There comes a point in the purge stage of S.P.A.C.E. where a client finds an item has clearly been neglected.

It might have been unearthed from a dark, cramped corner, or a dusty top shelf. The reaction to seeing the item is not one of relief at finding a misplaced treasure-- it’s more like the facial expression equivalent of “meh.”

And then he or she inevitably explain that an old roommate left it behind when they moved a few years ago.

Those items almost always end up in the donate pile, and I often wonder why it got to live in my client’s home for so long in the first place.

To be clear, sharing housing and household items is a financially and environmentally responsible decision. As is weeding through our belongings before relocating to make the move simpler. As is opting for used items rather than purchasing new ones. I have no qualms with any of that.

But jettisoning our unwanted items without consideration isn’t really fair. It takes a bit longer to find a friend who’d love to have it, or post it to Craigslist and find an interested buyer, or to research a specific organization in need of it, or even to box it up and drop it off at the Salvation Army where someone can purchase it in the future. But the alternative is to burden our former roommates with our clutter.

And by accepting these left-behind items from our former roommates, without questioning whether or not they will equip us better for the life we’re living, we’re essentially ceding control of our household. Our homes become the shore where jetsam washes up and remains for years, taking up the space that should be reserved for items we actually love, use, maintain, and need.

So by all means, give to and/or receive from a former roomie. Just do it with some consideration.