Between you and me: Reasons why I don’t want to be like my mother

Or least, we realise we have never used them after we have spent money buying them. For a minute, let’s forget that idea that a lady knows what she wants only that she needs them in ten different colours, which is the reason why she buys different colours of the same item.

For the record, this trend is not gender specific. It is a general human phenomenon from Lagos to London, but I digress.

I was going to tell the story of how moving to a new house last month ended up being a weight lifting exercise, carrying boxes of items I never knew I had in the house and in some cases two of one item.

It is not even the case that she actually stocked more pairs than me. It is the singular fact that you should look through your house, and I mean thoroughly, and ask the person in the mirror: “how many of these items do I really need? How many of them do I really use?

Be honest with yourself!

Growing up, my mother would pack the wrappers, bags, shoes and other items (many of which she realized she did not exactly like after she purchased them!) in the hope that when she travels to the village at Christmas she will distribute them.

But guess what, that never happened. They either got bad or she realized that she had too much luggage to move for one trip.

The plans to give them to charity never always came to light and most times she found herself buying stuff to give instead.

In instances like this, I find out that I am like my mother and many other Nigerians.

Our homes are filled with items we don’t need or use; not because they are damaged but because we can’t picture ourselves using them anymore. The attraction that made us buy them has simply worn off.

So at times like this, especially in this economic blight, online marketplaces like Efritin.com come in handy.

I mean, back then if my mother knew she could sell off those items and get back the money she spent on them in the first place, I am certain she would have jumped at it.

Guess what, now you can! Rather than have them gather dust in the house why not sell them?

I understand we might want to give them to charity (which is not bad in itself) but it is not always the case, let’s be honest.

And who says we will keep giving the same items every other time? Charity homes have some needs that cannot be found within the walls of our homes but we can trade some items in our homes to purchase those items for them rather than just give for the sake of giving. Don’t you agree?

Especially when selling your item on Efritin.com is as stress free as taking a picture of the items, uploading them and buyers calling you.

Honestly, I don’t think we are milking the benefits of having the Internet as much as we potentially can.

Why toss these items or let them get spoilt due to neglect when you can sell them off to someone who really needs them and get your money back - a sizeable amount, if not all? The money you can gift to me if truly you find no need for it afterwards.

Going back to my story above, I realized that I need a bigger bed and slightly different furniture from what I used in my former apartment.

In the days of my mother, I would have looked for someone to dash them to and go on to drink garri while saving to purchase a replacement.

But you know what I did? I put them for sale on Efritin.com, sold them almost immediately and added a token to purchase what I really need.

My rant has gone to end somewhere right? This is where it ends but not without a final word: please go and declutter and sell your unwanted itemsjare.

This is a feature by Efritin.