things truly are a necessity? So many of the things I have decluttered weren’t essential in the slightest. And now that I’ve parted with them I can see that I thought I ‘needed’ all of those things – baby stuff, clothing that no longer fit – just in case it would be useful later. Let it go!
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Check out my before and after of our laundry/storage closet:
So nice to be able to open the door all the way.
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I’m slipping.
My unplugged weekends have slowly become plugged in. I’ve always got some reason to open my laptop: something selling on Craigslist, an event with meet up details on Facebook, want to listen to NPR weekend edition but then start flitting around on news websites I like.
Must. Resist.
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Announcement: I am no longer a card-carrying member of the over 30 with student loans set. It has been a lot of hard work plus some luck but I am so happy to say goodbye to them. I hope to never see you again student loans which is why we have contributed to our son’s education fund since he was a month old. Here’s hoping he just goes for a B.A. because anything beyond that and, while we’ll be proud, he’ll most likely be on his own with the financing.
Thanks, Danielle. 🙂 And well done to you on making these good decisions at such a young age. Your older self will be so appreciative.
This is the first time it has happened. I went back to the thrift store but it wasn’t there. Usually, the hiding them away for 6 months works……..
I feel your pain on wishing you had something back you donated! I try to be really careful, but I’ve messed up a few times. Just the other day, my 4 year old asked where a specific toy was, and I had *just* donated it the week before. This being said, I had hidden that toy away and he had not played with it in at least 6 months! So now, do I go back to the thrift store and buy it back (if it is there) or buy a new one at the store….or do I just hope he forgets about it?? LOL!
He remembered after 6 months? I’ll have to take note of this. My son is only 1 so I have free reign to toss his stuff at the moment. I am sure that is going to change.
Thanks for commenting!
Rachel
It sure is a great feeling paying off debt. It is so great to throw off that yoke and decide what to do with all the new cash you won’t be spending on it every month. Choose well.