Have you ever held onto something because you worried, “What if I need it someday?” If so, you’re not alone — but those “just in case” items often create more stress than they solve. Keep reading for practical tips to help you let go of the clutter that’s taking up space in your home (and your mind) so you can make room for the life you’re living today.
Often, one of the biggest obstacles to decluttering isn’t the items we use every day; it’s the things we might use someday.
You know the ones…
- The extra cords that don’t seem to belong to anything anymore.
- The stack of plastic containers without matching lids.
- The dress that doesn’t fit, but might again.
- The random craft supplies from a project you haven’t touched in years.
- The drawer full of cosmetics you never use, but might need for a special occasion.
- The spare parts, duplicate kitchen gadgets, old decorations, and “just in case” items tucked into closets, drawers, and bins throughout the house.
These things are often the hardest to part with because they represent possibilities rather than realities.
After all… “What if I need it someday?”
It’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves. But if we’re not careful, that one question can become an excuse to keep almost everything.
If you struggle to part with “what-if-I-need-it-clutter,” I’ve got some simple tips to help you finally let go and make room for the life you’re living today!
Consider the Cost of Keeping “Just in Case”
Most of us focus on the cost of getting rid of something.
- “I paid good money for this.”
- “What if I have to buy another one?”
- “It still works.”
But we rarely consider the cost of keeping it.
Every unnecessary item takes up physical space, mental space, and often emotional space too.
- It fills shelves, closets, garages, basements, and storage bins.
- It makes cleaning more time-consuming.
- It makes organizing more challenging.
- It makes finding the things you actually use more difficult.
- And it quietly contributes to the feeling that your home is always a little more cluttered than you’d like.
Sometimes the bigger expense isn’t replacing an item someday; it’s storing it for years “just in case.”
Change the Question
Instead of asking: “What if I need it?”
Try asking:
- How likely is it that I’ll actually need this?
- If I did need it, could I borrow or rent one?
- How expensive and/or difficult would it be to replace?
- Do I actually have space to store this item?
- How long has this been sitting around?
- What’s the worst-case-scenario if I need it again but don’t have it?
Often, your honest answers make the decision much easier.
Remember How Resourceful You Are
Think back over the last few years… How many times did you face an unexpected situation?
You probably figured it out because you are resourceful.
Maybe you borrowed a ladder from a neighbor.
Maybe you picked up a replacement part at the hardware store.
Maybe you improvised with something you already had.
You are likely much more resourceful than your clutter gives you credit for… your future self will still be resourceful!
Don’t Store Problems That Don’t Exist Yet
One of the easiest ways to simplify your home is to stop preparing for every possible future scenario.
Could you someday host a huge party?
Maybe.
Could you someday take up knitting again?
Possibly.
Could you someday need fifteen empty jars, three old computer monitors, or six extra baking pans?
Anything is possible. 😂
But our homes aren’t designed to be warehouses for every hypothetical future.
When we fill our homes preparing for every possibility, we end up sacrificing the comfort and function we need today.
Set a Reasonable Limit
If you’re still struggling, remind yourself that you don’t need to toss everything… maybe you just need to set a few limits.
I call these “space budgets” (read more in-depth on this concept).
For example:
- Keep one box of keepsakes—not six.
- Keep one set of backup sheets—not four.
- Keep a small supply of gift bags instead of an overflowing closet.
- Keep one bin of seasonal decorations instead of filling the attic.
- Keep one container of extra cords after matching them to current electronics.
Limits force us to keep the best, most useful items instead of everything.
A Simple Rule to Remember
When you’re holding an item and thinking, “What if I need it?” ask yourself one more question:
“Is this possibility worth the space it’s occupying today?”
Sometimes the answer will be yes.
But many times, you’ll realize you’re giving valuable space in your home to something that exists only as a hypothetical.
Choosing to let go isn’t wasteful.
It’s making room for the life you’re actually living, not the one you might someday need to prepare for.
A simpler home doesn’t require getting rid of everything.
It simply requires trusting yourself enough to keep what serves your life today—and letting go of what only serves your worries about tomorrow.
What type of What-If-I-Need-It clutter do you struggle with most?
Bonnie'sMama says
Decluttering has come more easily as I overcome a poverty or scarcity mindset. If I believe there is a limited amount of resources, I want to hold tightly to the resources I have. But if I believe that God has abundant, unlimited resources, I can let go of my stuff more easily. I trust that when I have a need, He has all the resources I could possibly need. He has all the resources of the universe at His disposal, and if that’s not enough, He can always create more! Trusting Him to provide me the resources I need (whether through my creativity or hard work or through someone else) makes it so much easier to let go of things I’m holding onto just in case I need them. As I freely give away my resources, plenty more keep coming to me.
We moved recently, and I got rid of a small mountain of good stuff. I was tempted to have a garage sale or two, but decided to just give it all away to friends and the thrift store. For a “small housewarming gift,” friends of ours gave us two new lovely rocking chairs AND a swing for our new porch! These are things I’ve wanted for a long time, but they were definitely years down the priority list. I expect those gifts were worth more than I could have possibly made on a garage sale. God has plenty of resources, and He has all kinds of ways to get those resources to His kids.
Andrea says
Thanks so much for sharing this — it’s EXACTLY how I fell too!
We get soooooo many freebies from family and friends and I find soooooo many amazing deals at our local thrift store, but I also give away SOOOOOO much of our stuff to family, friends, neighbors, and thrift stores.
Liane says
This one is so hard and Ive been burned by getting rid of stuff I thought I’d never need again. Here’s just two examples. I had a spare crockpot brand crock pot. I donated it to a school rummage sale. About three years later the one I kept died. I had to scour eBay for one not made in China. I’m kicking myself. Another thing that went to that same rummage sale was my big blue specked canning kettle. I couldn’t use it because at the time the microwave over the stove was too low. After remodeling I could use it. But guess what, again, if I can’t find an old used one, I’m sunk because I will not purchase anything made in China. I really wish I’d kept both of those items.
Andrea says
I understand where you are coming from on this — but I do think your priorities are slightly different than the “average person”. As I was reading your comment, I was thinking “canners only cost $15 brand new at our local stores… just go buy one” but then you added the part about not being from China 🙂
I respect your commitment to buying American made goods, but I do suspect that makes it more challenging for you to find what you need if/when you need it.
Kerri says
My husband is this way and it drizes me crazy. There is crap in our garage from forever ago but we cant throw it away because “we might need it someday.” Plus it’s not even organized which makes it worse.
Andrea says
That is a tricky situation — and you are not alone. There are so many couples where one (or both) of them struggle to purge anything. It’s a work in progress for the one spouse and a lesson in never-ending patience for the other 🙂
Trixie says
This is such a good reminder for me today. I’m in the midst of packing for our move next week. I just need to let go of all this stuff I think that I might have a use for one day. Honestly there have only been 1 or 2 items that I’ve regretted donating, and I haven’t missed them badly enough to shell out the $10 to $15 it would cost to replace them. Win Win!
Andrea says
moving is definitely a good motivator to purge, purge, purge! Good luck!
JJ says
I used to hold onto things “because I might need it.” Then one year when I taught in the classroom(before kids and we were struggling to get pregnant after 4-1/2 years of trying and losing our first baby), I felt like I needed to just use everything. I didn’t know why, but I just went with it. The kids had a BLAST with my extra stickers, papers, etc. Then I ended up getting pregnant and leaving my position as an elementary teacher at the end of the school year. The school ended up closing down, so I was SOOO glad that I had used my stuff. It would have just sat in my garage and gotten ruined or would have been thrown away anyway! I totally use your line of thinking with this!!!
Also as far as holding onto things for when my kids are older: My in-laws saved every little toy. Every. Little. Toy. Not only that, but the stuff has been been in the basement for 30+ years and smells awful and is full of “you have to wash it 20 times to get the 2 inch thick dust off it.” So I am keeping this in mind for saving their stuff, too. Consigning or giving to friends is so much better!!! Now I will say my dad saved quality toys and kept them clean. That’s what I’m aiming for with any I save!
Andrea says
oh wow — what a great story! I’m glad you used up your supplies too!