Moving to a new place has the astounding ability of revealing just how much junk we really have. Finance blog Beating Broke suggests using this power to figure out how much of your junk you really need.
Many of us tend to feel an attachment to our stuff when we're thinking about tossing it out. That attachment weakens when we have to consider packing it up, paying to ship it, or lug it across the state or country. I mean, I like my life-sized cardboard cutout of Iron Man, but would I pay to ship it 1500 miles? This question can help you filter out all the junk you don't need:
Still, during those few weeks a move was on the table, I panicked a bit looking at all the stuff we would need to either move, sell, or donate before moving 1,000 miles. Suddenly decluttering became less about the mantra, "Only keep what you love and use", and more about, "Would I pay to move this item 16 hours away?" It wasn't a pretty picture.
Some stuff may not be worth the time or money to ship, but you'll still want to hang on to it anyway—if I actually had that Iron Man likeness, you better believe I'm not getting rid of it—but forcing yourself to answer that question will help you figure out where your priorities really are.
Declutter Your House Like You're Moving and Make Some Cash | Beating Broke via Rockstar Finance
Photo by John Benson.