Why do we keep things we will probably never use again?

There is probably a drawer in every home that nobody is allowed to touch without permission. It contains a little bit of everything: old phone chargers, batteries that may or may not work, takeaway menus, instruction manuals for appliances we no longer own, and random keys nobody can identify.

Then there is the wardrobe. The dress you wore once to a wedding five years ago, the jeans you are convinced you will fit into again, and the handbag you have not touched since 2022 but refuse to give away because, well, what if you need it?

We all have things we know we will probably never use again. Yet, somehow, throwing them away feels like a much bigger decision than it should.

Sometimes, we are not holding on to the actual item. We are holding on to what it reminds us of.

An old birthday card from a childhood friend, a cinema ticket from a memorable date, a school notebook filled with handwriting from years ago or a perfume bottle that brings back memories of a particular time in life.

These things might have little practical value, but they carry a story. Getting rid of them can feel like getting rid of a small piece of that story.

And then there are the things we keep because we genuinely believe they might come in handy one day. That empty gift box? Perfect for storing something. The glass jar? Could be useful. The shopping bag? Definitely worth keeping.

The problem is that ‘one day’ rarely comes.

In the UAE, where families often prepare for guests, celebrations and special occasions, there is no shortage of things that find a permanent home in cupboards and storage rooms.

Think about the fancy serving trays brought out during Ramadan, Eid or family gatherings. The decorative boxes from wedding gifts, the extra coffee cups, the collection of shopping bags and the good-quality containers that are far too nice to throw away.

There is also the famous household cupboard filled with plastic bags inside other plastic bags. Nobody knows how many are in there, but everyone knows where to find one.

And let’s not forget the storage room. It starts with one box of things we want to keep temporarily and somehow turns into a collection of objects that have survived several rounds of spring cleaning.

One of the biggest reasons we struggle to throw things away is the possibility that we might need them later.

Nobody wants to throw away an old cable only to spend Dh40 replacing it a few months later. Nobody wants to donate a perfectly good jacket and suddenly need it during an unexpectedly cold evening.

So we keep things just in case.

There is also the feeling that throwing something away is wasteful, particularly if it is still in good condition. We remember how much it cost, how difficult it was to find or how useful it once was.

But there is a difference between keeping something because it is useful and keeping it because we cannot bring ourselves to make a decision about it.

Perhaps the hardest things to get rid of are those connected to who we used to be.

Old university notes from a course we completed years ago, clothes from a different style phase, hobby supplies from an interest that lasted exactly three weeks, or souvenirs from a trip we still think about.

We might not need these things anymore, but they remind us of people we were, places we visited and moments we experienced.

And sometimes, we keep them because we like knowing they are there.

There is comfort in opening a box and finding something unexpected. It can turn an ordinary afternoon into a little trip down memory lane.

Perhaps the answer is not to become someone who throws everything away. Not every object needs to serve a practical purpose, and not every memory needs to be digitised or photographed before it deserves to be kept.

But it might be worth asking ourselves a simple question: if I did not already own this, would I buy it today?

If the answer is no, perhaps it is time to reconsider why it is still taking up space.

Donate clothes that no longer fit your lifestyle, recycle old electronics responsibly, pass useful household items to someone who needs them and keep the sentimental things that genuinely make you happy.

After all, the goal is not to have an empty home. It is to make room for the things we actually use, enjoy and care about.

And if you are reading this while sitting next to a drawer full of unidentified cables, perhaps this is your sign to finally open it. Just don’t be surprised if you find something you have been looking for since 2019.