We all have clutter, some more than others, admittedly. And one of our favourite excuses for keeping clutter is our conviction that it might be useful one day. 

Often we look at an object and we think “well, I really don’t use that, so maybe I should give it away”. And then a little doubt pops into our heads, “but it might be useful one day”, and we put it back; back with the rest of the clutter.

Will it be Useful?

Let’s examine the assumption that everything we don’t use will be useful one day. For example, you live in Leicester and you have a surfboard. Will it be useful one day? Well, Leicester is England’s most inland city and therefore an awfully long way from the sea. If you do decide to go surfing again will you really watn to lug a 7 foot surfboard with you? Or would it be easier to hire one when you get there?

What about your old camera? You don’t use it because everyone has gone digital these days and printing those films is very expensive. But your son or daughter (substitute nephew or niece) might like to have it one day, when they are out of nappies.

Trust me, your son/daughter/niece/nephew will not want your old camera. Not when they can have a sleek, modern, funtional, up-to-date, sexy, digital version. Nothing is as obsolete as out-of-date gadgets. Generally speaking, they really are useless.

Does it Improve With Age?

It’s the same with your old rucksack, that bike you never ride, the mobile phone you’ve upgraded from, and that unwanted Christmas gift. If you can’t think of a use for them now, then you probably never will. Possessions don’t improve with age (apart from fine wine and antiques). The longer you keep them, the more tired they look and the more dated they become, as new and later models are manufactured and released onto the market.

Think Again

The days when you had to ‘make do and mend’ are over for most people. New items are lighter, cheaper, easier to use and more efficient. Let’s face it, if old items were better then you’d be using them, not their modern counterparts.

You know that they’re clutter because you’re not using them. So next time you say to yourself, this will be useful one day, think again.