Anyone else... buy things then never use them?
cyaneverfat
Posts: 527 Member
I'm terrible...
a bike, an indoor bike, a treadmill, a juicer, etc. I could probably list about 30 things. I feel so ashamed for wasting so much money.
Why can't I bring myself around to use these things? why am I so spoiled and selfish?
I don't want to give these things away or sell them, but I don't want to waste them either. Does anyone have any tips to use the things you just had to have? (because other people had them and they looked so cool?). What drives/motivates you to use things?
I'm actually considering talking about this in a therapy session. Wondering if this is some kind of disorder. Why am I collecting things to gather dust? It's like those celebrities or rich people that have massive wardrobes with thousands of clothes that you know they are only going to wear -1 time.
a bike, an indoor bike, a treadmill, a juicer, etc. I could probably list about 30 things. I feel so ashamed for wasting so much money.
Why can't I bring myself around to use these things? why am I so spoiled and selfish?
I don't want to give these things away or sell them, but I don't want to waste them either. Does anyone have any tips to use the things you just had to have? (because other people had them and they looked so cool?). What drives/motivates you to use things?
I'm actually considering talking about this in a therapy session. Wondering if this is some kind of disorder. Why am I collecting things to gather dust? It's like those celebrities or rich people that have massive wardrobes with thousands of clothes that you know they are only going to wear -1 time.
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Even protein powder... ugh
I ended up giving the treadmill to a family member as a 6 month loan to encourage me to walk outside with my dog and maybe join a walking group and the jucier was given away to a family friend.
Most of these things were accumulated over 15 years. I'm wondering if I should avoid spending money in 2020 and see if I start using things I already have.0 -
I do that with art supplies.1
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I used to but not so much anymore. I’m more a minimalist now. I really don’t need that much to get by...I can fit all my possessions in a sedan.
I do it with video games. Buy a new one, play it for like an hour then never go back to it.1 -
cyaneverfat wrote: »
I’ll throw away my old makeup over my dead body! 😉
There's a symbol somewhere on the packaging that will tell you when to throw it out. I of course don't ever look at it.2 -
amorfati601070 wrote: »I used to but not so much anymore. I’m more a minimalist now. I really don’t need that much to get by...I can fit all my possessions in a sedan.
I do it with video games. Buy a new one, play it for like an hour then never go back to it.
I know someone that has hundreds of video games- I wonder if he has played them all? I would want to be able to finish them.
I have a lot of DVDS... like one or two hundred. I stopped buying them a few years ago because they take up a lot of space and are expensive. It seems like most stuff is online these days.0 -
Kitchen stuff... small appliances and specialized implements. Anything other than the Keurig, toaster, crockpot and hand mixer will just gather dust. Yet for some reason I own two blenders?1
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..... always remember, it ain't hoarding if your *kitten* is cool.4
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I used to. Then I realized what I was doing. Much like you have just done. Had a talk with myself about it. Not so much anymore. Still a little, cheaper things. Good luck!0
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Kitchen stuff... small appliances and specialized implements. Anything other than the Keurig, toaster, crockpot and hand mixer will just gather dust. Yet for some reason I own two blenders?
I have a slow cooker I don't use... it doesn't help that the 2 meals I cooked in it turnt into slop0 -
Motorsheen wrote: »..... always remember, it ain't hoarding if your *kitten* is cool.
Huh?0 -
A couple of years ago I read a review on a killer stereo amp, so I bought it.
Thing is, I already have quite a bit of audio gear, so this new amp is still in it's box.
It's okay, some day I'll break it out
also....
blurays not yet watched.
clothes & shoes not yet worn.
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I am definitely not a true minimalist but I've gotten kind of into some of the ideas behind that sort of lifestyle. It has really helped.
I have a lot of friends who own like 400 books they have never read. That blows my mind.
The main thing I buy and don't use "enough" are shoes, clothes, etc. Especially because I like to thrift shop and find cheap deals. But it's not a deal if you don't WEAR the thing. So my new rule is I only buy things (thrift or otherwise) if I KNOW 100% that I'll wear them in the next 7 days. And then I usually do. The exception would be out of season items, in which case I ask myself honestly if I will be *excited* to wear the item when that season rolls around or if it's just okay.3 -
seltzermint555 wrote: »So my new rule is I only buy things (thrift or otherwise) if I KNOW 100% that I'll wear them in the next 7 days. And then I usually do. The exception would be out of season items, in which case I ask myself honestly if I will be *excited* to wear the item when that season rolls around or if it's just okay.
Oh yea, same here! I was the worst about that, bordering on hoarding thrift stuff. Now, not only at thrift but all shops, whenever I try something on if I don't absolutely love it 100%, I don't take it home. I realized that if I don't love it in the dressing room, there's very little chance of me loving or even liking it later. It's taken some of the fun out of shopping and makes it quite difficult to find things, but I take better care of and appreciate what I do have. I've also been trying to make my own clothes, which although now I overbuy fabric, lol, I really love wearing my own made stuff.
My weakness (right now anyways lol) is water bottles. I drink so much more water when I rotate them, so my logic is flawless: if I have a new bottle, I'll drink more water! Till I look in the cupboard and have more bottles than, well, anything else! Some of which still have the tags, and are totally unused. I'm consciously trying to get better but it will take some more practice!
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I do that with art supplies.
I used to do this. Then I lost my home in a tornado and I realized wow...I was "saving" stuff for up to ten years and never used it. I now buy stuff for individual projects and if I can't foresee using it pretty soon (within a year) I donate it to the local Girl Scout Council and they use it for arts & crafts.4 -
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seltzermint555 wrote: »I am definitely not a true minimalist but I've gotten kind of into some of the ideas behind that sort of lifestyle. It has really helped.
I have a lot of friends who own like 400 books they have never read. That blows my mind.
The main thing I buy and don't use "enough" are shoes, clothes, etc. Especially because I like to thrift shop and find cheap deals. But it's not a deal if you don't WEAR the thing. So my new rule is I only buy things (thrift or otherwise) if I KNOW 100% that I'll wear them in the next 7 days. And then I usually do. The exception would be out of season items, in which case I ask myself honestly if I will be *excited* to wear the item when that season rolls around or if it's just okay.
I had a goodreads account and it kept recommending books to me. I think it would be easy to end up with a library as big as the one in Beauty and the Beast if you weren't careful. It's so tempting to get another book or movie when you haven't finished what you've got. I get paralysed with choices and end up doing nothing. Its quite sad.1 -
mrschwarten wrote: »
My weakness (right now anyways lol) is water bottles. I drink so much more water when I rotate them, so my logic is flawless: if I have a new bottle, I'll drink more water! Till I look in the cupboard and have more bottles than, well, anything else! Some of which still have the tags, and are totally unused. I'm consciously trying to get better but it will take some more practice!seltzermint555 wrote: »So my new rule is I only buy things (thrift or otherwise) if I KNOW 100% that I'll wear them in the next 7 days. And then I usually do. The exception would be out of season items, in which case I ask myself honestly if I will be *excited* to wear the item when that season rolls around or if it's just okay.
Are the bottles reuseable? It's good if they help you drink more.0 -
cemetery plots.... neither the wife or i have bothered to use ours.2
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cemetery plots.... neither the wife or i have bothered to use ours.Motorsheen wrote: »Motorsheen wrote: »
Haha0 -
eatpolerepeat wrote: »Clothing, I should get round to sorting it out and donating it
Good plan. Make room for things you actually wear.1 -
cyaneverfat wrote: »Kitchen stuff... small appliances and specialized implements. Anything other than the Keurig, toaster, crockpot and hand mixer will just gather dust. Yet for some reason I own two blenders?
I have a slow cooker I don't use... it doesn't help that the 2 meals I cooked in it turnt into slop
That's why I stick with slop food like stews and soups in the slow cooker.1 -
I have a closet of first world problems that Ive never used.1
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I'm not a "collector". I have too many pairs of shoes that are under or not ever worn, and 2 sock drawers in my 4 drawer dresser, but in general I use most of my stuff. I do stress about unused "stuff" too tho. I have a mental list of stuff to get rid of.
Also, I hate when I have something and I haven't used it in say, a year - I think to myself someone else may enjoy this - so I donate it...and sometimes think about it later, even years later (especially with clothes/shoes I think "damn, I used to have that")
Just curious, did you grow up not having a lot of "things"? My mom is a "collector" - its very hard for her to get rid of stuff, and my brother suggested it may because they didn't have as much "stuff" as he and I did growing up (and especially true for my grandmother - so maybe it was a learned behaviour for her?)
Maybe you can afford stuff you like/want or think may be useful, so you buy it with good intentions? Or maybe it's the acquisition that brings you pleasure, instead of the item?
Anyways, I think a good rule of thumb is if its taking up space in your life (you have to clean, maintain, don't have space for) and haven't used it in a (set period of time) know that someone else may like and use it - so donate/sell it, whatever.
As for using said items - even if they've been collecting dust for 5 years, try them out at least a few times before getting rid of them - may as well while you have them.1 -
cyaneverfat wrote: »Kitchen stuff... small appliances and specialized implements. Anything other than the Keurig, toaster, crockpot and hand mixer will just gather dust. Yet for some reason I own two blenders?
I have a slow cooker I don't use... it doesn't help that the 2 meals I cooked in it turnt into slop
That's why I stick with slop food like stews and soups in the slow cooker.
I was under the impression there are countless things you can make in there?0 -
GymGoddessGoals wrote: »I have a closet of first world problems that Ive never used.
Saame0 -
I'm not a "collector". I have too many pairs of shoes that are under or not ever worn, and 2 sock drawers in my 4 drawer dresser, but in general I use most of my stuff. I do stress about unused "stuff" too tho. I have a mental list of stuff to get rid of.
Also, I hate when I have something and I haven't used it in say, a year - I think to myself someone else may enjoy this - so I donate it...and sometimes think about it later, even years later (especially with clothes/shoes I think "damn, I used to have that")
Just curious, did you grow up not having a lot of "things"? My mom is a "collector" - its very hard for her to get rid of stuff, and my brother suggested it may because they didn't have as much "stuff" as he and I did growing up (and especially true for my grandmother - so maybe it was a learned behaviour for her?)
Maybe you can afford stuff you like/want or think may be useful, so you buy it with good intentions? Or maybe it's the acquisition that brings you pleasure, instead of the item?
Anyways, I think a good rule of thumb is if its taking up space in your life (you have to clean, maintain, don't have space for) and haven't used it in a (set period of time) know that someone else may like and use it - so donate/sell it, whatever.
As for using said items - even if they've been collecting dust for 5 years, try them out at least a few times before getting rid of them - may as well while you have them.
2 sock drawers :-O
I think I grew up with an average amount of stuff. I gave a bit away because I have moved around a lot.
I think I buy things because they are things I always wanted or intended to buy eventually, but I don't find time to use them. I think you are right, I do like aquiring things, and saving up money for them. It makes me feel like I've won a trophy or something.1 -
cyaneverfat wrote: »I'm not a "collector". I have too many pairs of shoes that are under or not ever worn, and 2 sock drawers in my 4 drawer dresser, but in general I use most of my stuff. I do stress about unused "stuff" too tho. I have a mental list of stuff to get rid of.
Also, I hate when I have something and I haven't used it in say, a year - I think to myself someone else may enjoy this - so I donate it...and sometimes think about it later, even years later (especially with clothes/shoes I think "damn, I used to have that")
Just curious, did you grow up not having a lot of "things"? My mom is a "collector" - its very hard for her to get rid of stuff, and my brother suggested it may because they didn't have as much "stuff" as he and I did growing up (and especially true for my grandmother - so maybe it was a learned behaviour for her?)
Maybe you can afford stuff you like/want or think may be useful, so you buy it with good intentions? Or maybe it's the acquisition that brings you pleasure, instead of the item?
Anyways, I think a good rule of thumb is if its taking up space in your life (you have to clean, maintain, don't have space for) and haven't used it in a (set period of time) know that someone else may like and use it - so donate/sell it, whatever.
As for using said items - even if they've been collecting dust for 5 years, try them out at least a few times before getting rid of them - may as well while you have them.
2 sock drawers :-O
I think I grew up with an average amount of stuff. I gave a bit away because I have moved around a lot.
I think I buy things because they are things I always wanted or intended to buy eventually, but I don't find time to use them. I think you are right, I do like aquiring things, and saving up money for them. It makes me feel like I've won a trophy or something.
I get that, its nice to be able to afford and/or save up for things you think you want - even if you don't use them. I bought a guitar last year because mine was reclaimed by my stepfather (he is an actual musician, and it belonged to him before he gave it to me, and his new one was very sadly broken), I just wanted it "incase" I wanted to play with it and for fun (and because its pretty!) I've touched it maybe 4 times in the last 10 months...twice just to tune it.
And ya...my sock situation is out of control! I'm weird, fussy about socks...another story altogether!1 -
I am completely addicted to buying clothes online.
At least half I never wear and they hang with the tags on them.
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