If we are constantly looking for use in items, we're never going to get rid of anything, myself included. What we should be considering is if the item has use to us. A great example are craft supplies.
If I'm an artsy, crafty person, I can likely imagine some wonderful use for scraps of fabric, yarn, paint, Styrofoam, you name it. But, honestly, I haven't made any art in about ten years. I'd love to make crafts again, but there are other, more important things on my plate now. Realistically, it will be years again before I can even consider dedicating time to creating again. What to do with this closet filled with supplies?
The question here is not, "Do these items still have use and worth?" but rather "Will I use these items?" Is it worth the space they take to store? Does it motivate me to have these items around? Or, does it feel like a constant reminder of a life I used to have, that no longer fits my lifestyle?
It's helpful to remind ourselves that there are always other ways to find an item again. Maybe I no longer eat a carb-heavy diet, so I haven't used my waffle-iron in years. But, what if I want to have waffles again someday? Maybe I can borrow one. Maybe I can find a cheap one at a resale shop. Maybe I would rather go to a restaurant or buy frozen waffles.
With places like the library, neighborhood share groups, tool libraries and other community groups (inline and in real life), there are a ton of ways to temporarily use an item you would only need once.
So, I think it's more important to clear out this closet of craft supplies and donate it in order to store everything in this dining room in the newly emptied closet. I'd rather use my dining room regularly than store a closet of items I don't think I'll use.We can't always count on someday. Take advantage of today.
