Bringing stuff into your house is easy.
Letting go of it is a lot harder.
As they say with holes, the easiest way to get out of a hole is to stop digging one.
And the easiest way to declutter your home is to stop stuffing it.
Think before you buy.
Easier said than done, of course.
Documentary filmmaker Kate Schermerhorn explores both what drives us to buy beyond our needs, and how we can stop ourselves doing it in her film, Do I Need This?
It’s scheduled to air on PBS stations later this year.
In the meantime, here are questions Kate suggests you ask
yourself before completing that next transaction.
1. Would this item make my life better or happier?
2. Can I use something else in its place?
3. Do I already own something similar?
4. Do I have a place to keep it?
5. Can I afford it?
6. Can I live without it?
7. If I walk away for 10 minutes, will I come back for it?
Remember: It not only takes money to buy something, but space and energy to keep and care for it.
The few minutes you take to reconsider your purchase before you make it could end up saving you hours of time and money when you’re trying to figure out how to get rid of it.
If you’d like a pocket-sized printout of Kate’s questions, just ask, and we’ll send you one.
