Because I have been clearing out old stuff, I can see a history of thought processes and whims coming out of cupboards. This stuff was useful to me at some point or, at the very least, good fun! When looking at the value of this stuff, in monetary terms, it is very high. Being human, I am not going to stop buying stuff I want but maybe there are better things to spend money on.
Clearing out junk is a boring job. Very satisfying at the end, but very boring! My mind has been wandering and thinking about all sorts of stuff. One conclusion I came to involves where money is spent.
The ‘things’ I have bought made sense at the time and provided enjoyment. This enjoyment eventually wears off and the items are put away… pretty much forever, at least till I come along and sell them on eBay! The ‘experiences’ I have spent my money on provide the same level of enjoyment, but the satisfaction lasts forever. So I have concluded that to get the most ‘fulfilment’ from a purchase, it needs to be an activity of some sort. Examples of what I mean…
- Don’t buy an off-road car, go on an off-road course.
- Don’t buy a camera, buy a tool to get you outside taking photos.
- Don’t buy expensive jewellery, go scuba diving in the Maldives.
These may not be good examples for you, but the point should be clear. We are enriched by experiences for a long time. The satisfaction of buying something wears off quickly.
Break time is over… back to the spring clean!