Before you ask, “why in the world would I have an exit strategy for those beautiful heels I just bought yesterday” or “these towels were too expensive to ever get rid of," you first need to understand what an exit strategy is. My definition of an exit strategy is having a preplanned thought of detaching a tangible item (or intangible) from ones’ space or life. My philosophy is each item we own has a mission. Once that mission has been achieved, it is time to let it move on. This also goes for things that are intangible as a relationship. Every relationship we’ve ever been in or are currently in especially in its beginning stages before marriage has some sort of exit strategy. This is how. We enter a relationship thinking we would are either going to eventually marry our significant other or break up. Marriage or Breaking Up is the exit strategy. Marriage in that you left your courtship for a lifetime bond and breaking up; well I’m sure you understand that one. Rather then viewing “exit strategy” as being negative, it is positive occasion we need to embrace in our lives.
The reason for this post is to explain to you why everything that comes into your home must go. I’m not at all telling you to get rid of everything in home right now but I am hoping that after reading this you are able to understand how the items that we bring into our homes should have an end date. Let me explain.
You’ve just walk into your favorite shoe store at about 2:30 pm on a Friday. You know what store I’m talking about. The one that’s a couple of miles from your house but not too far to where you’d have to eat lunch afterwards. Okay so you’ve now tried on six pairs of shoes and finally found the pair that will go with that outfit you plan on wearing tonight. They’re not just beautiful, they’re comfortable and of course a “show stopper”. You purchase the shoes and head home. Twenty minutes later you are walking through the front door with those beautiful shoes swaying back and forth. You place the shoes on your shoe rack and let them seat, as you get ready for your event. Time has passed and you’ve worn them a handful of times if that and now they’re collecting dust. The love you’ve once had for them has loooong gone.
Those shoes that you purchased for that event and others after had served its purpose and is no longer needed. This is where everything needing an exit strategy comes into place. Instead of holding on to those shoes or other things that are sitting in your homes with no purpose, you should remove them from your possession.
Below are three tips on how to exit your items:
- Donate them — give your items either to your local charity or to someone who needs them
- Sell them — host a garage sale or sell your items on eBay
- Trash them — if your items are unsalvageable throw them away
I’m not at all telling you to go into your homes and get rid of the things you don’t use. I’m also not saying if you haven’t used, touched or worn an item within the last year to throw it away. I am just trying to explain to you that everything we buy, are given, borrow or even make will always need an exit strategy. This exit strategy will not only prevent your home from being cluttered, most importantly keep your sanity.
Interesting fact: According to the LA Times, the average American household has 300,000 items in their home. That's mind blowing!!!
Be Wonderful