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How to change your life by throwing junk out of your home. How to properly get rid of old things? Burn or throw away

Olga Nikitina

Reading time: 6 minutes

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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 influence 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 in advance onto our well-being.
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: we donate children’s books, science fiction, detective stories and other readable literature to libraries, we sell or hand over Soviet-era books for sale (today there are many opportunities for such a “maneuver” and lovers of old books), cookbooks from the category “take 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. There is no need to store a dozen new sets of bed linen in the closet if you still have two dozen old ones 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.

The fact that you need to clean the space around you almost weekly has long been known, especially to adherents of Buddhism. The point here is not only spring cleaning, and even more so in getting rid of things that you no longer need. Moreover, they are not always old, sometimes they are simply unnecessary.

Give to gain

Have you decided to give away your things? Always part with them with a pure heart, without thinking that perhaps one day the day of that dress or that blouse would come. If even a drop of pity remains in you, then your energy will go away with the given thing. Be sure to perform a ritual of separating you from the thing: “There is no me in this dress/coat/shoes, it’s just a thing.” This must not just be said, even mentally, it must be sincerely believed.

If you give things to charitable foundation and you are afraid that you will give part of yourself to your future owners along with clothes and shoes, cut them off from you. Close your eyes, imagine the threads connecting you, and mentally cut every single one with scissors.

The main thing is that no matter who you give your things to, mentally wish that new ones will take their place. And then the new thing will not take long to arrive.

If you are determined to make at least some profit from unnecessary things, second-hand stores, consignment stores and ad sites are at your service. But in this case, things should also be “cleaned” – from their energy. Place everything you want to donate in a bag, light an aromatherapy candle next to it and let it burn. You can also use salt. Add 2-3 tablespoons of coarse salt to the water and rinse things in this water.

However, if you are not sure that you will not miss your favorite blouse or sweater, then it is better to cut them into small pieces and burn it.

Can't be stored or thrown away

Of course, you can't give away all your things. Feng Shui experts do not recommend sharing hats, underwear, shoes, wallets and combs, explaining that these items are too closely connected with their owners.

What else shouldn't be stored?

Things when wearing which you experience physical or psychological discomfort: your throat feels tight, your hands itch, the color doesn’t suit you or the item evokes unpleasant memories;

Clothes with stains and holes, worn out, faded and out of fashion. Your closet is not a warehouse of rags, remember this;

Tights with arrows, left under winter jeans;

Things the existence of which you didn’t even remember a minute ago, and even now you can hardly imagine yourself in them;

Books that you have read a long time ago, but have no desire to re-read a second time.

Second life for old things

No matter how they argue that every thing has its own lifespan, any housewife will sooner or later decide to extend the life of an old sweater, a backpack from her youth, or something else dear to her. Of course, such ideas also have a right to exist.

It’s not for nothing that in ancient times our ancestors created patchwork technique handicrafts. They never threw anything away, but “recycled”, thereby creating beautiful and original things from unnecessary wardrobe items.

So if you have a creative streak, free time and many things that have come to be reborn - go ahead, perhaps you will create incredible original creations that will decorate the walls of your home or your friends.

You can also decorate a beautiful box or chest where you will store the things that are most beloved and dear to your heart. Pajamas that my mother gave me, earrings bought on my first trip abroad, and other goodies with which the most tender and warm memories are associated.

School notebooks, worn-out jeans, long-needed and dusty players and phones. According to psychologists, everything we don't use longer than a year, automatically turns into trash. Which, by the way, programs us for poverty. But is it so easy to get rid of junk?

the site found five reasons that force us to keep old things, and found out how to force ourselves to sort out household rubble.

1. Because we are used to being frugal

Has the dress gone out of fashion? Are your favorite sneakers torn? Laptop broken? Approximately 88 percent of Russians do not know how to part with old and unnecessary things. We store clothes and shoes, magazines and books, toys, postcards, equipment and much more that we don’t use at all.

Pathological frugality, experts say, is in the Russians’ blood. To our grandparents, who grew up in the military and post-war years, it’s hard to throw things away - because of the poverty they have experienced and the fear of being left with nothing, they put off all sorts of things for a “rainy day” all their lives. Hence the endless five-liter cans, bags in bags, broken skis and other rubbish, which to this day are carefully stored by our compatriots on balconies, mezzanines and dachas.

Of course, it’s good to be thrifty, but still, the next time you send holey sweaters, cracked plates and leftover laminate flooring to the back of your closet or balcony, think: are you turning into Gogol’s Plyushkin?

Syllogomania, pathological hoarding, or Plyushkin syndrome is a disorder in which a person experiences a passion for collecting and storing things. Clothes, books, household utensils and other items are not used, but only accumulated.

It is difficult for a person suffering from syllogomania to throw away trash (even the smallest ones). Sometimes it doesn’t work out at all - he’s too sensitive to his junk.

Northern peoples who are in unfavorable climatic conditions, prone to a certain type materialism: we store food. This is a tradition on which the well-being of our ancestors during the long winter depended for centuries. So even now we, descendants, feel more comfortable if the refrigerator is full of dumplings and other products long term storage

In addition, our country complicated story: Throughout the 20th century, millions of families suffered from hunger and poverty. This still affects us: it is more difficult for us to throw things away, especially food. For example, the United States has never participated in defensive wars on its territory, they have a different history, and therefore their attitude towards things is easier: buy it, get tired of it, throw it away. And we are scared.

Meanwhile, materialism can be both a manifestation of character traits and mental pathology. It’s a fine line, but in any case it is incorrect to say that materialism leads to psychological ill-health. After all, it cannot be said that nausea is the cause of poisoning. On the contrary, poisoning leads to nausea.

Irina Solovyova

psychologist

2. Because they will definitely come in handy someday

Uncomfortable shoes high heels, “when I lose weight” jeans and five old flip phones in case the iPhone breaks. We don’t throw away dozens of outdated items just because we stubbornly hope to use them again someday.

In fact, having lost weight, you would rather buy new jeans than wear those that have been lying on the back shelf of the closet for several years - by then they may simply go out of fashion. And for shoes purchased only for beauty, there will probably be an equally attractive, but comfortable alternative. Don't fool yourself: things that haven't been used for years will never be needed again.

The same applies to books. If you have a multi-volume edition of Marx and the Big Book collecting dust on your shelf Soviet encyclopedia, which you are not going to read, it is better to take them to the library. You should not clutter your house if you do not have a special room for books: store only those publications that you like to re-read and that you need for work and study.

By the way, psychologists say that attachment to old things programs us for poverty. By allowing yourself to leave a torn blouse for a rainy day, you are instantly hastening its onset - assuming that such a day will come and you will actually have to wear a tattered pullover.

In general, it’s good to take it once a month and look at what surrounds you - clothes, some books, notes. You need to understand how necessary all this is right now: whether these things fuel your self-esteem or not.

There are probably things in your closet that don't suit you. this moment, do not correspond to your personality. You may have bought some of them when you weren’t feeling very well. Because of some things you have already “grown up”. Or maybe you have books that have already outlived their usefulness, have served their purpose. You need to get rid of all this.

The situation when you open a closet and clothes fall out can cause psychological discomfort. You get the feeling that you have a lot of things, but nothing you really need. It's not clear what you want. This can lead to helplessness and uncertainty.

Vera Joyful

psychologist, art therapist

3. Because they remind you of the past

Russian notebooks, diaries, notes, dried roses, old concert tickets, planes and trains - all of this, of course, contains many stories. Such things represent entire eras of our lives - school years, past relationships, completed trips.

There is nothing wrong with remembering the past - put your favorite papers and trinkets in a box and put it under the bed or on the closet. Just don't overdo it: there's no point in keeping a bunch of T-shirts left behind. ex-girlfriend, endless teddy bears “from fans” and dozens of old copybooks and student lectures.

Keeping flared jeans, a checkered arafat and DC sneakers in your closet also makes no sense. After all, you probably still have photos of the times when you wore them. Do you really really want to fill your apartment with things that have already served their purpose?

Materialism can form as an attempt to hold on to something in one’s life, to preserve it. For example, it can develop after the loss of a loved one or in the event of a separation. Or maybe an aging woman is trying to retain her youth in this way - naturally, unconsciously.

In some cases, you can deal with materialism on your own. The main thing is to understand what exactly you are trying to make up for in such a symbolic form, what you actually lack. What you really don't want to part with. You should still find the strength to let it go from life. If you can’t do this on your own, you can seek psychological help.

Irina Solovyova

psychologist

4. Because someone once gave them to you

Many people find it truly painful to have to get rid of things that were once gifts from friends. A bulky figurine of the Eiffel Tower, a clumsy candle stand, a belt that you have never worn and will never wear... Do you even remember who gave it to you and when?

Feel free to clear your house of such things: unlikely close person could give you something that you will never use. And if your friend was not close, then why are you afraid of hurting – even mentally – his feelings?

5. Because I feel sorry for them

Yes, you don't need this little porcelain horse at all. But it was bought in the year of the Horse - that is, in your year! Surely the figurine brings good luck. And anyway, does a tiny trinket take up a lot of space?

The 1992 edition of Cosmopolitan magazine was given to you by your aunt, but you collected all the 2002 issues of Snob yourself. Of course, they cannot be thrown away: they are dusty, but such a living personification of bygone days. I can’t even lift my hand to take out an old wooden chair. It is while sitting on it that you are in student years pored over coursework and spent sleepless pre-graduation nights. It's a pity somehow.

Remember: every time you refuse to throw away something that has objectively become unnecessary, you do not allow yourself to acquire something new. According to a Chinese proverb, something new will never appear in life until something old goes away (“The old will not go away, the new will not come”).

In addition, according to esotericists and psychologists, negative energy accumulates in things that lie and are not used, which causes apathy, laziness and pathological fatigue in the inhabitants of a cluttered house. Well, and also dust, of course (allergy sufferers are generally contraindicated from being Plyushkins).

If you accumulate things and do not use them, then it turns out that the energy has no outlet. Energy circulates only when you have studied and applied something, bought and worn it. When things just lie there, they bring nothing.

We need to get rid of old things because we immediately have space and free space. Free space, in turn, attracts something new, with new energy.

It is impossible to attract something new if there is physically nowhere to attract, if everything is crammed everywhere, there is something lying everywhere. You need to throw something away in order to bring something new into life. There is no other way.

Vera Joyful

psychologist, art therapist

How do you know if things are about to consume you?*

* Consults psychologist Irina Solovyova

If your passion for collecting things is a manifestation mental disorder, it will certainly be accompanied by other alarming symptoms. For example, inadequate perception of reality, memory and attention disorders.
Notice the scale that materialism has assumed. Maybe he started to interfere with your Everyday life? Maybe things are already pushing you out of your apartment?
What matters is what you collect. Let's say there is nothing wrong if a mechanic or engineer collects parts that may be useful to him in his work. But often, having “caught” Plyushkin syndrome, you begin to clutter your house with completely unnecessary things.
Think about it, is it difficult for you to part with things - sort out your wardrobe, give unnecessary things to an orphanage or to the poor? If yes, then it's time to sound the alarm.
Remember that older people are more susceptible to pathological hoarding. On a moderate scale it is even normal for them. So you don’t need to follow the example of your grandmother, who doesn’t throw away plastic chicken boxes, and your grandfather, who collects bottles of used perfume.

How to avoid becoming a hostage to your own things?

1. Clear out household rubble once a month

When you get used to getting rid of old things and parting with them no longer seems like a disaster, general disassembly can be carried out less frequently.

2. Buy new things only after getting rid of old ones.

If you buy a new chest of drawers, deciding to take out the old one “someday later,” there is a high probability that you will never fulfill your intention.

3. Be critical

Take everything out of the closets, from the balcony, from the mezzanine. Sort through your items by constantly asking yourself the following questions: “Can I live without this?”, “Have I used this in the last six months/year?”, “Will I need this in the next six months/year?”

4. Get rid of things gradually

When sorting out, for example, old children's toys, first leave at home only those with which there are especially many pleasant memories. Then go through the toys again. It’s good if in the end there are only one or two dear bunnies or bears left. Give the rest of the toys to the orphanage - they are more needed there than on your mezzanines.

Toys are usually accepted at the same points as clothing; a list of places can be found.

5. Don’t turn your home into a warehouse for non-working or simply unnecessary equipment.

This is harmful not only to moral and physical health. Leave one old but still working mobile phone in case the current one breaks down. Take all other equipment to special collection points for electrical appliances.

A list of locations can be found.

6. Be especially careful about sorting out your old clothes.

Stop storing jeans that are out of fashion, or a sweater that once drove your classmates crazy. Old clothes that are collecting dust in the closet may be useful to someone else - orphans, the poor, the elderly. Wash the items, iron them and take them to a second-hand store or special item reception, from where the clothes will be given to orphanages or social support centers.

The list of points where they accept clothes (of course, not torn, not dirty or wrinkled) -.

7. Don't overdo it when getting rid of things.

Antique furniture, dishes, war letters from your great-grandfather, an old piano and a working cassette player are certainly not worthy of ending up in the trash heap. A piano that has become unnecessary can be sold, antiques can be adapted for the interior of an apartment or cottage. You can do the same with a set of dishes or glasses, having previously found out its price.

The strangest things that Muscovites keep at home*

Part nuclear reactor from Chernobyl and a spear tip. Fortunately, the reactor “button” is “cleaned” and has no background radiation.

Innokenty: “The nuclear reactor element is a gift from a person who was in Chernobyl. The thing itself is on the mnemonic diagram of the reactor shield, but no one knows the exact name. Another artifact is a spear tip, which I found during a trip to the Upper Volga lakes in the 1980s.” .

Rail. Timofey: “This thing is a rail fastening. It was found in the area of the Matveevskoye platform. Left over from the construction of the railway.

I use it as a press when I need to glue something together."

Stone from the construction site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Evlampia: “When I was little, my parents and I walked past the Cathedral of Christ the Savior - then it was still under construction. When we passed along the construction site, I fell behind my parents, ran onto it, took a piece of stone there and ran back to my mom and dad.”

Stone from Andreevsky Descent. Agrippina: “When I was in Kiev, my friends and I went for a walk on Andreevsky Descent. They sell all kinds of rarities, trinkets and jewelry there. I bought a pendant for my neck from one woman, and her little daughter - she was two and a half years old - said, that she would sell. I agreed, gave her the money, took the bag with the pendant, and after that, she picked up a piece of paving stone from the ground - and it was so beautiful, red with some kind of mica - and said that it was a “desire stone,” and she He gives it to me. Since then he has lived with me."

Stone with Palace Square . Veniamin: “My friend and I were in St. Petersburg for the first time, and we were already tipsy enough to want to take a piece of the city with us. We took and pulled out this stone right on Palace Square.”

Photo lab. Agathon: “I don’t collect all sorts of rubbish on the street, I have enough stuff at home. Most of the things left from my grandfather - a darkroom, rare photos(including Joseph Stalin), an ancient radio with buttons “Budapest”, “Berlin”, “Milan” and “Moscow”, Morse code and so on.

Morse code. Agathon: “I haven’t put things in proper order yet and periodically I find something new - either a coin for my collection, or generally things that are completely incomprehensible to me and excite the imagination. Despite the fact that most often such rarities are put up for auction, I won’t study. Still, these things are dear to me as a memory."

*The names of the respondents have been changed for confidentiality purposes.

Anna Teplitskaya, Dmitry Kokoulin

Is there at least one Russian family whose bins will not contain 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 throw away the old?

Old things clutter up space in the house and prevent not only the free circulation of clean air, but also (according to Feng Shui) the energy of qi (life). One can approach the philosophy of Feng Shui in different ways, but one cannot deny the negative impact of old things in the house on the health of household members. 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 our lives.
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 in advance onto our well-being.
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 around for years., and where the hands of the owners do not reach. Old, out-of-fashion boots with worn-out 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 pity to throw away” are a source of 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 hand them over to old book stores.
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 are things that we attach special importance to. Well, don’t part with them - that’s all.

How to properly throw away old things - learn how to get rid of trash for good

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. There is no need to store a dozen new sets of bed linen in the closet if you still have two dozen old ones 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.
Please note - is it possible to renew the things you decide to throw away? For example, make fashionable shorts from old jeans, a decorative item from an old jacket, a masterpiece of painting from an old flowerpot, or a hand-made bedspread from a blanket that your mother gave you?

If you store absolutely everything and don’t throw away anything, then gradually the house (or office) will be filled with books, boxes, folders, disks, clothes, paintings, dishes and household appliances varying degrees of age, working and not. Sooner or later, all this will be dumped in such a mess that all the premises will look like after the invasion of bandits looking for treasure.

Why store everything?
So why keep all this? - you ask. Surely, each of us has more than once caught ourselves thinking: “ Maybe someday I'll need this thing again" If it is in working order (regardless of the statute of limitations), it can be used for its intended purpose (no matter that this is already the fiftieth folder for papers or the twentieth cardboard box), and if not, this part can later be screwed to that one over there. so on (the back of a broken chair is convenient for inflating the grill if you shake it hard enough; the great-grandmother’s iron, which was heated on the stove, serves as a wonderful press for a bucket of sauerkraut, and many people manage to use cast iron circles from an old rod as stands for pots on a gas stove). Over time, “chronic not throwing away” simply becomes a habit for you.

When we started accumulating
The careful accumulation of all things ever used has become widespread, oddly enough, only in the last fifty years. Many people use basements and attics in their country houses for these purposes, many use mezzanines and built-in closets in apartments, and some even use their own offices. Perhaps this is somehow connected with the ups and downs of the economic situation, but most likely the reason lies in a fundamental change in the mentality of people.

Things that are hard to throw away
The decision to get rid of an old item is made once and for all, and it is sometimes difficult to accept. Perhaps the thing reminds you of something or someone from your past. Sometimes there is an emotional connection to the subject, memories that can come flooding back. when we accidentally stumble upon it every time, they don’t allow us to simply throw it out of our lives, and maybe, moving obsolete junk to a landfill, you catch yourself thinking that time is running. Memorabilia from the past are important, but you still shouldn’t keep the box from a music disc (no longer played for a long time) that was given to you by a fan back in school.

Measure half
Just throw away or donate half of what you keep and you will see that your life will become much easier. First, walk through all the rooms and carefully look at where everything is, then slowly select what you think might be in the “throw away” queue. Perhaps you missed something! Indeed, such a decision requires a lot of courage, organization and several attempts.

Regardless of whether you decide to dismantle the closet, mezzanine or pantry, set yourself a goal of getting rid of at least half of the things over the next 30 days. Moreover, this does not mean that you need to throw everything in the trash. Take part in collecting donations for children in orphanages and nursing homes, fire victims, hospices, or simply distribute things to the families of poor people in your area. settlement, whom you may know personally.

Recycling principles
When deciding whether to get rid of a particular item, ask yourself the question: “Have I ever taken Last year this thing in your hands? Moreover, a positive answer does not mean that you need to save it (you could shift it from place to place in confusion). A negative answer clearly means that it’s time to part with this item.

The second question will be: “Does this item carry any emotional charge for me?” What memories does it awaken in you, is it a family heirloom, do you want to pass it on to your children and grandchildren, can you feel proud in showing this thing? If you can’t give a clear answer to such questions, feel free to get rid of the item!

Don't forget that getting rid of something you no longer need doesn't always mean throwing it away. Things that have served their purpose (if they are still in good condition) can be successfully sold by selling them to people who need them more, for example, on the site www.baracholka.ru or www.avito.ru - there are dozens of such sites in RuNet.

Just in case
Is it worth storing things “just in case”? In no case! Even if your first instinct is to put this thing back where you took it from, throw it away as quickly as possible. This will help you finally overcome the habit of uncontrolled “acquisitiveness”.
If you leave something behind out of habit, throw it away without a second thought! In your closet you can find everything: shelves and compartments of different sizes where you can put or hang clothes, bags, suitcases - everything you need daily and several times a year. But this is not a crypt, which stores not only the remains of ghostly memories, but also real useless trash that no one will ever use.

1. First of all, take all the contents out. Everything can be organized correctly only by starting with clean slate" Take out all the things one by one so that you can touch each of them at least twice: once, pulling it out into the light of God, the second time, putting it back or putting it in a pile for disposal.

2. Divide all your things into four parts:
what do you use daily?
what do you use once a week;
that you take it at least once a month;
something you haven't touched in at least a month.

3. Carefully sort out the things you haven’t used for a month.
You will get two piles:
seasonal items that will come in handy next winter, spring, summer, autumn;
things that are not dependent on the season that you put in the closet and then forgot.

4. Place your “forgotten items” in two large boxes.
You will call one box “Give” (or “Sell” - depending on your financial status and philanthropic qualities) - in it you will collect things that it’s time to get rid of, but are well preserved and you don’t dare throw away.

Many young mothers, as their baby grows up, sell through flea market websites those accessories from which he has already outgrown - walkers, bottle sterilizer, chaise longue, etc., and with the proceeds they buy new ones necessary for the child objects - for example, a piano playing table, a bicycle or a large construction set.
You can donate any items that are in working order, but you no longer need them, to poor people in your area, you can contact any charitable organization, a church on your street, or any organization that helps people in difficult circumstances. Thus, you will not only free up living space in your home, but will also be able to help those in need.

By the way, in some countries, for example, in Switzerland, recycling of old things (or, more simply, donating them to charity) is mandatory. special service Red Cross. For example, clothes cannot just be thrown into a landfill. Moreover, old things will be taken from you only if they are washed, mended and ironed - that is, practically restored to their original form.
Call the second box “Throw Away” and put there what you are already ashamed to give to charity. These things have honestly outlived their usefulness, so just recycle them.

5. Pay attention to “seasonal items” to decide what should be left in the closet and what should be moved to another place “until needed.” If you are the happy owner of a huge built-in wardrobe, you can leave everything as it is.
If there is very little space in the closet, put things that you will not need over the next few months into boxes or bags and put them in another place: in the pantry, on the mezzanine, in the attic, or take them temporarily to the garage. When packing things, you can also use vacuum bags and a special vacuum cleaner that pumps the air out of them to save space. So the space occupied by these things will decrease significantly.

6. Now, review those things that you pick up at least once a month and still send some things to the “Give” and “Throw away” boxes. This step is the most difficult. Special attention pay attention to objects that you pick up quite often, but only because they bother you (for example, wiping dust). Think about it, if this is the case, don’t hesitate to get rid of such rubbish.

7. To organize the remaining items in your closet that you use at least once a month, start with the items you use least often. Place them in the farthest corner of the closet or shelf. Do not throw them at random, but carefully place, hang or lay them down; in a month you will have to get them again, so make sure they are available to you. Do the same with other things, and the items you use most often should be the easiest to access.

8. Now organize the things you use at least once a week, while continuing to put the excess in the same “Give away” and “Throw away” boxes. The rules are the same - be careful and consistent, always remember the “Give” and “Throw away” boxes.

9. And place items that are used daily last. Do this so that it is not difficult to get them when needed.

10. Repeat this procedure every six months. After reorganizing your storage space, you will be amazed at the number of things you could easily do without, but thought you couldn’t live without.

Why is this so important
Leading American management specialist Mark McCormack suggests next example from life: one person always successfully invested money in start-up, but potentially successful enterprises. He did not understand the areas of business in which these companies operated, but he could determine with rare instinct whether this or that enterprise could bring him profit. He explained his success this way: “I always go into the storerooms of the companies in which I am going to invest money. It is not difficult to put your office in perfect order, especially if you are expecting a visit from a potential investor. But only by inspecting the back rooms can I understand whether this company pays enough attention to detail, and whether it is worth investing in it.” This man made a fortune from his theories.

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