Let's remember the past? I went to school in the late 90s, and I grew up mostly in the early 2000s. It was a difficult time, wasn't it? In our small town, everyone lived about the same. Equally bad. Rich or wealthy families were rare, usually 1-2 students per class.
And all the apartments were similar to each other. Some were worse, some were better, but all were roughly the same. The same old furniture, the same sideboard crammed with useless junk. Actually, about junk. There was a lot of junk: everything was kept just in case. In general, there was chaos. And even if at first glance the rooms seemed cozy, the pantries, balconies, and closets were necessarily cluttered with something useless, and here and there you could see greasy switches and yellowed wallpaper.
And poverty often begins in the mind, although material difficulties also play a significant role. After all, even if there is little money, many things can be brought into some order: throw away unnecessary things, wash, and sometimes paint or glue things that require minimal investment. But they don’t do this because the thought is in their heads that “we are poor, and this is how the poor live.” Often money is spent on anything, but not on creating comfort in the house. Why change anything? This carpet has been lying around for three generations — and nothing, somehow it survived. It will lie around for a while. The chair is worn to the point of holes — we’ll cover it with something. And it will be fine.
And, of course, alongside poverty, there is hoarding, which creates chaos in the house. Nothing is thrown away: old boards, some wires, notebooks, exercise books, newspapers, used pens, old clothes. It's a shame to throw them away, but what if you need them? I know from my own experience, I had this feeling for a long time. I kept all sorts of papers in the cover of my passport. Objectively unnecessary, old. But for some reason it was a shame to throw them away. Once I had a whole box of old cosmetics: some had dried up, some had expired, some were overdue. But there was a block: I couldn't take them and throw them away.
Unfortunately, this cannot be eliminated with a snap of the fingers. And the most interesting thing is that with the growth of income, habits remain. I know people who got out of that poverty, began to live normally, have everything in abundance. But hoarding is already a part of their life. Remember, everyone in the house had beautiful sets of dishes and wine glasses that no one used? They stood in the hope that they would come in handy someday. We will drink from the old ones, and let these gather dust. Or brand new snow-white bed linen, which is not used and lies in the closet until better times. And then it is passed on as a dowry and continues to lie in the closet in the new family.
And as if there is money, new things are bought. But old ones are not thrown away. Let the new ones lie around, and we will still use the old ones, why throw them away? Most people continue to live like this, even if they have quite a lot of money. And some can't even afford new things. There is money, but it's a shame to spend it, as if from an old good habit, they tear it from their hearts…
Do you remember Plyushkin? A vivid image of a person who accumulates and puts everything aside for a rainy day. Even though there is money. But the habit remains forever.
I was able to overcome this bad habit. I want to live in comfort and minimalism, surround myself with beautiful new things. If something new is bought, the old one is necessarily thrown in the trash (or given to someone, if it is in good condition).
The thing is that about five years ago I completely changed my image. I stopped buying a bunch of cheap and low-quality things, I eliminated obvious anti-trends from my life: ruffles, tight dresses, ballet flats, blouses, chiffon skirts. I put all these things in a separate closet and bought myself new, good clothes. Of course, I didn't wear the old things. In three years, I didn't wear a single thing. Not once! But I kept them. Why? They took up almost the entire closet. They were lying around like dead weight. And I couldn't explain to myself why I didn't get rid of them.
I got over myself. First I packed one huge bag. I chose the most disgusting clothes in terms of style, in my opinion. I didn't wear any of it and wasn't going to wear any of it. But it was a pity to get rid of it, I don't even know how to explain it. Apparently, it all came from childhood. After the first bag, it became easier, even a kind of excitement appeared. I packed two more, then more and more. Over time, the closet with unnecessary things emptied, and there was room for good new things. And somehow my soul became lighter.
But I still haven't been able to get rid of everything I don't need. That's why every weekend I challenge myself: collect 30 unnecessary things and throw them away without regret. It doesn't have to be big things. Let it be old unnecessary shoelaces, a ribbon, some forgotten business card, a rivet from a jacket that's no longer there, a piece of paper with a reminder. Every time it seems to me: well, that's all, there's nothing more to throw away. And every time I find more and more junk. After all, I'm always buying something new, and I stop using something old.
Last weekend, I went through all my makeup bags. And there alone, I found 30 unnecessary items: a stub of eyeliner, an old lip gloss, a broken eyeshadow palette, a frayed eyebrow brush.
Living next to junk and forgotten unnecessary things is difficult. Such a life ceases to be comfortable. And this applies not only to physical junk. Lately, I have been trying to clean my information space: this is also very important. After all, everything starts with our moral state, so it is important to isolate ourselves from information noise in a timely manner. I unsubscribe from those who are no longer interesting to me, I do not scroll through memes, I do not read gossip about stars.
For many, while living in endless chaos, it is difficult to talk about comfort, efficiency and inspiration. It is difficult, it has been with us since childhood. But you need to be able to overcome yourself. At first it will be difficult, but then… You will appreciate this thrill. I quickly got into the taste and am glad about it.
