I have a hoarding problem. I’ve got too much stuff. I know this.
But I think I’m finally getting better. It’s moving slowly, but it’s definitely getting better.
One of my biggest issues is media. I have bookcases that are filled with DVDs and games. Not all of them are great. I’ve managed to stop the influx of mediocre titles. With Netflix and Gamefly. These two services take care of the entertainment needs, and honestly, lots of titles that go through my mailbox aren’t worth owning.
Worth experiencing once, sure. But not good enough to own. There are exceptions, for instance the time I rented Borderlands and then ended up pouring 40 hours into it. I bought it then. I figured I owed them that much if I enjoyed myself with it.
I’ve learned a couple of techniques from the always useful LifeHacker. The first is getting over the psychological aspect of stuff. You are not your stuff. Another thing I learned is that touching anything is likely to bring up memories of the item in question. By then, you start to develop an emotion for it, and then are unlikely to give it away.
Just being aware of the touch response has been liberating. I can then really evaluate the item by thinking about how much I’ve used it within the last month or so.