Becoming an adult means taking on many new responsibilities. One that might surprise you, though, is the responsibility for taking care of your belongings. Though even children are taught to be careful with the things about which they care, there are some very good reasons why adults should start taking better care of their belongings.
One of the best reasons to take care of your belongings is that they cost money to replace. Sure, it might not be fun to clean out your dishes after cooking but it's vastly more expensive to have to buy new ones when the old dishes get covered with mold. Taking care of your possessions is just a type of insurance against spending money when they get too damaged to work.
It takes more time to replace your possessions than you might think. You might believe that you're saving an hour or two a year by not getting your car's oil changed, for example, but that's nothing compared to the amount of time you'll need to spend shopping for a new car when your old one breaks down. When you take care of your belongings, you're saving yourself the time that comes with having to repair or replace them in the future.
There are actually some very real social implications to the degree of care you take with your possessions. If you drive your car to pick up a date, for example, he or she can probably make a few inferences about your personality based on whether or not you actually have car floor mats. Likewise, you might be judged by a prospective boss based on whether or not your phone screen is cracked or there are holes in your clothing. It may not be fair, but these first impressions do matter.
Finally, you may also eventually realize that there are things that you want to hand down to future generations. Whether it's a car that you've worked hard to customize or a piece of jewelry that means everything to you, you've got to take care of items if you want them to last for more than a single generation. If you expect your belongings to last longer than a lifetime, you'll need to treat them with care.
Always take care of your possessions as best you can. Doing so can save you both time and money, to say nothing of how it will change the impressions that those around you get about your personality. Though your possessions shouldn't define you, the way you treat them will have an impact on your life.
Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. You can connect with Anica on Twitter @AnicaOaks.