Why do we keep things we don’t need

I have a question for you.

Do you own something you don’t use, don’t particularly like, and probably wouldn’t even notice if it quietly disappeared tomorrow?

Of course you do.

Most of us do.

Perhaps it was expensive. Perhaps someone gave it to you. Perhaps you bought it for the person you were going to become. Or perhaps you are keeping it because, one day, somebody somewhere is surely going to need that particular cable.

And on that day, you will be ready.

We often think clutter is simply about having too much stuff. But our belongings are rarely just things.

They can represent people, memories, money spent, plans made, guilt, hope and even versions of ourselves we’re not quite ready to say goodbye to.

This is why, when it comes to decluttering in Barbados, I don’t believe we should begin with bin bags and a determination to “get rid of things.”

It begins with understanding.

Sometimes I’ll ask someone, “What makes this difficult to let go of?”

The answer tells us far more than asking, “When did you last use it?”

And sometimes the answer is simply:

“I don’t know.”

That’s perfectly all right too.

There is no rule saying you have to make every decision today.

At ZING, I’m far more interested in helping you decide what deserves a place in your home and in the life you’re living now.