Letting go of our belongings is rarely just about making space. Sometimes it’s removing someone else’s items from your space (goodbye, bad roommate). Other times, it’s clearing out the bridesmaid dress you’ll never wear again—except it’s the one from your sister’s wedding. Suddenly, you’re not decluttering. You’re grieving.
Decluttering is emotional—because our stuff holds stories. That grimy college futon? It’s not just furniture. It’s a memory. And even when we know it’s time to part ways, our attachment makes it harder than expected.
So we tell ourselves we’ll sell it. At least we can recoup something, right? But the process of selling often adds stress, not relief. Donating, on the other hand, offers something radically different: clarity, purpose, and peace of mind. Here’s why letting go gets easier when you choose to donate.
Why Letting Go is So Hard, According to Science
It’s not just clutter. It’s your clutter. Items in our home are often tied to memories, milestones, and meaning. Attachment is powerful– which explains why decluttering and parting with items (big or small) can feel like losing a part of yourself.
This emotional struggle is very common– so common it has a name: the endowment effect. It’s a psychological bias that causes people to assign more value to an item simply because they own it. A landmark study by Kahneman, Knetsch and Thaler found that participants valued a mug they owned at $7.12, while non-owners were only willing to pay $2.87 for the exact same item.
Even merely touching or imagining ownership can increase our attachment. Consumer psychology researchers have found that participants rated objects as significantly more attractive after simply touching them—despite not owning them. This phenomenon, known as the mere ownership effect, illustrates how even minimal perceived possession can heighten emotional attachment.
And when it comes to selling, research shows we consistently overvalue our own belongings compared to what others are willing to pay—a hallmark of the endowment effect. This mismatch often leads to disappointment and delay, especially in secondhand markets.
No wonder your grandmother’s old coat on Facebook Marketplace isn’t selling. You most likely listed it at the price it means to you, not to others.
The Stressors of Selling
At first, selling can seem like the logical path. But the reality is that it’s a lot of work for little reward. You spend hours photographing, pricing, and then writing descriptions. You field the flaky buyers, navigate selling platforms, and dodge lowball offers. While you wait for someone to message, the doubt sets in. You walk past that old armchair in the garage and wonder—should you keep it after all? Maybe the kids want a gaming chair…
The thoughts endure as does your listing on the marketplace. Suddenly, two weeks have passed and that chair is still sitting in your garage. All of this effort and time easily turns into frustration. Instead of closing the chapter, you’re stuck in limbo–and considering raising the price even more since the project has taken so much of your time.
Donating: Purpose Over Profit
While selling is about financial return, donating focuses on the emotional relief of parting ways with something you no longer need, paired with the benefit of helping others.
There’s no price haggling, no waiting and no pressure to assign a monetary value to something that once meant so much to you. Instead, donation gives you the chance to take meaningful action immediately–and that momentum can feel like a weight lifted.
Research supports this emotional benefit. A 2015 study from Yale found that performing kind acts, such as donating or volunteering, actually buffers against stress and improves emotional resilience during challenging times. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by a big move or major life transition, giving can be a quiet form of self-care.
Additionally, there’s real science behind the “helper’s high.” Generous actions like donating activate the brain’s reward systems, triggering the release of feel-good chemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin. In other words: that warm, relieved feeling you get after scheduling a donation pickup isn’t imagined–it’s chemical!
And when that donation helps a veteran furnish their home or provides essentials for a family in need? That’s purpose you can feel good about.
Donate Your Gently Used Goods and Furniture Today
Letting go isn’t about losing something—it’s about passing it on. And while selling can bring stress and second-guessing, donating creates space and meaning.
ReSupply makes donating easy. We’re a veteran-founded organization that offers fast, professional donation pickups—so you can declutter your space while helping someone else build theirs. We partner directly with local nonprofits to ensure your donations directly support missions within your community.
Ready to turn clutter into kindness? Schedule a donation pickup with ReSupply by calling (617) 917-9625 or book online by clicking below.
