When I’m organizing with folks there is often a lot of anxiety about getting rid of stuff that the client is somehow invested in, whether it’s monetarily, emotionally, in terms of time, etc. I get that. It’s harder to let go of things that seem like they have come at a cost. Plus, we don’t want to create more waste than is necessary. But, the expression, “throwing good money after bad” comes to mind here. Here are a few examples, including one from my life.
That dress that you spent a fortune on and only wore once before having your first child… that you’ll never fit into again.
The supplies that you bought to do a specific art project (that you really think that you want to do) that have been languishing in the spare bedroom for three years.
That sweet pair of shoes that are exactly what you always wanted and have never been able to find again… that are a half size too small and well never be comfortable.
The half finished woodworking project that you decided two years ago (on some level) wasn’t worth finishing.
Yes, these things have all come at a cost of some kind or another. But now they are costing you in an entirely different way. They are causing your space and your life to negatively effect you. Ultimately, they aren’t worth anything to you, except pain and anxiety. I suggest moving on. Let that dress have a new life while it’s still fashionable. Let someone with slightly smaller feet dig those shoes as much as you do. Move on to an art project that you are really invested in. Create a new you while you create meaningful art. Clear out that project so you have the room in your workshop to make something that you will enjoy making and having afterwords. Or move on from these hobbies if they’re not really what you needed them to be.
As for me… I was planning on making home made sausage several years ago before my two kids were so demanding and my business kept me so busy. So I bought a frozen chunk of fat back. On my last off week I was determined to make that sausage and use up the fat back. I spent a good amount of money on the amount of pork butt needed to pair with the fat to make the correct ratio for sausage and spent a good amount of time making the sausage. It came out horrible. That is rare for me as a former chef. And, sometimes I am my own worst critic. So I wrapped up portions and froze them. But it was nagging at me that I knew it wasn’t right. What’s the point of taking up the freezer space with something that isn’t ever going to be used? But I spent a ton of time and good bit of money, and I’m super intense about not waisting food.
Ultimately I let it languish in the basement freezer for about two week. I thawed one and tested it just to make sure. And, yes, it was still horrible. I might also add that it was unsalvageable due to the nature of sausage making. So, I cut my losses and thew it all out. Here’s the best part. Far from feeling bad; it felt tremendously liberating to put that series of mistakes behind me for good. Yes, it was a waste, but not when I threw it out. The waste happened when I made crappy sausage. And, that was an honest mistake. So, I might as well move on with my life.
Standard Disclaimer: In an effort to foil my own perfectionist tendencies, I do not edit my posts much… if at all. Please and typos, mistakes, grammatical errors, or awkward phrasing. I focus on getting my content down. An imperfect post completed is better than a perfect post that goes unposted.
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