{"id":3428,"date":"2026-03-23T16:29:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T15:29:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rethinkminimal.com\/?p=3428"},"modified":"2026-03-23T17:51:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T16:51:00","slug":"the-math-of-letting-go-teure-kleidung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/the-math-of-letting-go-teure-kleidung\/","title":{"rendered":"The Math of Letting Go: Why \"Expensive\" is No Argument Against Decluttering."},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Original price: 260 \u20ac
Vinted-Offer: 60 \u20ac
Buyer-Offer: 40\u20ac<\/p>\n

Anyone who\u2019s ever sold anything on a secondhand platform probably knows this scenario. From the seller's perspective, listing a dress for 60 \u20ac that\u2019s only been worn twice and is in pristine condition already felt like a massive compromise. After all, the dress was \"expensive once.\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s exactly this \"but it was expensive once\" mindset that keeps most of us from parting with our belongings. But even if no one wants to hear it: the money was gone the moment you bought it. It doesn\u2019t matter if the item stays in your closet, gets sold, or is donated \u2013 the money is gone and it\u2019s not coming back. Unless you sell it. In that case, even the offered 40 \u20ac would be a genuine win.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Why is it so hard to part with expensive clothing?<\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

One term used to describe this phenomenon is the so-called \"Sunk Cost Fallacy.\" Some might know it from the corporate world. It describes a cognitive bias that causes people to stick with a project or venture simply because they\u2019ve already invested so much time and effort, rather than evaluating its current utility.<\/p>

I spent years working as a product manager for a B2B software company, where we were constantly launching new projects. One example: an app. Thousands of Euros and hours poured into this product. Hardly any customers willing to pay for it. Based strictly on the KPIs, we should have pulled it from the market. But it never happened, because so much had already been invested.<\/p>

We can observe this same principle every day in our own homes. We look into the closet and see a dress. In my case: my bachelorette party dress. A white Jacquemus dress, original price around 600\u20ac. In hindsight, a completely excessive expense for one night.<\/p>

Okay, that\u2019s not entirely true; I also wore it as my \"second dress\" for the party night at my wedding. Still: Cost per wear 300 \u20ac. I can only shake my head at that. But anyone who has ever been married or planned a wedding probably knows that you convince yourself you need everything for this special occasion\u2014after all, it\u2019s supposed to be the best day of your life. But this isn't about wedding spending; that weekend truly was the best of my life.<\/p>

Anyway, back to the bachelorette dress. Three years later, it\u2019s still hanging in my closet. As I write this, I\u2019m trying to remember if I ever wore it again after the wedding? I think I recall packing it for every single vacation, but it never made it out of the suitcase\u2014it\u2019s just too bold and specific. Plus, it doesn\u2019t fit into my (extended, the classic one is too boring for me) capsule wardrobe.<\/p>

So there it hangs. Cost per wear: 300 \u20ac.<\/p>

I haven't sold it yet because I know my Vinted and Willhaben stats: I\u2019ve never gotten more than 40 \u20ac for a secondhand dress, and in this case, that just feels like too little. Plus, surely that moment will come where I\u2019ll wear the dress again, and the lyrics \u201eMy father told me when I was just a child, These are the nights that never die\u201c<\/em> will play in my head, just like that night in Milan.<\/p>

<\/p>

<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Wei\u00dfes\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Logo\/Etikett\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

No girl, the moment is not coming.<\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

You\u2019re never going to wear that dress again. And if you don\u2019t sell it, give it away, or donate it, you\u2019ll just keep looking at it and feeling guilty about the money. You\u2019ll get annoyed every time you have to handle it twice a year while switching your closet between summer and winter.<\/p>

Because that\u2019s exactly it: an item we no longer need or want, but still keep, costs us energy every single day we see it. Energy we could use for far more meaningful things. There\u2019s a reason some of the most famous people in the world wear the same thing every day to minimize daily decision fatigue. Plus, there are opportunity costs. 40\u20ac invested in an ETF (not investment advice!) or a fun night out with a friend aligns much better with my goals and values than a designer dress sitting in a dark closet.<\/p>

So, what now? I\u2019ve taken the photos and listed the dress on Willhaben. However, I didn\u2019t list it for 40 \u20ac. While I\u2019ve finally pushed myself to sell it, I\u2019m still firmly convinced that the dress is worth more than that. But regardless of the price it eventually sells for: any income is better than a dress I haven't worn in three years, one that takes up space for other things and serves as a constant reminder of a terrible cost per wear.<\/p>

If you\u2019re looking for a sexy mini dress: here is my Willhaben listing (Austria only): Jacquemus La Robe Minikleid<\/a><\/p>

<\/p>

And if you\u2019re currently decluttering your closet: don\u2019t ask yourself what the item cost in the past. Ask yourself what utility it offers for your future.<\/p>

xx Maria
Founder Rethink Minimal<\/p>

<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

To not miss an article in the future, sign-up for our newsletter or follow @rethinkminimal<\/a> on Instagram. On both channels you'll be informed as soon as a new articles gets published in RETHINK MAGAZINE.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\n\n
I have read the Privacy Policy and hereby accept it.<\/a><\/label><\/div>\n<\/form><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tInstagram<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPinterest<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Originalpreis: 260 \u20acVinted-Inserat: 60 \u20acInteressenten-Angebot: 40 \u20ac Jeder, der schon mal auf einer Secondhand-Plattform verkauft hat, kennt dieses Szenario vermutlich. Dabei waren die inserierten 60 \u20ac f\u00fcr ein nur 2-mal…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3439,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[81,83],"class_list":["post-3428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-allgemein","tag-sunken-cost-fallacy-kleidung","tag-warum-teure-kleidung-loslassen-schwerfaellt"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3428"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3428\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3466,"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3428\/revisions\/3466"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rethinkminimal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}