Do you ever say to yourself: “I really need to get rid of some stuff…”
You’re not alone.
Most of us have a dysfunctional relationship with our stuff. We buy more than we need, usually to fulfill some void that can’t be filled by stuff, and then we relegate that stuff to some corner of our homes and forget about it.
Then, when our homes are full, we go out and buy additional storage. The storage industry in the United States is a $25 billion business. There are so many storage units that there’s even a reality television show that chronicles what happens after the storage units are abandoned (which happens often).
Do you think we’ve gone too far?
In this episode, we talk about:
- Why having too much stuff is such a burden
- Why accumulating stuff is so hard to avoid
- What to do when you need to declutter
- How to have a healthier relationship with your stuff
- How to know when it’s time to say goodbye to your stuff
Listen here…
Assalamu alaykum and Jazakum Allah khayra for this piece. When you were explaining our emotional attachment to items, and the need to consider whether they bring joy/utility, it put me in mind of this hadith. (Abu Nadra’s portion seems particularly apt.)
Narrated AbuSa’id al-Khudri:
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) put on a new garment he mentioned it by name, turban or shirt, and would then say: O Allah, praise be to Thee! as Thou hast clothed me with it, I ask Thee for its good and the good of that for which it was made, and I seek refuge in Thee from its evil and the evil of that for which it was made.
Abu Nadrah said: When any of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) put on a new garment, he was told: May you wear it out and may Allah give you another in its place.
(Sunan Abu Dawud, Book of Clothing. Ref: 4009)