There are a few reasons that we will hold on to belongings far past the point they’ve lived out their lives and have served us well. They normally go something like this. We hold on to that sweater even though it’s itchy and we don’t like the fit because it was really expensive, because we afraid we’ll need it someday, because when we were slender it looked fabulous and we felt fabulous in it and we want to remember that time. But mostly what happens when we buy things is that they become OURS. We shop, we buy, we bring home and it’s almost as if that item becomes a part of our identity. Consider the word often use to describes the things one owns…belongings. They belong to us, become a part of us and it can be really hard to let that go.

So, I’ve been trying a little experiment lately. When I buy something I like to think that I am renting or borrowing it from the universe. I’ll use it love it and until I don’t and then I will return it back into the world.

Our tastes and preferences and lifestyles change. We can learn to be comfortable shifting and changing with them and letting go of items that don’t make sense for us anymore. This in turn leaves space for things in your life that are more congruent with who you are today.

Try this out next time you bring home a new thing. Tell yourself you’ll borrow it, love it, let it belong to you, but when it stops being useful or making you happy you’ll allow it to belong to someone else for a while. But really, just that… for a while.