My trouble, my partner says, is that “you will sell anything that isn’t nailed down.” Initially when that was mentioned to me I bristled and got defensive; but after thinking about it I realized it was probably pretty close to the truth and this is why I have this attitude:

1. If I can borrow or rent the item, then there is very little out there that I NEED to own.
2. If I can buy it at a used price, then if I get rid of my item and I find I need it a year or two later I can pick it up at that time.
3. I dislike clutter that just sits there and gathers dust. I would rather dust empty shelves than books that I will never read again.
4. If I can find someone else who can use the item then it makes me feel good.

I figure that the less I have, the less I worry about where to put it or keeping it up in case I need it again or even keeping it safe so no one steals it. I like having only the essentials/necessities for my day to day life and the occasional diversion. When I drove out to Colorado from Iowa, I was able to pack everything in the car and still be able to see out the back window; it was a joy to be able to only have a small amount of possessions. Beyond all of that the rest was icing on the cake.

These days the only time I purge is when we move or when I come to my wits end seeing the stuff around. It’s a wonderful feeling to get rid of items by either making a little money back or giving it to someone who can use it.

How often do you purge your possessions?

I thought this post (Six Baccarat Tumblers) over at The Thrifty Chicks was worth re-reading as it speaks to me about accumulating things over time and how thrift is a verb… I’ll let them explain.

I’ve seen a number of sites that explain how to make your own cleaners and laundry detergent – but this is the first site I’ve seen that shows how to make your own deodorant. I doubt I will make my own since I always seem to get a free one with coupons, but this may come in handy if I was allergic to aluminum.

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Dawn C. is site owner of FrugalforLife.com where this is a repost from: Selling What isn’t Nailed Down. Dawn resides in Colorado with her spouse, Teri, of 12 years. You can follow her on Twitter – It’s like a party line for instant messaging.

Photo credit: Code Arachnid via FrugalforLife.com.