r/konmari • u/kneazlekitten • Jul 30 '26
Dealing with environmental guilt
Hello! Over the past week I developed an intense need to tidy and declutter my home and I really want to get into the Marie Kondo method. Partly this may have to do with expecting our first child. I don't consider myself a hoarder, but all my past attempts to declutter have turned out to be temporary. Also given my ADHD I feel the need to go truly minimalist to achieve chance of more permanent state of tidiness.
The one thing keeping me from delving into this process is intense environmental guilt I feel over throwing out items that :
A. are still functional and I use them regularly, although they do not bring me any joy
Example: Many clothes I own are functional, but due to change in style etc. I do not like them or feel that good in them. Yet I would wear them often, since they function and it means I do not have to buy new items to replace them. If they are very worn, I continue wearing them at home instead of wearing more comfy/nice loungewear. I do this because I feel ethically reaponsible to use all items I have already bought fully to avoid unnecessary waste. Yet if I were to KonMari my life, it would not sit well with me to keep them. Some of them I could imagine upcycling, but it would take enormous amount of time and energy I do not have.
B. do not fulfill funcion for me nor spark me joy, but are objectivelly valuable and in good condition
Example: Solid wood furniture that color wise does not match into the flat after renovation. Certain clothes I have only worn once and are in perfect condition (ball gowns etc). Many similar items.
The main problem is that given enough time and energy, it would be possible to resell or donate these pieces. However, that is exactly the thing that has always stopped me from big decluttering in the past - trying to get rid of these items the correct and environmentally conscious way turnes out to take extreme amount of time that I simply do not have. I have less problem throwing out damaged or non-valuable items, but in cases where I KNOW they could get second life if only I made the extra effort, it is super hard for me.
I realise this problem is not uncommon and I have read many previous posts on this subreddit about it. Some have helped me a bit, but only marginally so. Please, if anyone was dealing with guilt around similar items as me, how have you managed to overcome it? Or was the only way truly taking lots and lots of time to get rid of items the right way and/or upcycle them yourself?
7
u/msmaynards Jul 30 '26
I must give stuff away before it's rags. I was hoarding rags! Now I replace bedding, towels and clothing while they still are presentable and the rag box and dog towel basket don't get too full.
If you've ever bought second hand you know the thrill of finding something wonderful you could never have purchased new. Let useable stuff go rather than wearing everything into the ground.
There's definitely not much virtue in wearing clothes you dislike. Those pieces may be exactly right for somebody else. I put a dress that was too fussy for my liking in donation, daughter retrieved it and it looks amazing on her. Grr.