We have a lot of reasons to be thankful for lockdown- one of them being that we can evaluate certain areas of our lives for what is still current and what no longer serves us. Here are just seven categories of items that you should have exhausted in the last six months and thus know what can stay and what can go...
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Loungewear: If you are anything like me and working from home- loungewear has become your staple work wardrobe. Now that you have had a chance to wear each loungewear piece in your wardrobe you will know what fits, what doesn’t, what has holes in it, what doesn’t suit you and what you never grab when you go to dress yourself on a morning. If this sounds like you- remove anything that falls into these categories and donate them before the second lockdown begins so you can start the next one with a more edited wardrobe.
Books and magazines: You have had six months to read everything in your ‘to read’ pile and if you have not reached for a book by now, chances are you don’t want to read it anyway. Other books or magazines have caught your eye instead and that’s ok. What might have appealed six months ago may not now so give it to someone who will enjoy it.
Games: There has been plenty of opportunity to break out board games, jigsaws and the computer games in your home- but if you haven’t gravitated towards them- it’s possible even with nothing else to do- you don’t want to play them anymore- so part with them.
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Hobby stuff: If you thought you were passionate about a hobby but when given the time to pursue it- you didn’t and entertained yourself with something else- perhaps you aren’t as crazy about it as you assumed. Maybe you’ve moved onto a new hobby and all others have lost their appeal or maybe you have grown out of a particular hobby- if so- declutter all the things associated with it and move on to something that brings you joy now.
Office supplies: If you have been working from home- have used your home stationary every day since March and you’ve still not made a dent in the hundreds of pens you have or filled the many notebooks you own- it may be time to pare down. Even if you work from home for the rest of your career- will you ever get around to using the entire amount you have? Probably not.
Office wear: If you know for certain that you will not be returning to the office again- there is no need to have a wardrobe full of smart clothes. One or two for if you ever have a meeting in person or an interview will do but for the full timers turned freelancers- you can put the space to better use.
Food: Perhaps you panic bought what was left on the shelf because you were worried about not being able to feed your family in lockdown. As it turns out- you have never reached for these items because they were not something you normally buy. If this is the situation you find yourself in- food banks need donations now more than ever before so take all of this food you will never realistically eat and give it to a family who are struggling to make ends meet.
The caveat to all of this is- if you use something only when you go on holiday or for another specific occasion that you have not been able to do because of covid- keep it for next year. Don’t ditch the tent because you haven’t been camping in a year, don’t donate the dress because you missed your cruise and don’t give books away if you have been working unsociable hours because you are also looking after your kids and too exhausted to read. There are exceptions to the rule- only you will know what needs to go and what doesn’t.
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Tagged in Minimalism Declutter Decluttering Lockdown