Homemaking Tips 🌷 8: Decumulate (part 1)

Homemaking Tips 🌷 8: Decumulate (part 1)

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In Homemaking 🌷 6, I mentioned that when we begin living in a new place, or have lived in a place long enough, it's usually about accumulating things. The people around us and the world, don't really talk about how to decumulate, so we often end in these situations, without even knowing why:

- Overwhelmed

- Anxious

- Stressed

- Out of control

- Need to be away from our own homes, for relaxation

I'm guessing stocking up for survival, is a basic skill that all mammals have, so it's not a bad thing, but being that we're humans, we have more technologies to produce and acquire more things compared to the rest of the animal kingdom, so we should be more alert about how much is a good balance.

We should in this case, consider ourselves lucky, to realize that it's ok to decumulate, by donating/selling/giving away (or if none works, simply discard) our old/unused belongings, for the sake of our mental hygiene. 

For some, especially starters, letting go may be challenging, as things in our homes, were exchanged with the time we worked (our income) or created/given by someone (sentimental value).

In this case, we'll need to first realize that the things, are not exactly money, for example, we cannot use a worn of brand name jacket, to purchase groceries, it's a jacket, not a currency. 

So the first step is to update our mindset, to understand that, things are things, if it's in use, then keep, if it hasn't been in use, and is more of a stress to have it at home, than not having it, then let go, in the method you feel most comfortable.

On my first year of decumulation, it was a lot of work. Although I didn't have a hard time with parting with things, it was just a lot of stuff, in different categories. I had to sort, pack, arrange, based on the type of things, and schedule donation pickup, or drop off at charity locations, and also put knickknacks in good condition in boxes to be left on driveway to be freely picked up by neighbors. 

I would say getting the mind ready to let go is 50% (mental load) of work, and actually letting go is the other 50% (physical load), so don't dwell on the mind preparation too long, because you have a lot of work a head. 

My tip for the day, is to decumulate things on a routine basis, rather than doing once a year or few years (it's just too much work).

Here are some of the things I let go this week.

2 chairs: I bought these less than 1 month ago, but because the angle didn't work too well, and the store doesn't accept return (didn't cost much).

White scooter - Less than 1 year old, purchased for myself to commute within the neighborhood for quick errands, and since my husband decided to buy a motorcycle to commute to his work, instead of driving the car, I now get to drive the car, instead of riding the scooter (lol).

Toddler push tricycle: Still in good condition, and my youngest child is no longer using this, so it was time to pass on.  

These items were gone in a matter of half an hour, sometimes I hear the person saying a big "thank you!" and leaving a handwritten thank you note. It feels really nice to do something nice, that benefits both my neighbors and my home.

I'll talk about what to do with items of sentimental values in the next post, stay tuned!

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Next Post - Homemaking 🌷  9: Decumulate (part 2)

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