CLUTTERMEISTER
  • home
  • virtual services
  • clutteraware
  • speaker
  • clues
    • blog
    • audiovisual
    • publications
    • in the media
    • testimonials
  • contact

The difference between worth and value

30/8/2018

 
Picture
Since we are looking at linguistics, here is another pair of words that have ended up being used in ways that make them pretty much interchangeable, especially when it comes to advertising.

The thing is, though: they have distinctly different meanings, and mixing them up in your mind is a sure-fire way to make you doubt any decisions you might be ready to make when it comes to decluttering!
You have probably been exposed to phrases like ‘because you are worth it’, ‘incredible value for money’ and the like. But are you really aware what they mean? I have specifically chosen those two examples for reasons explained towards the end of this article!

Here are the two terms explained:

  • Worth is a term used to describe how much something will cost or how much an item will sell for. This means it is a description of purely monetary value.
  • Value is a much broader term. It describes an emotional notion, but does not necessarily include a monetary value (although it could!). Something given to you as a gift may not be worth more than a fiver, but could hold huge emotional value.

This being said, let’s review the two statements above once more:

‘Because you are worth it…’ insinuates you or your actions may have a monetary value rather than the intended understanding that you deserve something valuable (see what I did here?). While this IS an advertising slogan, it entirely hits the wrong strings.

‘Incredible value for money’ is a lot more subtle and multi-layered but it still is pandering to a misunderstanding. It overemphasises the monetary aspect of the item you are supposed to buy, by overplaying an emotional or sentimental element it has never had to you before you saw the advertisement. Using the word this way might even make you believe you DO have a sentimental connection with the item!

How is this related to decluttering?

It’s interesting to separate the value and worth of an item when you are trying to let go of things in your home. If you mix up the sentimental value, monetary worth (and not to forget the usefulness) of an item, it becomes much more difficult to come to a proper conclusion if you keep this or not.

It’s hard enough to decide if you only take practical concerns into consideration: asking yourself the one question “do I need this?” would lead to pretty much clutter-free homes all around. Just looking at your friends’ homes will tell a different story, though.

Now imagine that you have decided something is not necessary and you need to determine its emotional value: just adding a sentimental element of value into the mix will make it drastically more difficult to let go of this. Now add in the question ‘how much is this worth’… It becomes pretty much impossible to let go of anything because it could be either useful, valuable or sentimental, or – even worse – all of the above.

Next time you think to yourself “this is too valuable to throw out”, try to separate monetary from sentimental value and use this experience to make a better, and easier, choice.
If you have enjoyed reading this, you may find these other articles interesting:
  • The value of things
  • Emotional blockage
  • Be considerate of others

Comments are closed.

    Ask the ClutterMeister

    Picture
    Hi, my name is Tilo Flache. My mission: help clients declutter mind and space.
    This blog contains pointers for your journey towards a happier living experience.

    If you want to share a post, please add a link to the original post. Thanks.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2023
    July 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
All information refers to Tilo Flache t/a ClutterMeister.  © 2015-2024
  • home
  • virtual services
  • clutteraware
  • speaker
  • clues
    • blog
    • audiovisual
    • publications
    • in the media
    • testimonials
  • contact