I don’t know anyone who hasn’t accumulated unnecessary clutter or isn’t disorganized in some way in his or her life. If you are an extremely organized person, please tell me how you became so good at it.
I am such a hoarder, you know, on top of being a shopaholic. With age, I have become more sensible with my purchases and possess more will to walk away from what I think is a good deal but really isn’t on second thought.
But sometimes I still succumb to impulse! I buy backups of things I love for fear of them being eternally out of stock; I buy clothes I know I won’t wear; I buy things I don’t even have time to use.
I will – hopefully – be moving into our new house soon, and don’t want to bring my whole life over. Of course, I’m not going to let my parents live with my clutter so I need to start decluttering, cleaning, and organizing! And just in case you're wondering, decluttering IS NOT organizing. Decluttering comes first!
The benefits of decluttering are actually far more profound than just having more space to walk about - did you know that getting your stuff organized can actually do good for your body, your mind, and the world at large?
Let me share with you 5 benefits to motivate and get you started! 😀
(Trying to look happy under the scorching Penang sun. Flat hair and everything. LOL.)
1. Decluttering Clears Your Mind
Unless you are Magneto who has the ability to manipulate minds and magnetic force fields, chaos restricts our ability to focus. In the same way, clutter limits our brain’s ability to process information. Simply put, clutter COMPETES for our attention!
I definitely suffer from attention-seeking clutter. I feel frustrated and anxious looking at the clutter made up of stuff that is either junk, unfinished projects, or things I don’t know where else to place.
My table mess flows to my chair which flows to my floor which flows to the walkway which flows to the door which flows………….. =_=
I recently started listing some personal items on Gumtree and the process of packing things away already made me feel more liberated and lifted! Like there’s a sudden positive flow of energy surrounding me.
Besides, the ease of which I can sell my items on Gumtree makes me want to put up even MORE things to sell.
Check out my chio profile with all my listings - I love this interface!
2. Earn Supplementary Income
Cutting the clutter is part and parcel of a thorough cleaning. But instead of trashing your belongings, how about earning some money while you’re at it?
You can sell just about anything on Gumtree: from action figures to upright pianos to baby prams to eyeshadow palettes to electronic parts to vintage cooking pots. You can sell and buy a wide variety of items in this online marketplace with ease.
Simply upload images, write a description, name your price, and wait for the money! KA-CHING!
I really like this sweater with golden letters, super comfortable and cool, but like I mentioned in my video, it's TOO cool for me. HAHA!
What’s good about selling on Gumtree is that you can stipulate the buyer to pick up the products or meet at your convenience so you won't have to be responsible for delivering them. There’s a more human touch to it.
Also, it costs you nothing to list your items or buy anything on Gumtree. No commission or advertisement space fee charged!
3. Help Yourself And Others
That thing you want to get rid of might actually be extremely valuable to someone else.
For example, a heart-shaped pendant from an admirer whom you friendzoned? Or a thick woolen sweater your aunt in the U.S sent you for Christmas but you will never get to wear in sunny Singapore? Or a bottle of perfume that is not your kind of fragrance?
Free yourself of emotional stagnation – detach yourself from things that are stuck in the past or do nothing but remind you of guilt.
Also, how about putting up for sale board games that your kids have outgrown of?
Pictionary was one of my favorite games I played as a child; I played the standard version. Other than being a simple and fun game, Pictionary hones mental and physical skills that are crucial to learning and thinking. Converting the word into an image in the mind requires visualization, memory, manipulation of mental images and organization of thoughts. I'll definitely play this with my child if I do have one someday. 🙂
Or something you won in a lucky draw but don't need? An air purifier unnecessary to you might be of great value to someone else!
You can use the Location filter on the side bar if location matters to you, especially if you prefer a meet-up or self-collection.
4. Easier To Find Things
When your things are cleared up, with less, you’ll know where things are, and won’t be searching aimlessly anymore.
Enough of dealing with the fear of opening cupboards in case anything falls on you; enough of searching through piles of clothes you don’t wear to find something you need; enough of losing things in your mountains of clutter.
When I say ‘you’ I actually mean 'ME'. HAHAHA! This post is such a fantastic reminder for myself to take decluttering more seriously from now on.
Just a personal story to tell - In January this year I lost $800 just because I placed the wad of cash ‘somewhere’ I thought I’d remember, but eventually my brain succumbed to the clutter and could not retrive the memory from its database.
5. Breathe Easier
Do you find yourself sneezing often? It could be your CLUTTER that’s causing it. Clutter traps dust and dust isn’t healthy! Especially if you have asthma or sinus like I do. Stuff collects not only dust, but chemicals, mites, bugs… even mold and other organisms in the worst-case scenarios. >.<"
So start decluttering and you’ll soon find that cleaning out literally purifies the air you breathe – good for your mind and body!
Gumtree: Buy, Sell, Be Your Own Boss!
One of the reasons it's so hard to declutter is because we look at something and the thought of how much energy and money went into obtaining it makes us want to keep it again.
BUT!!
Just remember that it’s much better to have money in my pocket than clutter in your house. And better to let someone who will take better care of it have it.
It could be clothes that don’t fit or you are no longer into that style, books you don’t read anymore, makeup you will never get to use because you have too much. Let it go!
Wherein people sell their wares will be a community that is aware of this treasure trove brimming with gold. If you’re looking for something, Gumtree is a great place to hunt for treasures at amazing prices.
Besides putting up for sale your personal items, you might even want to be your own boss and conduct your business online. Gumtree provides you a free platform for you to list all your products and you also benefit from its huge database of users. So for new business owners who want to test the market first before deciding to go further, Gumtree is a great way to start.
While on the go, you can also use the Gumtree mobile app, which means you can buy and sell anywhere, anytime and at your own convenience!
This is where I show you
how awkward I am in videos.
Hahaha! Don't laugh! Still awkward, but less than before. =P
Now, shop away!
What are your best buys bought from online marketplaces? What have you sold? What’s your reason to declutter this year? 🙂
