Ah, the just-in-case items. The items we keep because one day we might need them!

Here’s the truth. We don’t and won’t need them, at least not all of them, not most of them!

And here’s a secret, chances are highly probable that if we do need it, we won’t remember we have it, and we’ll go buy it anyway — which produces a duplicate. More stuff.

Just-in-case items take up a lot of space in closets, basements, garages, junk drawers.

I have experienced finding items while decluttering and saying, wow I didn’t even know I had this. So, if I didn’t even know I had it, and I don’t have an immediate need for it, then it goes in the donation box.

On the odd occassion, it has happened that two weeks later, I need that item. And I think to myself, Damn. I just had one and just gave it away! And like a somewhat normal person, I question my minimalist life choices. LOL. But then I realize, up until two weeks ago, I didn’t even know I had it! So, I would have gone out to buy it anyway. And … duplicate.

The other thing I keep in mind is that most items I part with cost under $20 and I can replace it in less than 20 minutes. I learned that idea from the Minimalists, and I have found it to be true. PLUS, I will not spend $20 on replacing nearly as many items as I part ways with. It’s rare. Really rare.

Those just in-case-items are not worth the space they take up in our homes. And chances are someone else needs it and will put it to good use. Re-evaluting the value of those might-need-it-one-day things can make a significant dent in the extra stuff cluttering up our homes.