What’s Your Excuse?
Posted on October 15, 2007 by Christine | 4 Comments
I found this article earlier today while purging magazines, and just had to post it here. It is from “Outwitting Housework” by Nancy Rosenberg.
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If you have trouble throwing anything away because you may need it “someday,” then author Nancy Rosenberg has a club for you. She calls it the Prudent Possessors Club.
“It’s fine to keep things as long as there’s plenty of storage space, but once that is filled, and the Prudent Possessor continues amassing items that ‘one day may be of use,’ space becomes more cramped,” says the author of Outwitting Housework.
Prudent Possessors hang on to things for a variety of reasons, Rocenberg says. See if you recognize yourself in any of these:
- I may need this someday.
- My spouse/son/daughter/Great Aunt Nelda may need this someday.
- It can be fixed.
- I paid a lot for it.
- Someday it may be worth something.
- It used to belong to my grandmother.
- It’s a family heirloom.
- It may come back into style.
- I have fond memories associated with it.
- I can wear it again when I lose weight.
- My grandmother made it.
- I put a lot of effort into making that.
- My kids may want it someday for their own children.
- It was a gift.
- It’s too good to throw out.
Her Solution:
Ask yourself these two questions as you cull through your belongings.
1. Have I used or worn the item in the past two years? (I cut this down to 1 year, which gives you plenty of time.)
2. If I needed to, could I buy another?
“Remember, items don’t always add value — in fact, they keep you from having something valuable: an orderly, clutter-free home,” Nancy Rosenberg says.
Related posts:
- Nancy Bush is Coming!
- I Feel So Empty…
- The NEW New Office!
- Clarifying, Cleaning, and Exhaustion…
- Housework ADD…
Comments
4 Responses to “What’s Your Excuse?”
I’m Quite Clever
About Me
Hi! I'm Christine. Wife to Mike. Mom of Jason. Owned by 4 cats. Houston & Destination Wedding Photographer & owner of Hot Mama Boudoir. Blogger since 2000. Living in Houston, Texas since 1985. Living in a 1920 Bungalow in the Heights since 2011.
Want to know more? Just ask.
Extreme
October 16th, 2007 @ 1:47 am
this is really helpful – and I really need to do this before our next move. Thanks for the inspiration!!
October 16th, 2007 @ 7:16 am
One excuse that’s on the top of my list that wasn’t mentioned: “What the heck is this for and what if I throw it out and find out it goes to something I need to keep?” I have boxes and boxes of crap like that. I get totally frozen in my tracks when it comes time to clean closets. ugh!
October 16th, 2007 @ 7:51 am
Right now, this is something I know all about! I’m half way through my closet, and this article is singing my mantras.
By the way – I bought MORE Brooks Farm at Stitches.
W
October 16th, 2007 @ 10:12 am
TAG YOUR IT! check my blog to see whats up.