Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Giving your way to freedom

Worth selling?
In my decluttering journey, I've sold many nice things.  Recently.....

Chasing value

Around each thing that owns me, I still see a double golden halo:
  1. the money I spent on it
  2. the money I could get for it
1. Illusion

The money I spent on it is gone. The time to save that money was when I decided to buy the thing - a good lesson for next time.

The thing is no longer my money; it is a thing of some functional worth to me.

Or it is not.

2. Gamble

The money I could get for it seems irresistible. Some of that GONE money could come back!

I'm gambling that the effort of selling will return enough money to be worthwhile.  Of course, from any cash I get, I must subtract all the time it takes to run an amateur secondhand shop. Time to:
  • photograph
  • advertise
  • contact a buyer
  • maybe wrap a package, address it, and take it to the post office.
An optimistic figure? 1 hour. How low must I value my time to leave any lovely money in my hand?

And some things didn't sell, so after all the effort, I simply gave them away. Or worse, left them in my house in the hope I could sell them later.

Winning the gamble

Some things can be worth selling. But remember the main benefit is a clearer space, a clearer mind, and a clearer life. So...
  1. Be realistic about the money you'll get back
  2. Value your time fairly
You'll gradually get a feel for your true profit margin, and when to just let go.
Most of what I showed you earlier in my sold portfolio?  Should have just let 'em go.

Giving away is not throwing away.

Yes, another person might gain from your stuff.  Value that more than the stuff and find freedom.



3 comments:

  1. That's right, I do so agree with this post! I feel clean, light, bright whenever I have despatched things, and more so when there was little effort involved. Suddenly those things don't own me any more.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I'm getting addicted to the high! :-)

      Delete
  2. Thanks, just what I needed to be reminded of!

    ReplyDelete