Swapping 'Want' for 'Need' in Your Choices May Reduce Your Possessions by Half
Rewritten Article:
Unleashing the Power of 'Want' Over 'Need' to Combat Home Clutter
We've all been there — stuff everywhere, counters full, and closets bursting. Clutter is a sneaky little monster, creeping up on us when we least expect it. But fear not, for help is at hand! Tracy McCubbin, a professional organizer and author of Make Space for Happiness, has a magical word that can turn the tide in your battle against clutter: 'want.'
Tracy McCubbin, a dynamo in the organizing world and the founder of dClutterfly, is here to steer us towards a clutter-free life.
Shifting Your Perspective
Before hitting the shop's 'add to cart' button, take a beat and ponder if the item you're eyeing is a want or a need. According to McCubbin, swapping 'need' for 'want' puts control back into your hands. "When you recognize that you don't necessarily need something but merely want it, you can make smarter, more deliberate choices," she explains. "Separating the genuine necessities from the wants encourages level-headed evaluation of each purchase."
"Swapping 'need' for 'want' puts control back into your hands." -Tracy McCubbin
So let's say a pair of sexy see-through stilettos catches your eye. Do you need those babies to survive or are they more of a want? Let's be real, you've got a closet full of kicks already. Realizing that you just want them can change the game in an instant. "Our real needs are limited to essentials like food, shelter, medicine, and clothing. That 12th pair of shoes, third set of pots, or the latest vacuum cleaner — these are all wants," McCubbin points out.
When you acknowledge that you want something, the next step is to explore why you're longing for it so hard. "More often than not, the urge to buy something is a way to escape the challenges of the day," McCubbin insists.
Achieving Clutter-Free Nirvana
We understand that even the most disciplined among us crave a little treat every now and then. But constant indulgence is a recipe for disaster. So try this: every time you catch yourself uttering/thinking "I need this," challenge yourself to swap it with "I want this." No guilt, no judgment — just an awareness of what that feeling truly represents. Reframing 'need' to 'want' may take time, but it'll get easier.
McCubbin recommends asking yourself a few questions before making a purchase:
- Could my life be complete and fulfilling even if I skipped buying this item?
- Have I managed fine without this item up until now?
- Did someone else convince me that I needed this item?
- What's going on emotionally that I think this item will solve?
- Am I simply buying this out of genuine need?
If you're honest with yourself, the answers will be crystal clear. "The simple switch from 'need' to 'want' can revolutionize a person's shopping habits. By buying less, we naturally create less clutter. Excessive acquiring is the primary cause of clutter in every home," McCubbin stresses.
Unclogging Your Closets: A Guide to Shedding the Clutter
Empower Yourself to Escape the Clutter Trap
By perceiving purchases as wants rather than needs, we can make wiser decisions that lead to fewer clutter chaos moments. Channel Tracy's wisdom and conquer the clutter mountain — you've got this!
- Tracy McCubbin, a professional organizer and the founder of dClutterfly, suggests swapping 'need' for 'want' when considering a purchase, as it offers control and encourages deliberate choices.
- When debating whether to buy a pair of shoes or any item, Tracy McCubbin highlights that only essentials like food, shelter, medicine, and clothing are genuine needs, while the rest are simply wants.
- Recognizing that you want something can help in understanding the reasons behind the desire, often finding that the urge to buy is a way to cope with daily challenges.
- To make wiser decisions and reduce clutter, Tracy McCubbin recommends asking questions before buying, such as whether your life would be complete without the item, if you managed without it previously, who influenced the decision, and whether the item is genuinely needed.