One of the worries that people have sometimes is;
Will I regret decluttering?
They remember that time when they got rid of that dress, and they’ve then just thought about it for years since that moment;
“Oh I wish I hadn’t got rid of it.
That was a beautiful dress.
I could have worn it to this event, or that event”
And yes that can happen, I’m not going to deny that.
There is a chance you may get rid of something that later on you think
“I really wish I still had that”
However, I often liken it to a story that I heard once, about people who smoke.
They’ll say; “I knew this guy Bert, and he smoked for like 60 years, 40 Woodbine’s a day, and he never got cancer”
It’s the one in a million that we hang on to sometimes. And this can definitely be the same for decluttering.
Now I know how good it makes people feel when they’ve done it.
I know what a difference it makes in people’s lives.
And to hang on to that one time, that what you got rid of that you may have needed again, as opposed to all the times, (that you’re not going to remember), when you got rid of loads and loads and loads of stuff and never ever needed them again.
It’s a bit like hanging on to the guy who never got cancer when you smoke.
It’s the exception to, rather than the rule.
I’m not going to promise you that you’re not gooing to get rid of something that you’re may want later on. There may well be that chance. But if you weigh it up, what is the cost of that, versus the the actual gain in getting rid of all the rest of the stuff?
If you looked at a room and said from 100 items that you are going to get rid of, maybe one of those you might need again.
What’s the worst that can happen?
You could always buy it again when you need it.
Now, if it’s a hugely expensive item then you’re probably going to think a bit more about whether or not you are going to be getting rid of it. But actually if it’s a dress,you can always go to a charity shop, like I do, and you’ll find something different. I’ve done it myself and I’ve found something possibly even better.
I firmly believe in getting rid of the old, to make way for the new to come in.
So the other thing to ask yourself about that is;
“Am I hanging on to an old memory?
An old time?
An old bit of my life, where and when I felt really good?”
And maybe that item symbolizes that moment in time.
But getting a new one can then enable you to have plenty more, new good times, and to move on from that to better things.
So really would you really regret it anyway?
Please don’t let it hold you back.
One of the most important things is moving on, so will you regret it?
I hope not.