I have more things than I need.
Over the last several years, Ive made a conscious effort to pare down my possessions.
Why is it so difficult to get rid of stuff?
This post originally appeared onThe Simple Dollar.
Most of the stuff I consider mine would fit into one room in our house.
I still have far more things than I need.
Why do I say that?
First of all, we need to look atwhyexactly I have these things to begin with.
Why do I have shelves full of books Ive already read or books that I havent read yet?
My reference books number about 30 or so, and my to-be-read books add up to the same.
Why do I have hundreds of books?
Why do I have a large board game collection full of games that Ive only played once or twice?
Plus, many of these games are owned by others in the game groups I participate in.
Why do I have all of these games?
Why do we have so many extra things in the kitchen?
We dont really need all of these extra pots and pans and other items.
Most of the rest just sits there, unused.
Why do we have all of this stuff?
In both respects, making the wrong choice is expensive.
If I sold those items, I could actually invest that money where its earning a return.
I literally paid money to have less opportunity to use the stuff I already have.
Again, why do I have so much stuff?
And why do I repeatedly choose to hold onto it?
That takes time and effort.
So, here are the real take-home lessons from all of this.
Do I really need this new book with the books I already have on my shelves?
Do I really need this new game with the games I already have on my shelves?
Do I really need this new paintbrush?
Do I really need this new kitchen item when I have items that do similar things already?
Instead, I just keep my ears open for opportunities to sell them off.
Ive sold games at board game nights to people interested in picking up specific games.
Occasionally, Ill list batches of items on Craigslist, but I do it at my own convenience.
Where is the source of that joy?
Having that stuff doesnt really bring me joy.
What brings me joy is experiencesmaking a meal, playing a game, and so on.
Authentic joy doesnt come from having something on a shelf.
It means that perhaps my taste in books and passion about specific books isnt want I thought it was.
That doesnt mean Im bad or that the books are bad.
It just means I need to rethink both my tastes and how Im spending my time.
My children are watching and learning from me.
What am I teaching them with my choices?
Possessions that dont support that fulfillment are unnecessary.
They just soak up your money and your financial freedom.
They fill up space and make you live in a larger home than necessary.
They require you to spend more time doing maintenancedusting, moving things around, and so forth.
Do I need to make radical changes to my life, my possessions, and how I buy things?
Understanding why Im doing this is one thing.
Putting it into practice is another.
The Challenge of Getting Rid of Stuff| The Simple Dollar
Trent Hamm is a personal finance writer atTheSimpleDollar.com.
Image byAleutie(Shutterstock).
