Can you help me... i find it so hard to throw things out...?

Question

I'm ok at throwing out rubbish that is no use to any one and i give clothes etc to charity shops, its the little things ... like thick plastic pots ( that had body lotion in for example) and cardboard boxes...i just hate to think of all this stuff going into the land fill and i am always keeping stuff to use for something later... trouble is i don't use it... I realise a lot of stuff can be recycled but ist there some where that people want reall junk??? sorry if this question doesn't make much sense!

Answer 1

try honey.......try

Answer 2

I am glad that you are seeking to avoid landfill and I have two suggestions.

The first is to buy less stuff and to avoid stuff that comes in packaging.  Consumerism is the real root problem.  We have been persuaded that life is dull without lots of stuff and that it is important to have the latest stuff.  But this is all nonsense and means we are running out of places to put the rubbish created.  We are also running out of the materials from which the rubbish is made, particularly the fossil fuels and ores.  And the burning of the fossil fuels is causing global warming which will add to our problems enormously unless we stop it.  So buy less stuff.

My second suggestion is to google the word freecycle and your local town.  You will discover a community of people who are keen, like you, to avoid stuff going to landfill.  They advertise the stuff they have and those who can find a use for it arrange to come and collect it.  Just have a look at the range of stuff collected in this way and you will be amazed.  It really works and cardboard boxes, for example, are snapped up very quickly.  It all demonstrates that "reuse" is a very practical way of avoiding waste.

Best wishes in your efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Answer 3

I clear out every two years or so. If I haven't used it, worn it etc then out it goes. (OK a very few mementoes of friends etc stay) but you get the general idea. We outgrow things and hang onto things for no good reason.

Try it, it feels good, moving on and all that jazz.

Answer 4

This can become a real psychiatric problem if you honestly can't throw anything out. Some people hoard useless items to the point where they are boxed into their own stuff and nobody is willing to visit them at their residence.

Think of it like this, what if a fire were to break out in the night?

What are the chances of you getting out? Would that stuff go up so fast that you'd have no chance whatsoever, and if you did have a chance would your way out be blocked by 'stuff'?

Being safe is more important than saving landfills, no matter what the media tells you. If your home is a hazard, deal with it. Whether that be using mental 'tricks' or professional help.

Answer 5

your opposite to me eh,,,, i love throwing/recycling stuff,,, i look at it and if i havn't used it in a year out it goes.........

Answer 6

I have this probem lots of times  i find it easy just to throw it away or rip it up depending on what it is, but once the stuff is gone its gone and there is nothin you can do..but you do feel better because its not there to worry about anymore.

Beleive me it works.try it and tell me how you feel.

Answer 7

Wow, youre me! I have a massive pile of cardboard boxes in my bedroom -theyre all stacked inside each other to save space and sit on top of the wardrobe, in a corner, under the desk -anywhere that I can find some spare space. I find I DO use some of these things sometimes. Eg the boxes either used as containers to post ebay goods in, or cut up as envelope strengtheners when posting fragile ebay things inside envelopes.

I agree though that there are too many boxes to fill current demand, but the counter-argument that stops me throwing them out is that my original source of them has vanished, so I cant get more easily if these do run out. No Im not thinking of building a nuclear power plant out of cardboard boxes and empty washing up liquid bottles, but yes, it is the hoarders dilemma.

If you let them pile up then you will one day find there is no space anywhere anymore to add new stuff. Thats when its crunch time, and youll be FORCED to start throwing things out. (This happened to me a couple of years ago). However, rather than being painful, you will find it surprisingly 'liberating'.

To start, you will probably find that you can locate one really hyper-rubbishy box/item/whatever, that even you have to admit is no good for anything (perhaps because its a bit damaged, dirty, etc). Let this one be the start. Then find one quite similar to it -youll find you have several. Keep the ball rolling and before you know it, youve made some space (for more rubbish later if it makes you feel better). Recycle what you throw out (if you can) and youll also know it wasnt wasted in a landfill -that will help you feel better about it too.

Once you get started on this track, it will take on a life of its own and you might even have difficulty deciding where to stop. I got rid of (via auction, not the bin!) one or two toys my parents bought me as a little child and which Id kept in lovely condition buried among all the rubbish -so you can see what might happen. But stick to what you know is obvious junk for now, and make some space for yourself.

I know the feeling: been there, kept that, got the T-shirt!

PS- If some of your packaging is quite old, it may actually sell on ebay believe it or not -some kinds of packaging are keenly sought after. (Dont forget, throwaways become valuable and collectable because nobody else has bothered to save them). However, dont use that as an excuse to keep hoarding. Try to sell it for sure, but If it doesnt sell as a collectors item, bin or recycle it!

Answer 8

I have experience as a pre-school art teacher.  Try to contact daycares, YMCAs or other youth organizations like 4H to see if they would be interested.  You could also check the retirement homes and special needs organizations in your area.  There are many projects that can be done with the cool packages things come in!  Decoupage Rocks!

Answer 9

Thick plastic pots.....??  See a shrink!

Answer 10

Think of getting rid of things as cleansing. Be able to live in the present and realize and appreciate things which you needed in the past but be able to accept the fact that you do not need them anymore. When you throw something out reward yourself. It is also a good idea to keep organized. When you are organized it allows you to realize what you truly don't need. When you find that something has a few layers of dust on it, it is probably time to say good-bye to it.

An alternative to throwing things away is donating them to charity! There are tons of great Charity's for different things. For example if you have a fur coat, you can send it to PETA and they will use it to comfort baby animals.

This will be a hard life change but once you allow yourself to let go you will find that you will be a lot happier. Remember, start small! Good Luck :)