Throw away the oldest things from the house. Choose things according to their expediency

You need to get rid of old things - this is not advice, this is a rule. But, as with absolutely any rule, there are exceptions. It can be very sad to get rid of things that are unnecessary but dear to your heart. If this happens, then what to do? Store frank trash that has long lost its relevance for decades, or find a new place for it, or perhaps transform it in the most radical way, thereby granting “ new life»?

It is impossible to create something new without getting rid of the old. For something to come, something must first go. For something new, you need to create emptiness, free space, empty shelves in the literal sense of the word. This works in any area of life.

In this article you will learn how to get rid of unnecessary things in your apartment to free up space.

Why do you need to get rid of unnecessary things in your home?

First you need to understand why you need to get rid of old things. Don't be surprised, but space knows how to attract people and money.

Do you want a man to appear in the house? Look around. Do you have a place for it? In the living room, in the bedroom, in the kitchen... And is there a place for his things in the closet? Even if you think that there should be a place for you in his house, then first a man must still enter your life. Even if he never needs those free shelves in the closet that you carefully cleared for him. Open up your space for change!

Have you been dreaming about a child for a long time? Then you even more need to know how to get rid of unnecessary things and do it as quickly as possible. Create a space for it in your home. It is not necessary to prepare the nursery in advance; a couple of free shelves will be enough. The main thing is to tell your subconscious that you have a place where the child will live.

Do you dream about new job? And here there is a place for “magic”. Do you want to receive good position in the office? Prepare the area with appropriate office attire. Should work be related to creativity? You need to get rid of old things, because you need to organize a space where you can create - a workshop or a functional work area.

It has long been a tradition to prepare the house for the arrival of guests or for a holiday: to clean something, decorate something, cook something. Thus, you subconsciously set yourself up, prepare yourself for certain events - and they happen. Your subconscious mind remembers this and, having received the signal: “the place is free, I’m ready for change,” will launch the process of long-awaited changes. You need to get rid of unnecessary things: this is the magic of space. And it works.

Tip: pay attention to where you store your savings. Is there room in the box where the money is to fit another decent stack of bills? Even if you keep your funds in a bank account, having a spacious box in your home won't hurt either. A box, or a safe, not a flat envelope!

Tips on how to properly get rid of old things without regret

Almost every home has accumulated large number absolutely unnecessary things. Clothes that are out of fashion (“but I loved that blouse so much!”) or don’t fit for a long time (“what if I manage to lose weight and fit into my favorite dress, or, conversely, what if I gain weight, and will there be nothing to wear?”), children’s clothes and toys, grandmother’s inheritance in the form of deposits of “new” fabrics, threads and other goodies, broken equipment (“can we fix it someday”), old dishes (which “I just don’t like, but everything is whole") and kitchen utensils. Many are prevented from parting with all this goodness by an internal prohibition: they cannot throw away what can still be used. How to get rid of junk and unnecessary things so as not to traumatize your psyche?

Separately, you can highlight gifts. These things can even be given with all your heart and love, but they are absolutely not suitable for you. You keep them out of politeness, especially if they are gifts from loved ones. And they lie there for years, take up such precious space or even spoil the interior and, of course, irritate you.

Sometimes, having received “something” as a gift, you cannot understand: how can this thing even suit you? However, gifts can be a way to judge how people see, understand and appreciate you. Analyze and draw conclusions!

How to properly get rid of old things if you absolutely do not want to offend your mother, grandmother, husband or beloved friend? In this case, at least hide the “something” in a distant drawer. Perhaps they themselves will not remember about their gift, and over time it can still be removed from the house. You need to say goodbye to all other supplies.

It happens that you cannot get rid of unnecessary things in your apartment, since it is psychologically difficult to throw away what is dear to you, even if you are sure that it will not be useful. Try to find them new owners. There are many online resources where you can sell or give away things. You can take them to church, where everything will be received with gratitude (and this is a completely different feeling). For some, it will be happiness to receive things that you no longer need (even if they are not new). Toys, a children's scooter or a bicycle can please any child.

If you get rid of unnecessary things as quickly as possible, you will free up your space, give new life to some items and make someone happy. And this is an excellent energy boost. By the way, you can also take what you don’t need to the trash, but don’t throw it into the bin, but carefully put it next to it. There are people who even keep watch until someone takes out something they need.

How to get rid of unnecessary things if it’s a shame to throw them away?

Sometimes it is absolutely impossible to get rid of unnecessary things in the house. Probably, it is genetically embedded in us - to stock up and store for years what may be useful someday. Our grandmothers and mothers lived in conditions of total scarcity and knew how to appreciate and preserve what they had. It was justified by time. On occasion, they bought fabrics and yarn according to the principle: I don’t know now what can be sewn or knitted from this, but I will certainly sew or knit something. The reserve does not fit the pocket. And something really came in handy, especially since it was problematic to buy ready-made clothes. But something has survived safely to this day, and such a supply is already very long. These are the hardest things to part with. Everything that you can put your hands to subconsciously evokes special feelings in a woman, even if she does not know how to sew or knit. These things are loaded makes a lot of sense, they broadcast the ancestral history - and on the other hand, they fill the space and take away much-needed energy. So is it necessary to get rid of old things that you hate to throw away?

If the fabrics are left over from your grandmother, then they can only be useful if you are a fan of vintage things. Then you won’t be embarrassed that the fabric has long been outdated both in design and texture. Or maybe you don’t know how to sew at all, and it’s your genetic memory that dictates that you keep it all? Then it is all the more necessary to part with these “strategic” reserves. Perhaps someone dreams of just such fabric and is already desperate to get it? So give this person such a gift. This will make you happy first of all. If we properly arrange things that we don’t need, we show them respect and prolong our lives. And this brings great positive things to us.

Surely, even after clearing out, there are still many things left in your house that you absolutely do not want to part with. As a rule, these are some kind of memorable little things, decorative items and books. These are often called dust collectors. But some people cannot imagine life without all this. It is things that make him happy and feed him energy - especially if we're talking about about books. Today, many are getting rid of libraries that were carefully collected by the older generation of the family. Why books if you have modern gadgets? One e-book holds the entire library, and in the house such valuable space is freed up, and there are fewer allergens. But not everyone thinks so. For example, a kinesthetic learner will part with the library only as a last resort.

There is no need to get rid of old things that make you happy and give you energy. After all, this is precisely why you create a new space, so that it pleases you. You can free up space in other ways, namely by organizing it. Look around, think, and you will probably find additional storage spaces. No floor space? But there are walls where you can hang additional shelves and shelves (even if they are very shallow). For small items, boxes, caskets and baskets are suitable, which can be beautifully arranged. You can get a lot of storage ideas from chain hypermarkets like Ikea. You can buy everything you need there. It is possible that the layout allows you to organize something like a warehouse wardrobe and get rid of a couple of closets at the same time. Let the dressing room take up part of the space, but the rest of the room will be free. In addition, taking things from the dressing room is much more convenient than from the closet.

In every person's home there are things that he does not need at all. These can be books, CDs, souvenirs, clothes, cosmetics, dishes and much more. People who have experienced years of shortages or hardships are accustomed to storing old things “for a rainy day,” with the idea that they will come in handy someday. As a rule, this does not happen, and things that accumulate in a house, office, garage or country house simply absorb the life resources of their owners. In this article, we will learn how to get rid of junk and unnecessary things, and find out why it is important to do this as quickly as possible.

Why are old things harmful?

When there is too much in the house, it is very difficult to clean it up. Moreover, no matter how much you clean, a house littered with old things will not be clean, since all this rubbish will collect a lot of dust. At the same time, to find something you really need, you will have to spend a lot of time. Clutter has an amazing ability to grow on its own.

In a room that's crowded unnecessary things, it is difficult to concentrate and relax, since they all constantly appear before your eyes and fall under your hand. Feng Shui adherents believe that the accumulation and clutter of unnecessary things in a room interferes with the free circulation of energy, disrupts the positive life processes of household members and depletes their life. Therefore, it is worth getting rid of junk in your home as quickly as possible. Everything old closes us from the new. This problem is especially felt in small apartments and houses.

It is unlikely that anyone will argue that living in a spacious, bright room filled only with pleasant things is much better. So let's figure out how to force yourself to get rid of junk and thereby make your life much easier.

Strategy for getting rid of unnecessary things

For more than ten years, companies have been operating in Europe and America that specialize in getting rid of unnecessary things and organizing the ones that are needed. In our latitudes, such a business is not yet widespread, but this is not a problem, because everything can be done independently. When clearing a room of trash, people, as a rule, begin to experience a certain excitement and can no longer stop. Therefore, the main thing here is to start.

It is advisable to get rid of junk as quickly as possible, but if time is short, you should devote at least 2 hours a week to this activity. Cleaning should be carried out systematically, dividing the house into several problem areas. An example of such an area would be a closet filled with junk.

Unnecessary items found during the cleaning process can be divided into several categories:

Those that need to be thrown away or recycled. These are morally or physically obsolete things that do not carry material or emotional value. They should be sent to a landfill or recycling without remorse.
Those that can be given to other people. This category includes things that are in good condition, but are of no value to the owner. For example, toys can be given to orphanage, and books - to the library. Charity is good option for those who feel guilty throwing away good but unnecessary things. What's one person's trash may be another's treasure, so before you throw something into the landfill, consider whether it could be useful to someone else.
Those that can be sold. This includes things that you don't need but still have material value. There are many convenient services for selling such things on the Internet. For the sale to take place, the owner of the item will need to post a photo of it, receive calls from buyers and deliver the sold item. If all this trouble is justified, then why not? In addition, in many cities there are so-called “flea markets” where you can sell everything you don’t need for a small fee. And in some cities, so-called garage sales are gaining popularity, which can bring in good income.
The ones that can be fixed. This includes broken items that may still be usable. When deciding to leave such a thing, you need to ask yourself how long it will take to repair it. If after a while nothing changes, then you need to get rid of this junk as quickly as possible.
Those about whom there are doubts. All the things that are difficult to accept quick solution, it is worth collecting in one package and postponing for a certain period, for example, a year. If after a year this package remains untouched, you can safely throw it away without even looking inside.

By getting rid of junk in your apartment using the strategy given above, you can significantly unload your home. All that remains is to practically organize the remaining things and enjoy the space. But that's not all. Everyone has things that, although they have no practical value, are endowed with great spiritual value. If you store them indiscriminately, you can destroy the whole house. We'll talk about this below.

Dear to the soul, but unnecessary things

Every home has objects that remind the owner of a particular period of his life, some important person, achievement, and so on. For example, men keep a soldier's jacket, and girls keep a bridesmaid's dress. These can also be gifts that a person does not throw away out of a sense of duty to the one who gave them. A huge number of similar examples can be given, but the point is not this, but the fact that some of these things definitely need to get rid of.

It’s natural to cherish things that evoke a sentimental mood. Especially when they are associated with especially important people, any memory of which can evoke pleasant feelings. However, it is impossible to store everything that reminds you of happy moments in life. Collecting such things requires too much space, time and energy. This kind of junk is usually the hardest to get rid of. However, you don't have to throw everything away. You can leave the most expensive things and organize everything else using one of the methods above.

Photo for memory

As a rule, the image of an object has the same emotional charge as the object itself. Therefore, to make it easier to throw away, you just need to take a photo of it and save this photo on your computer. In this case, it is advisable to write down what person or event this item is associated with, when it was purchased, etc. To ensure that especially important photos and files are not lost if your computer breaks down, you should copy them to an additional hard drive.

Leave the best

There is no need to leave too many symbolic things, it is enough to select the best of them and quickly get rid of the trash. This is especially true if you have a large number of approximately identical things, for example, inherited from your grandmother. By leaving one cup out of it, you can significantly relieve space, while preserving pleasant memories.

Scanning

If you have a lot of paper heirlooms and photographs in your home, you can simply scan them and save them digitally. Agree, it’s much easier to have a folder on your computer than a box on the closet that does nothing but collect dust. If you don't have time to do it yourself, just find a company that will do it for you. this work quickly and relatively inexpensively.

After scanning photographs, letters and other paper valuables, you can send them to people who are directly related to them. It's much nicer than just throwing the item away. Most likely, the recipient will get acquainted with it, smile, remember the past and throw away the thing, because it was not kept in his home and soul all this time. It will be easier for him to say goodbye to her, and this is worth taking advantage of.

Conversion

If a thing is not used for its intended purpose, this does not mean that it is time to give up on it. By changing the purpose of items to a more practical one, you can unload the house and important points leave in memory. For example, from old clothes that the owner wore on special occasions important days, you can make a blanket. Such a blanket will not only warm you cold winter, but will also serve as an original decorative item. If expensive clothes are not enough, you can make a pillow out of them.

Help from a friend

American scientists have found that by touching an object, even the most extraordinary and ordinary one, a person enters into emotional connection with him. This is especially true among representatives of the fairer sex. As you keep this item, the connection becomes stronger. If you don’t want to part with something, but you understand that it needs to be done, ask a friend to take the item with you for a while. Over time, you will wean yourself off this thing and be able to clear conscience throw it away.

Gift giving

Present - special category things. When a person gets rid of old trash, they are almost main problem. With his gift, the donor tries with all his heart to please the person dear to him. Therefore, gifts always carry great emotional value and occupy a special place in the house. However, most of them have no practical value, but only clutter the house, from time to time reminding of themselves with another layer of dust. To get rid of such an item without a twinge of conscience, you can give it to another person or donate it to charity. Most likely, the donor, if he has a sense of tact, will never ask you about the fate of the thing he donated. And if he asks, you can always carefully avoid the question.

Don't hesitate

If you decide to get rid of junk in your apartment, you should implement your plan as quickly as possible. This is especially true for things that evoke sentimental emotions. As long as a person knows that something once dear to him is lying in a garbage bag and is about to be thrown away, he can change his mind.

Remaining things

Anything you decide to keep in your home after decluttering should be visible and used regularly. These things don't belong in a box in a closet or attic. If things that claim to be stored in this way remain, it means the cleaning was poor. You should not store in the house what you cannot take with you to your new life, for which, in fact, people are wondering how to get rid of excess junk in an apartment or house.

You need to know when to stop

Wanting to change their life and throw away everything unnecessary from it in order to open themselves to new purchases and emotions, many flirt and throw away everything. Then it turns out that among the discarded rubbish there was something really important, for example, some kind of document. For example, a wife got rid of old trash and did not notice that among it were things that were important to her husband, or vice versa. This often happens to those who use boxes when moving from one house to another. Even if you remember that there are really unnecessary things in a certain box, and that you have not looked into it for several years, it is still recommended to check the contents before throwing it away!

Cleaning on the computer

When talking about how to get rid of junk and unnecessary things, many people forget that the computer also needs regular cleaning. "Why not fill your computer unnecessary files, if it does not increase in volume? - a thought that once comes to most users. Indeed, you can easily store thousands of files on your computer with the confidence that if you need them, you will always have them at hand. But, as a rule, only dozens of files are of real value. A cluttered computer works slower and can fail at the most inopportune moment, as a result of which the user risks losing what is truly valuable to him (photos of loved ones, electronic documents and so on). Therefore, you should treat cleaning your computer as responsibly as cleaning your home. Clutter on the computer prevents us from working productively just as much as clutter in the room.

It is especially not recommended to leave on your computer anything that can be found on the Internet or downloaded at any time. It would also be a good idea to get rid of programs that are not used in everyday life, but take up a lot of space. It is recommended to store the most important files in two copies: one on the computer and the second on removable media.

Conclusion

Today we learned how to get rid of junk in your home and make the surrounding space more conducive for work and rest. Extra things not only take up a lot of space and create discomfort, but also accumulate energy. Thus, they close a person from everything new and unknown. Therefore, it is worth periodically reconsidering the advisability of having certain things in your home. For residents of a private house, it would also be useful to get rid of trash on the site.

Life has become boring, monotonous, luck is not on your side, financial problems have arisen, or you can’t meet your soul mate? In this case, look around: if at home you are surrounded by old things that have not been used for a long time, but, as a rule, it’s a pity to throw them away, then this may be the reason for all the failures.

Very often, in order to bring something new into your home, you simply need to get rid of the old. Do you want to know how to properly throw away old things to attract new and good things into your life? Then read our publication today on the “Dream House” website and be sure to try to put the listed tips into practice.

Why you need to periodically throw away old things

According to Feng Shui, old things cluttering a house interfere with the free circulation of qi energy, and as a result, energy blocks are created both in the house itself and in its occupants. This is why poor health, failures, and dissatisfaction with oneself and one’s life appear. In such a house you don’t want to do anything, apathy and laziness manifest themselves, it’s even difficult to breathe in it, and things seem to put pressure on the brain, provoking the appearance of negative thoughts.

Ideally, qi energy should look into every corner of the house, filling it and the people living in it with new vitality, giving happiness, health, peace of mind, financial well-being. When all the corners are occupied by some kind of rubbish or unnecessary things, then the energy does not even reach these places. One has only to take and throw away some of the old things, and the situation will begin to change.

How to get rid of old things: where to start

As a rule, throwing out old things starts with the closets, but no one bothers you to start, for example, with “cleaning out” the loggia, the pantry. Better yet, first get rid of unnecessary large items, for example, a worn out soft sofa or a crumbling chest of drawers, which no one will repair. Moreover, in the old upholstered furniture bedbugs and other insects that are dangerous to humans can live. So let's get started...

Balconies and loggias

On the balcony, find all the trash that was put away in case it “suddenly comes in handy”, but for six months, a year or more you haven’t even touched it. Look what's hidden in boxes, old suitcases and - there's probably something to throw away, if not everything! By the way, if you don’t need the suitcase either, then you can safely throw it away, the only exceptions being those.

What other unnecessary items can be found on the balcony? Look for junk in tool boxes; as a rule, there may be some parts stored there that you planned to “return” to their place, fix something, but never did, especially if that thing, the part from which is stored.

In general, a balcony or loggia is best used not for unnecessary trash, but as a place to relax, or to arrange a greenhouse there, .

Pantry

This is another place that can simply be filled with junk. If you decide to throw away old things, then you need to start looking for them in the pantry.

Feel free to throw away any broken equipment stored in the pantry, for example, an old one or one that you will no longer repair, but kept in case “what if I decide to do it.”

If food is stored in a pantry or closet, they need to be checked for freshness: old canned food can be safely thrown away; you also need to check bulk products and make sure that there are no “living creatures” in them; There is no room for rotten vegetables either.

Take away everything you don’t use, repair shelves, cabinets, doors if they are broken somewhere, glue up the torn wallpaper, refresh the walls and doors with new paint. The pantry should be ventilated after such cleaning.

Cabinets and drawers

There is probably nothing harder than throwing away clothes and shoes, especially if they suit you very well, still like them or remind you of some event. Clothes and shoes, like no other things, “remember” your energy, so before throwing old things out of the closets, wash and dry them, wipe your shoes with a damp cloth. It is even recommended to burn things that are no longer suitable for anything. Everything old that has accumulated on things, especially bad ones, should not return to you or pass on to others. Therefore, either wash it away or destroy it!

You've probably already heard that you need to throw away things that haven't been worn for six months, but here everything is individual, depending on the situation or at your discretion. You can throw away everything old in one fell swoop, but it happens that your hand does not rise, then the solution will be to learn to throw away old things one by one, gradually, day after day...

In addition to cabinets, also check chests of drawers, ottomans, sofas, etc. What's stored in the built-in storage drawers in your bed? If these are bedding, then everything is fine, but if there are “trunks” with old things, throw them away mercilessly!

There are a lot of small drawers in furniture sets for the hallway, in children's walls and even in. They need to be checked for any unnecessary little things: checks, receipts, tear-off sheets of notes, old magazines and newspapers, broken pencils or written-off pens, etc. Do you still feel bad about throwing away all these old things? Believe me, your life will be better without them!

Kitchen

Another place to accumulate unnecessary things in an apartment or house is the kitchen. Here's how to declutter your kitchen:

First of all, you need to find all the chipped dishes, plates or cups with cracks, teapots and sugar bowls with broken handles - we shamelessly throw all this in the trash, without regret.
Old, unnecessary and ugly utensils that you haven’t used for a long time are also waiting to be thrown away.
Next, you need to throw away worn-out kitchen textiles - towels, an apron, replacing everything with new and clean ones.
Go through the cabinets where bulk products and cereals are stored, clean everything and put things in order.
Remove anything that doesn't belong in your kitchen cabinets.
Check cutlery and all kinds of utensils. Feel free to throw away all those who have lost their appearance, have lost functionality, are broken or simply require replacement.

Also, carry out a regular cleaning and throw away unnecessary items each time so that it is as spacious, fresh and clean as possible.

What things should not be thrown away

antiques that cost a lot of money;
items in good condition that can be sold;
things from which you can make crafts, interior decor (provided that you are really doing this and not just dreaming of starting);
things that will be useful at the dacha (no fanaticism here, so that EVERYTHING doesn’t come in handy by accident!);
children's things and toys that can be passed on to someone “by inheritance”.

Many people really need to learn how to throw away old things without hesitation and without feeling sorry. Sometimes it is very difficult, but the result is worth it! When we get rid of the old, something new will certainly come into our lives, and it will definitely be pure and positive. Good luck decluttering!

Ecology of consumption. Lifehack: Today you would call me the fashionable word “minimalist”. Although just a few years ago everything was different...

I strive for liberation. I am freeing myself from everything unnecessary in my life.

Today you would call me the buzzword "minimalist". Although just a few years ago everything was different. My house was bursting at the seams with an endless supply of new clothes, cosmetics and perfumes, and some interior items.

But life has taught me a lot. My parents’ house burned down, I got divorced and spent a lot of time moving, renting an apartment and supporting myself, giving up clothes and travel. In the rented apartment there was no closet or vacuum cleaner, and I learned to wash the floor regularly, that is, to do something that I have not liked since childhood, and I placed my clothes in boxes on the floor. And nothing - it was even cozy.

1. Regularly get rid of unnecessary and/or old things

Moving from apartment to apartment, I appreciated that the less unnecessary things I have, the easier it is to live. The main thing is that what travels with me is necessary at this particular stage and correct for my lifestyle.

Life is unpredictable. And if you give yourself completely and emotionally invest in things, it can be very difficult if you suddenly have to part with them.

A dozen sentimental bears from the past, clothes that no longer fit or simply don’t like, but seem to be not old yet - it’s a pity to throw them away - all this takes up a lot of space and drains energy. And here we are not talking about esotericism - we have to spend energy on ironing, vacuuming, dry cleaning and doing many more manipulations with things that are no longer suitable for us. Elementarily, excesses in the wardrobe complicate the choice of clothes. While you're going through your entire closet, you can forget about the new blouse under the pile of old dresses.

Cloth

Once a season I review my entire wardrobe. I get rid of what I don’t like, what doesn’t fit well, what I’ve never worn and can’t even imagine a situation where I would wear it. I make an exception only for very expensive and high-quality items and jewelry. Who knows, maybe in ten years they will become a valuable rarity? Or will they finally fit me in size again?

With everything else I do this: I wash cheap clothes or those that are not in very good condition, put them in order and take them to a charity store or, in the end, leave them next to a garbage dump in the city center or in a residential area. Usually the homeless take it right away.

I sell the better one. I often use Avito. Just today I sold a wool scarf with a Guess hat. The hat was prickly for me, and I didn’t like it at all, so it lay there for two seasons almost untouched. And sometimes we team up with friends and organize parties with trying on and exchanging such clothes. A great reason to meet and have a great time. Cocktails included!

If there is something left that I don’t yet dare to sell or give away, I put it off for half a year and see if my attitude towards this thing has changed.

Why did I decide to clean out my wardrobe once every three months? Yes, because it’s incredibly tiring to sell and give everything away when the closet hasn’t been thoroughly reconsidered for a couple of years. Despite the fact that I have been periodically getting rid of everything for the past two years, I am now in my second week of organizing my wardrobe.

Unnecessary/outdated household appliances and gadgets

Oh, these surprise gifts and everything that we receive “on duty” or from those who do not know us well. Then there are always extra coffee grinders, multicookers, smart alarm clocks and other things that seem to be necessary, but are not for us. They lie and wait in the wings, or rather the moment when they are already morally obsolete and will be sent, at best, to the country.

If the item is in packaging and has not yet been used, I sell it or put it away as a gift to someone who really needs it. Among my friends and acquaintances there are also lovers of fresh coffee and those who need a flashlight keychain for their keys.

Sometimes it happens that you choose some super fashionable gadget for yourself, walk around with it for a month and realize that, that’s it, you’ve played enough. This happened to me, for example, with the Jawbone Up24 smart bracelet. I chose it myself as a birthday present for myself and wrote it on my friends’ wish list. I thought he would help me wake up with my biorhythms and eat only the right food. As a result, after a month I got tired of him, and I adjusted my biorhythms myself.

I didn’t throw it into a box with unnecessary items and decided to sell it. By the way, this is where my acquaintance with Avito began. I reduced the price by 4 times, and a buyer was immediately found. Yes, it's a pity to give it away good thing at this price, but for myself I decided that it would be better for me to go to a restaurant twice with this money than to fill a box with things I don’t need.

And so it is in everything. Now I safely sell the extra juicers and food processors left over from family life, I can’t wait to find a family again and squeeze the juice out of my children and husband. Perhaps mine future husband lives in another country and squeezes juice for him every day personal chef cook!

2. Choose things according to their expediency.

I used to often buy myself clothes and perfume for my mood. Hence the extra clothes and wasted money. But life, as they say, taught me the ruble. Renting an apartment is not a cheap pleasure. And I slowly began to save. And most importantly, it brought back that same joy that arises when you look for something for a long time and find it.

I'll tell you using perfume as an example. I used to have about ten different ones, and I used them depending on my mood. That’s why they didn’t end for a long time and bored me like crazy over several years. It’s a shame to throw it away, but I don’t want to use it.

Everything is different now. I have one daytime perfume, one evening perfume and one for seduction. Something like that. And now I choose perfumes for several months. I go shopping, sniffing whether it’s mine or not. And I only take those that made me remember their smell.

And how nice it is to buy something for a reason, but to make a mini-holiday out of it! For example, I decide that I will devote Saturday exclusively to myself. In the morning I wake up, have a delicious breakfast, go shopping, buy a dress, then have lunch in a new place, and at the end of the day - a movie or a spa. This is a whole ritual that gives much more pleasure than a blouse or mascara bought in a hurry and in a fit of melancholy.

If you’re just sad and want to cheer yourself up, it’s better to go for a massage or to the theater. Spending money while delirious is not a good story.

This is about clothes, but what about large purchases? Household appliances, cars and other things? Again, the principle of expediency. Why buy a TV for every room if I only watch it in the living room, and only on holidays? Or what's the point of having a food processor if there's nowhere to put it. It will be stored in the pantry or under the bed, and, accordingly, almost never used.

3. You need to keep family heirlooms and your own trophies, but not all of them.

Over the years of life, a lot of memorable little things usually accumulate in one place, which over time can absorb the entire apartment if they are not cleaned regularly. For myself, I choose only what I am ready to spend my space on; everything else I arrange according to its intended purpose. I store old photos on removable hard drives, I give away the disks, keeping only the most memorable ones.

It is always very difficult to part with the belongings of beloved relatives after their death. But you can’t take everything with you and carry it around for the rest of your life. I really wouldn't want to get rid of military uniform your grandfather with orders and his notes or some of your grandmother’s jewelry and photographs. But, for example, I would give some of the books to those who really need them: friends, small cafes, orphanages. This won’t make my memories any less, but I will have more space.

Or another example, I have a memory box where I used to put old concert tickets, love letters and other nice little things. Although it takes up a lot of space, until now I did not dare to throw it away and steadfastly carried it with me during all my moves. But now I’m already mentally mature enough to part with her if life demands it. After all, all the memories are in our heads!

4. Plan your living space consciously.

In the living space, everything should be convenient and at hand. For example, I love to cook and put everything in the right order for me. It’s important to me that everything is close by and not in a closet or closet. When I had a large kitchen, I could afford to display the whole kitchen appliances on various tables and kitchen islands and use it regularly. As soon as I put something away in a drawer, I forgot about it. So, the blender could stand idle for months. When I moved into a rented apartment with a small kitchen, I took only the most basic things - a couple of frying pans, pots and other small utensils. I no longer had time for steamers and food processors.

The same applies to extra shelves, boxes and small items. When planning a kitchen and apartment (strange, but I’ve already done this many times in my life), I try to minimize as much as possible unnecessary rooms and objects that are then not clear how and with what frequency they will be used. Everything that does not provide real functionality only gets in the way and clutters up your apartment.

I arrange my cosmetics so that in the morning I have only my regular set at hand, and not a whole cosmetic bag. Shadows and lipsticks, foundation creams, which I use less often, are kept separately. This way I save a lot of time, because I don’t have to look for anything.

I also have several drawers and compartments that hold the contents of my most frequently used outdoor items. For example, in the fall there is an umbrella, keys, documents, gloves, a couple of bags, a shoe sponge or credit cards. And in the summer - sunglasses, adhesive plasters, napkins.

Such I place functional sets in those areas where I find the fastest access to them at the right time. And again, I regularly get rid of everything that I don't need and doesn't work. I mean it doesn't work for me and my current life situation.

5. Don't buy extra food if you don't have time to cook it.

My heart bleeds every time I see that my parents make excess jams, sauces, mushrooms and cucumbers! Year after year the situation does not change, and only half of everything that was done so diligently and with soul is eaten.

I always try to use the principle of expediency. For example, I'm a fan of fresh berries - so at the end of summer I can devote time to picking them or buying them and processing them for storage in the freezer. But I sincerely don’t understand those who do this “out of inertia” - you don’t have to be a “fraud” who was ruined by greed. This only makes life more complicated, because we lose precious minutes that we could spend on something really important.

I myself am not a fan of jam and canned vegetables and fruits, so I don’t strive to make such preparations. When I was married, I made several jars, just enough to last through the winter. I don't like it when food gets thrown away. The same goes for shopping. I prefer to go shopping for perishable foods, such as milk, meat or fish, several times a week, than to buy for a few weeks in advance and store it all in the freezer.

Again, all products that have been subjected to heat treatment, whether cold or warm, no longer carry as much benefit as fresh ones. For myself I decided to buy seasonal vegetables and use a grain sprouter.

There is always a solution if you really want to find it.

6. Periodically evaluate whether all those expensive things we use are really needed.

Now we will talk about apartments, cars, dachas, yachts... A car is good, but how much time and money does it take to maintain. The cost is quite comparable to daily taxi trips. There are also traffic jams, time to warm up the engine (especially in winter), problems with parking, and so on. Yes, still the car makes us walk less. This makes walking a hundred times less. And to be in shape, you then need to go to the gym, but you could just walk five to ten kilometers every day. And this is quite real.

I'll tell you with my own example. As soon as I got a car, I started driving it almost constantly. With the change of job and housing last year, I simply couldn’t get out of it. And what's the result? I gained a couple of extra kilos, despite the sport. And then I decided to reconsider my attitude towards the car, to evaluate whether I really need it every day. Having abandoned the usual pattern that a car is convenience and comfort, I rediscovered walks, minibuses, metro and even trains. And I was satisfied. Now I often do this: I come to work in the morning by car, and in the evening I go home without it. I leave a couple of metro stations earlier from home to walk and do some shopping. So, I walk more and manage to do my other things at the same time.

Apartments, cottages and other real estate. I am sincerely convinced that these things should work for the owner. Either they live there regularly, or they are required to bring money. My choice is simple. I don't want to waste time maintaining houses that I won't live in, buying furniture, cleaning, insurance, etc. After all, strength and energy flow into this hole, why give it to something you practically never use. Guided by the principle of expediency, if possible, I will rent out something, sell something, and where my heart is, I will live. about published

Join us on

Olga Nikitina

Reading time: 6 minutes

A A

Is there at least one Russian family in whose bins there will be no old furniture, stacks of Soviet magazines tied with ropes, old shoes “for the dacha” and other things that require urgent evacuation to the trash heap? Probably not. We are all Plyushkins in some way, and on every balcony, in the pantry, on mezzanines and cabinets, “sources of mites, allergens, mold and moths” have been stored for decades.

Do you need to get rid of old stuff, and how to do it wisely?

Why do you need to get rid of old things?

Old things clutter up space in the house and prevent not only free circulation clean air, but also (according to Feng Shui) qi (life) energy. You can relate to the philosophy of Feng Shui itself in different ways, but deny negative impact junk in the house cannot be harmful to the health of the household. Old things bring us old energy, dust, mites, etc., responding with poor health, laziness, apathy, and as a result - negative thoughts and projecting them onto your life.
If you want to change anything in your life, start small. There will be no order in your life and in your head if there is no order in your home. Any changes are good. And as a rule, just by getting rid of the junk in your apartment, you begin to feel changes for the better.
Old things in the house and attachment to them are programming oneself for poverty. We say to ourselves: “what if I throw away this sofa now and can’t buy a new one?”, projecting our pessimism on our well-being in advance.
According to a Chinese proverb, the new will not appear in life until the old is gone. Junk and old things are the main obstacle to vital energy. That is, until you make room for the “new”, you will have to live with the “old” (with all the ensuing consequences).
The most negative energy accumulates in those corners of the apartment where old things have been lying for years , and where the hands of the owners do not reach. Old, out-of-fashion boots with worn heels, boxes with old dishes, skis and skates from childhood and especially chipped cups, clothes that have become unusable, broken radios and other things that are “a shame to throw away” - this is the source negative energy. By clearing our home of such energy and junk, we open the doors to happiness, abundance and harmony.
Of course, throwing away family jewelry and antiques from your great-grandmothers makes no sense. But if these items evoke unpleasant emotions or memories in you, you also need to get rid of them (give them away, sell them, take them to a salon, etc.). Any antique thing is a powerful energy. If you are not sure of its origin and positive history, you should not keep such an item in your home.
A fact established by experts: old, unnecessary things in the house also negatively affect the psyche of household members . Getting rid of junk is tantamount to effective “psychotherapy” that helps relieve stress and protect against depression.
Carpets are warm, soft and beautiful. We won't argue. But old carpets in the house (and new ones too) are a source of dust, mites, etc. There are few people who regularly take their carpets to the dry cleaner, and home cleaning (even the most thorough) does not clean the base of the carpet 100 percent. What can we say about the walls covered with Soviet carpets - the toxins of modern cities are absorbed into them for years. Get rid of dust collectors! To make it warm, soft and beautiful, today there are heated floors, cork floors and other non-hazardous coatings.
Old books. Well, of course it's a pity. Stacks of magazines, fiction, newspapers, books accumulated over decades, which were once “with fire”, and in general “throwing away books is a sin.” But! “Library” dust is a strong allergen, the quality of paper leaves much to be desired, cheap paints and the lead content in them (in newspapers, magazines) are poison for the body. If there is no safe, separate place in the house to store such things, take them to the country, give them away or take them to stores old book.
If you have allergies or asthma in your family , getting rid of old things is your top priority.

"Sentimental" item in memory of the past - this is understandable and explainable. A figurine in memory of my grandmother, an antique coffee table or a sugar bowl - things that we give special meaning. Well, don’t part with them - that’s all.

But when these memorable “sentimental” things begin to surround you from all sides, fill closets and suitcases, crawl across kitchen shelves and cabinets, interfering with your desires to “live in your own way” (many people know the feeling of guilt - they say, when you throw away a box of grandma’s cards, you throw away “grandmother herself”) - means It's time to change something in your mind and in your life.

Learn how to get rid of junk in a useful way

We are sorting out the shelves with books. We leave those books that have any value (old ones, simply dear to our hearts). We sort the rest based on the situation: children's books, science fiction, detective stories and other readable literature we donate to libraries, books from the Soviet era we sell or hand over for sale (today there are many opportunities for such a “maneuver” and lovers of old books), cookbooks from the “take it” category meat for 2 rubles..." we give it away or boldly put it in a box near the trash heap.
Family archive. Well, what mother would raise her hand to throw away her child’s old drawings, letters, manuscripts and notes? Preserving such a legacy (for future generations) is not difficult - it is enough to modernize the archive by digitizing all memorial papers and drawings. The same can be done with boxes of “ancient” videotapes that capture weddings, birthdays and simply memorable events - digitize and free up space.
Old furniture. There are not so many options: place advertisements for sale on the Internet, take it to the country, give it to those in need, update it in a workshop or do it yourself and give an old chair (for example) a new life.
Before throwing something into the trash, ask about its value. Perhaps this chest of drawers from your grandmother will bring you money for a new refrigerator, and the collection of old stamps will contain rare “papers with original glue”, which collectors have been chasing for many years.
Buy new things only after getting rid of old ones. No need to store a dozen new sets in the closet bed linen, if you still have two dozen old ones lying there. Or buying a new refrigerator when you have a whole labyrinth of old ones in your hallway.
Place all things from the mezzanine (from the closet, from the pantry) into one pile and sort it into “can’t do without this”, “useful”, “well, why do I need this” and “urgently in the trash”. Get rid of unnecessary junk without hesitation - discipline yourself.
Lots of old clothes , which has long gone out of fashion, has become too big/small, is a little worn, has defects? Wash it, iron it, remove defects and take it to a second-hand store (second-hand store, online flea market, etc.). Still, the money was spent, and it’s stupid to just throw away things that can still serve someone, and that can still bring in a pretty penny.