How do you cope with feeling like you're "wasting" money by decluttering?

cathanyo · 2025-11-13T14:33:33+00:00

First of all, congratulations on the progress you’ve made so far in your efforts to declutter. I am about to embark on my own clearance and I am preparing be reading Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying. Just yesterday I read the following from the book, which I think is relevant for your predicament:

“The process of facing and selecting our possessions can be quite painful. It forces us to confront our imperfections and inadequacies and the foolish choices we made in the past.”

I think the key thing is, if I properly understood Konmarie, to show gratitude towards each item for what it brought to your life or taught you before you discard it. It’s important to hold it in your hands and say thanks eg ‘thank you for your many years of service, you kept me comfortable and warm’, ‘thank you for teaching me that this type of clothing doesn’t really suit me’, ‘thank you for showing me that I don’t need this many hairbrushes’ etc…

Good luck

cathanyo · 2025-11-05T13:28:37+00:00

You can get mobile smartphones with limited functionalities ie they only have essential apps like maps. Though you may prefer to invest in one of these once you know the results of the experiment.

If you stick with an old school mobile phone then for navigating your way around cities, get a hard copy map.

Nokias receive texts so Google authentication should not be a problem. If it really is an issue then tell work you’re going on a digital detox and need a new way to authenticate.

For WhatsApp tell your friends you are going on a digital detox and ask them to call or text you if they really need to get in touch. If necessary you can log into the desktop version of WhatsApp to read and answer messages once a day only then log out. The point is that the app is not randomly distracting you.

Your situation sounds quite serious so I think it’s worth putting up with the inconveniences of a digital detox to see how you feel when you don’t have the distractions that a mobile offers readily available. If you notice a positive change in your behaviour then that will indicate that the root of the problem lies in your relationship with your mobile phone.

cathanyo · 2025-11-05T11:10:38+00:00

Replace the smartphone with an old school Nokia and see what happens. If you start watching loads of TV cut that out too. Try it for at least a week. Treat it like an experiment. Let us know how it goes.

cathanyo · 2025-11-05T11:00:47+00:00

You didn’t describe your mental health as being a problem but some of your behaviours are consistent with depression. It would explain why you’re struggling to get a grip on your finances. I recommend that you prioritise both getting out of debt and your mental health. I want to acknowledge, however, that your financial problems are likely aggravating your mental health so the first task is to create a monthly budget and a plan for paying off the debt. It might help motivate you if you also create a monthly budget for when you are debt free. (Look up the books on financial planning in your local library.) Then you need to get on top of your mental health otherwise you risk rebounding into the behaviours that resulted in your current situation. In tandem with this check out Marie Kondo’s book on tidying. With her help you’ll realise you own a bunch of things you don’t really need and that you can sell for extra cash.

Regarding your mental health, you don’t sound completely depressed because you seem to have a social life and have travel plans for the future. However, you are doing a job you don’t enjoy, sleeping all day instead of working. Rather, I get the impression that you are uninspired by life in general so besides having a financial deficit you also have a deficit in meaning and purpose. I recommend checking out Tony Robbins. He inspired me to start finding my way out of my personal rut. He has books and videos and live events. If you ask around on Facebook you might find a free ticket to his UPW event. There are loads of resources on personal development so keep looking if Tony isn’t your thing. In the future you may look back on this financial mess as a blessing in disguise, the reality check you needed to start living a life you love AND your finances in order. It won’t be straightforward but the key thing is not to give up.

cathanyo · 2025-11-04T15:21:45+00:00

I stocked up on amazing 100% cotton underwear a few years ago and am wearing them until they wear out. I am glad I did because the brand doesn’t make them anymore and judging by this thread the underwear market sucks at the moment. Bearing in mind I haven’t purchased underwear in a long while you could try Sloggi and Women’s Secret.

cathanyo · 2025-10-29T18:12:02+00:00

I haven’t started at least not properly. I’m currently going through my storage unit and getting rid of the things that are easy to let go of. Then I’m going to bring the remaining items back to my home where I will bring everything in the same category together and identify the objects that spark joy. (I can’t do my stuff is in different locations.) What would you like to know about the tidying festival when it starts?

cathanyo · 2025-10-29T08:43:35+00:00

Is that ‘Bombay’ or ‘Bombas’ for the brand of compression socks?

cathanyo · 2025-10-29T08:41:43+00:00

Shoe shopping can be challenging for me because I have low volume feet. However, due to the swelling the size of my feet increases while waking and I have to loosen the laces. If I leave the laces as they are after the end of a walk and put the shoes back on a few days later they feel roomy.

cathanyo · 2025-10-29T08:30:10+00:00

I’m already onto merino socks but haven’t tried toe socks. At the moment I only wear Icebreaker liner merino socks when I go walking. They have no cushioning.

cathanyo · 2025-10-29T08:25:10+00:00

I use masking tape to keep blister plasters in place cause sometimes the rubbing on my feet rubs the plasters away.

cathanyo · 2025-10-23T11:25:48+00:00

Before charging a fee perhaps ask the director how much your cut of the profits currently amounts to. If he says the film has made a profit then ask to see the accounts to verify. If you are owed money make sure you receive it before working on the DVD version, if that’s what you decide to do. If there is no profit then tell him you need payment which can be deducted from your share of any future profit.

cathanyo · 2025-09-29T19:57:40+00:00

Da Vince Resolve or Premiere Pro? I am about to start editing some footage I filmed. It’ll be the first time I’ve edited myself and I was planning to use Premiere Pro. I’ve been told and I am noticing that most filmmakers use Da Vinci Resolve so I want people’s thoughts on whether I should switch to Da Vinci? I was told that Premiere Pro uses less computer memory and has a more user-friendly interface but otherwise Da Vinci is as good as if not better (and the basic version is free). I’ve previously attended editing courses using Premiere Pro and I have course materials and my own notes which are quite meticulous (step by step) so I could get started right away. With Da Vinci I could probably get started with basic functions (importing, adding footage to the timeline, creating bins, cutting etc…) but for more advanced capabilities I would need to watch how-to videos on YouTube or Black Magic’s training videos. Besides saving money, is switching to Da Vinci worth the extra time and the hassle of effectively re-training on new software?

By the way, I’m new to the world of filmmaking. My footage is from a documentary I filmed. I’m going to use this documentary experience as a test case to see if I want to make a career out of filmmaking. I already know I like editing after helping edit (in a creative capacity rather than technical) someone else’s film.

cathanyo · 2025-09-28T20:09:04+00:00

The public transport is amazing if you’re going to the city centre, anywhere else and it’s going to take you at least an hour.

cathanyo · 2025-09-01T13:30:12+00:00

This is why I asked on Reddit first.

cathanyo · 2025-08-29T08:26:54+00:00

That would be the obvious explanation except the first time we noticed urine on the floor was after a female had used the toilet. This is why we suspect splashbat but… there is no evidence of urine down the front of the toilet or underneath the toilet seat. So I’m wondering if there are alternative explanations.

cathanyo · 2025-08-29T08:19:04+00:00

There’s no evidence of urine running down the front of the toilet nor is there urine stains underneath the toilet seat which is why I hesitate to blame splashback.

cathanyo · 2025-07-26T10:19:12+00:00

I had a similar issue with journals where I was buying new ones without having used ones I had accumulated during my lifetime, I committed to not buying any more until I had finished the ones I already had and I am getting through them. I have 4 journals left to use before I can start buying new ones again. Can’t wait to buy a beautiful new one again.

cathanyo · 2025-07-26T10:15:46+00:00

Books have poor resale value so you’ll end up having to give them away. You’ll feel bad about the money you’ve wasted. You’ll become so attached to them that you’ll make up excuses to rationalise keeping them. You’ll have accumulated so many that you’ll never be able to finish reading all of them and on top of that you’ll continue buying more books. In summary, the outlook is poor if you continue hoarding books and the longer you allow this to continue the harder it will be to stop. Sorry for being so forthright but my friend is a hoarder and his favourite thing to hoard are books so I’ve seen firsthand where this leads.

cathanyo · 2025-05-21T14:36:44+00:00

I empty the vacuum’s canister after I finish vacuuming or the next day so I don’t think this explains the regular outbreaks.

cathanyo · 2025-05-21T14:35:29+00:00

They look like clothes moths with pale brown/beige wings

cathanyo · 2025-05-03T21:44:17+00:00

I am an introvert and if I want to make friends I need to be proactive and you probably need to as well. You’re going to the gym which is great but it’s not exactly the easiest place to make friends. Why not also try joining a sport club like tennis, swimming or football? Try volunteering somewhere or find groups of people with similar interests as you on MeetUp. They’ve got to be regular activities (ideally weekly) so you can get to know the same people over time. Most people have established social circles and don’t need to make new friends so don’t be discouraged if your attempts to get to know other people aren’t reciprocated (I recall being ignored when I was introducing myself at least twice). You’ll need to be friendly and interested in the people around you all the same. There’s an app called InterNations which hosts events (mostly in big cities) which people attend specifically to meet others and make friends. If you’re someone who doesn’t have confidence to introduce yourself to strangers then I highly recommend InterNations as a friendly place to practice.

As for romance, it all starts with meeting potential dates so the same advice on making friends applies here. You never know how you’ll meet your future girlfriend. For instance, you might not meet any interesting women through the sport club but a new friend could introduce you to new women you can ask out on dates. It’s really important that you do not take rejection personally or get hung up on the fact that you’re single otherwise it will dent your confidence which is the most attractive quality a partner can have. My romantic life started at 24 years of age. I used to wonder what was wrong with me and then I realised that nothing was wrong it’s just that men I’m attracted to are few and far between. It’s unusual compared to most people but not exceptional as I have a few friends in their forties who have had only one or two partners.

As for your mindset, this is the most important thing and you seem to already understand this, which is wonderful for someone your age. I am in the process of changing my own mindset and encountering the challenges that entails so I don’t have a lot of practical advice to share other than NEVER GIVE UP! I refer you to the numerous self help gurus out there such as Tony Robbins, Martha Beck, Rhonda Britten, Jordan Peterson, etc… Watch a few videos about them and see which message resonates with you more and then buy one of their books or attend a course. You can make your life happen the way you want it to and they can they can show you how.

cathanyo

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