Why We Keep Things: Part II: Trust

It's been said before, and frankly, each time I read this thought, it resonates with me. We keep things because we don't trust ourselves. The Flylady has particularly astute observations on trust and clutter. However, because she declutters her homepage, I can't link to a particular article. Just trust me on this.

Think about the phrase "what if I need it someday?". What thoughts does that phrase inspire? There are two unknowns there, the 'if' and the 'someday'. We don't know that we'll need the item, we just wonder 'if' we'll need it. The need is unknown. The time we might need the item is also unknown, 'someday'. Someday could be tomorrow or next week. It could be next decade. It could be, and mostly likely is, never.

Yes, NEVER. How many times have you actually needed something that you had given away? I've given away truckloads of stuff and I can count on ONE hand the times I've wanted something, genuinely wanted something, that I had given away. And do you know what I felt? Momentary regret, and then I moved on. *I*, hoarder, keeper of all sorts of junk, just let it go.

I try hard to remember that feeling when I am struggling with decisions about what to keep and what to let go. That feeling doesn't stick, it is quite fleeting. The knowledge that, yes, it will be all right. That I will make it through life without that sweater, that book, that game. That pan with the clear glass lid that lets you see how the soup is doing (but that doesn't match my kitchen or wash up well).

Trust. Trust that I can handle what the world will give me, trust that I can take care of my family, of myself, mentally and physically. Trust that my husband will as well. I don't need to keep a life's worth of extras around, I can get what I need when I need it.

And so can you.