Minimalism didn’t just clean out my closet—it cleaned out my vocabulary. Specifically, one phrase I used to whisper like a protective spell every time I touched an item I didn’t want but couldn’t let go of:
“Maybe I’ll need this someday.”
Spoiler: I never did. And even if I had, the psychological rent that item charged me wasn’t worth it.
Here’s why I stopped saying it—and what happened when I did.
The Lies That Phrase Tells You
“Maybe I’ll need this someday” is the hoarder’s love language. It’s what you tell yourself when:
- You’re scared to let go
- You want to avoid a decision
- You feel guilty for spending money on something stupid
It feels like caution. But it’s just avoidance dressed up in sensible shoes.
What It Really Means
Let’s decode it:
- “Maybe I’ll need this someday” = “I don’t want to think about this right now.”
- “I might use this one day” = “I already know I won’t.”
- “What if I regret it later?” = “I already regret keeping it.”
If it’s been in a drawer for two years, untouched, unmissed, silently aging like forgotten cheese in the back of your mental fridge… the odds are low. The drama is high.
How I Broke the Cycle
1. I Asked the Brutal Questions
- Have I used it in the last year?
- Would I buy this again right now if I didn’t already own it?
- Could I replace it in under 20 minutes for under $20?
If the answer to all three was “no,” it was gone. Into the donation bag. Or the trash. Or the void.
2. I Started Trusting the Present
“Someday” is a mythical land where all my weird purchases will magically make sense. But I live in today. And in today, I don’t need the spare cord for a 2008 camcorder I don’t own anymore.
3. I Learned to Let Regret Happen
You might regret it. So what? Regret is better than suffocation by stuff. It’s a growing pain. Like an emotional paper cut. You’ll live.
And you’ll breathe easier without that broken flashlight you kept just in case the power went out during a full moon while Mercury was in retrograde.
What I Gained by Saying Goodbye to “Someday”
- Mental clarity. Less clutter = fewer decisions = less brain static.
- Emotional energy. I stopped dragging around 40 “just in case” scenarios that never came.
- Actual space. Closets that aren’t booby-trapped. Drawers that open. Rooms that breathe.
The One Exception
Okay fine: I have a tiny “utility drawer.” It has a battery, tape, scissors, and that one Allen wrench every piece of furniture seems to require. But it’s intentional. It’s not emotional storage. It’s not “maybe.” It’s maintenance.
Final Thought
“Maybe I’ll need this someday” is the anthem of the overwhelmed.
Stop holding your stuff hostage to a version of the future that probably won’t happen. Trust yourself to figure it out if you ever do need it. That’s what stores, friends, and the internet are for. Not your overstuffed closet.
Someday isn’t coming. But garbage day is. Plan accordingly.
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