Our psychology makes it really hard to get rid of stuff. As it turns out, we humans form attachments to things that we buy.
Consumer researchers think that one of the reasons it’s so hard for us to purge our possessions is because of the special meanings we give them.
Once we give our possessions special meanings, getting rid of them means getting rid of a piece of ourselves. For example, that free t-shirt from undergrad (here’s looking at you, IU) is more than just a piece of clothing. It represents a part of your life that you wish to preserve. So, how can you possibly discard a part of yourself?
Target similar recipients.
Giving or selling your cherished possessions to similar recipients tricks your brain into thinking that your thing will “live on” outside of your control. If you and your recipient are similar, your brain thinks that a part of you will still “own” the object. You can find dozens of ways to find similarity between you and your possessions’ new owner.
For example, you can share:
beliefs, blood, culture,
hobbies, life experiences,
location, political views, religion, and more.
Forget the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
If you’re like me and struggle with discarding “treasures,” then finding someone else who treasures it in the same way will help you feel better about letting it go. It’s also one of the best ways to find similarity between you and your possession’s new owner because it makes your brain think that your ________ will be in good hands.
Remember your shirt from undergrad? Target current students and tell them it’s vintage. Better yet, give it to your high school-aged cousin and tell them the story about how you earned after standing in line for an hour!
These two hacks won’t take away all of the pain in purging your possessions,
but some science suggests that they can ease the blow. Try them out and see how much more of your life you can reclaim by shedding extra possessions.
6-word takeaway: It matters who gets your stuff.