Have you ever heard of the "birdcage effect"? The concept comes from an interesting story: at the beginning of the last century, James, a retired teacher at Harvard University, gave his good friend, the physicist Carlson, a birdcage. Carlson didn't like birds at all, so he casually kept the birdcage in the living room. As a result, whenever a guest visits, they are surprised and ask, "Hey, why is this birdcage empty?" What about the birds? In order to avoid repeated explanations, Carlson simply bought a bird. This is known as the "birdcage effect" – because people have something they don't need, they tend to fill it unconsciously, even if it's expensive and laborious to do so.
Now, imagine if your home has a similar "birdcage"? Maybe it's the things you buy that you barely use, or the things you always think "you'll be going to use someday." Unknowingly, these "bird cages" not only occupy your space, but more importantly, they quietly empty your wallet and reduce your quality of life.
The first habit: ineffective hoarding.
Let's talk about ineffective hoarding. For example, my mother, on Chinese New Year's Eve five years ago, bought some flowers and branches to fulfill her grandson's wishes. The question is: how to place the flower branches? She thought about it for a long time and finally decided to buy a few vases. When the festival passed, the flowers withered, and the grandson went back to school, the vases were empty. Subsequently, whenever someone visits and sees those empty vases, they feel strange. Therefore, in order to avoid embarrassment, my mother bought flower branches again, and so on, tossing repeatedly.
Not only the flower branches and vases, but also the little goldfish and matching fish tanks that the granddaughter loves, as well as the briquettes ...... that I bought in winter but never usedThese things, at first, may seem like they are meant to meet a need, but in the end, they just become home decorations, both a waste of money and a space occupation.
The second habit: reluctant to throw anything.
Another habit is that you are reluctant to throw anything. In some families, old desks, outdated toys for children, and even clothes that are almost never worn are left behind. Not only does this make the home crowded, but it also needs to be cleaned regularly, costing time and effort. Worse still, this habit can also lead us to hold on to a lot of "rotten apples" in our lives – things that we could have thrown away but kept because of the idea that "they might be useful", and as a result, we don't even enjoy a good apple.
How to break through the "birdcage effect".
To break through the "birdcage effect", we must first realize a simple truth: truly wealthy families tend to have less. They know how to throw away as they go, leaving only what is really useful and meaningful. This is not only a kind of material simplicity, but also a manifestation of a life attitude. Adjusting the consumption mentality, buying according to needs, and reducing ineffective spending is the first step out of poverty.
Throw away the things you no longer need. It sounds simple, but it's actually hard to do. At first, you may feel a little reluctant, but when you actually take action, you will find that it is actually a relief. And, when you clear out more space, your quality of life will naturally improve.
Epilogue. Finally, I would like to conclude this sharing with a quote from Rabindranath Tagore: "One night I burned all my memories, and from then on my dreams became transparent; One morning, I threw away all my yesterday, and since then my steps have been light. "Home is not only a place to live, but also a haven for our souls. Let's start by changing our little habits, ditching the "birdcages" that we no longer need, and moving towards a more free, simple and affluent life!