We all know what it’s like to have things we don’t want, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. You can’t be polite about this, so be firm
Like many people lately I’ve been decluttering. Clearing everything out has made me realise how much stuff I have that I don’t need. It’s not like I have a compulsive shopping habit. Very little of this junk is stuff I’ve bought. It’s all stuff that’s been given to me – by well-meaning family members, friends or from corporate events.
How do I prevent this junk from accumulating again? Is there a polite way to refuse a gifted vase or unwanted pot? Should I quietly dispose of it the second I get it? And what happens if I’m asked to produce some unloved object when an aunt swings by? I live in a little apartment, so having a whole lot of things I don’t need makes my life slightly worse – but I do wonder if getting rid of these things just creates more problems than it solves. Should I just give up, hire a storage unit and keep my stuff to myself?
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