Maybe it's just me, but the inventory doesn't seem to be that big a deal to me since the resale value of most of our junk would be sooooo low. As the book says, "That means current cash value, what you could get for each item at a swap meet, consignment shop or garage sale." ... which, I mean, is likely to be pennies on the dollar, right?
If it isn't too late, I'd like to join you all on Step 1.
I've done it before, so hopefully I can just edit. I never did the inventory in any systematic way. Most of our "stuff" was given to us or thrifted. No big items except the computer and now a new sectional.
It's never too late, frugalannie! Welcome! (As I've not even started, I think you're right on time, LOL!)
Good point, Madsen, but I think part of the process is identifying what you do and do not need taking up space in your life, regardless of the cash value??
Hi again, everyone.
Yes, I think the inventory can teach us many things. Like you, Madsen, I'm sure my belongings don't amount to much monetarily-wise. But since I've started the inventory I'm discovering that though each thing doesn't amount to much, the quantity IS adding up. And like EarthSky mentioned, in identifying what you do & don't need you then have more options -- to sell stuff & gain more money (possibly), to donate, etc. & gain more free space & less to take care of, to discover unnecessary duplicates, to see in black & white what we DO have & then decide if this is a "reasonable number" of whatever those things are. It is revealing, this inventorying, & brings up fresh ways of thinking that otherwise lie dormant.
Frugalannie, it's never too late! As much or little as you decide to do will be helpful, and you can receive support on this here. As Fawn reminded me, counting our stuff can be fun, and when it isn't fun, or when we're too busy, we can just stop & start again. (though, I suppose if our deadline is Easter, we risk missing the deadline. Beginning ....doing baby steps..... is what keeps me going.)
I think the step is indeed important, it just seems the misc stuff shouldn't realistically be considered as part of a net worth calc. It definitely leads perfectly to Steps 4 & 5 --- actually, maybe that was what Dominguez and Robin had in mind all along: by having us do the inventory for the net worth calculation, they are sneakily () getting us to start thinking about how we've spent our life energy when we see all our clutter. We're subconsciously primed to make the hard decisions and answer the hard questions later in the program by doing the prep work early on.
[QUOTE=Madsen;17654] actually, maybe that was what Dominguez and Robin had in mind all along: by having us do the inventory for the net worth calculation, they are sneakily (
This is one way I used that step. I wasn't as interested in my total net worth at the time, but I was interested in how much money I had spent on "junk" that ended up in the trash, at a yard sale or the thrift store. Knowing that had a much greater impact on my lifestyle and spending habits (and saving habits too) then it did in terms of knowing current net worth. Knowing what your net worth WOULD have been had you not bought all that stuff can be a both a shock and the needed motivation to change your life to a more frugal (i.e. less stuff) one.!
Does anyone need encouragement to keep forging ahead with this step? I'm grateful to reader 99 for the ideas for the inventory itself (how to do it), and to the thread in the Organization section on "a bit at a time" -- and the 15 minutes idea. All these have helped keep me moving along, and I have alot inventoried, though not everything. I got a bit sidetracked by the discovery of something called the 333 Clothing Project (a blog by Courtney Carver started this, I believe) in which participants commit to wearing 33 items of clothing for 3 months. Fascinating to consider once I had listed the stuff in my closet, and could mentally play with the idea of which 33 items might I choose for such an experiment? Anyway, everybody's contributions here have given me food for thought & I'm most appreciative.
Yes, I could use some encouragement, as I've gotten a bit 'stuck' in organizing paperwork (with many stops and starts, as my kids are home on spring break this week). For me, paperwork clutter is as 'disruptive' as 'stuff' clutter. I did buy a used file cabinet to store it all in, so once it's out of the way, I'm going to start the 'count' of stuff.
I've heard of thd 33 items idea - would like to try it, but not sure I even own 33 clothing items at the moment, LOL (though I might be surprised once the inventory is done - duh!)
Thanks for the inspiration, sumarie.
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