To Keep or Not To Keep...

...that is the question.  It can be really tricky and emotionally taxing when weeding through things.

How do you decide what's worth having around?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• When was the last time I used it?
• Do I really love it?  
• Would I be heartbroken if it were gone?  In other words, would you regret tossing it out?
• Where is its home?  Do I have a place to store it?
• Does it still fit?
• If it's paperwork- do I need it for taxes?  Do I need it to pay bills?  
• Do I have duplicates?  If so, consider downsizing to just what you need.
• If it's broken- Can it be repaired for a reasonable cost?
• Does it have value?

But, what if you still can't decide?  Then what?

Here's what I do:

I wait.  Yes, that may sound counter-productive; but, I put it into a box and wait until later.  Sometimes I come back to it a month later.  Sometimes it's a year or more.  I move on to other things that can be taken care of today and wait to decide on the most difficult items.

When revisited, my mind is clearer and a better decision can be made.  Most of the time I realize that I wasn't as attached to the item as I thought and it was time to purge it.

Be brave!  Don't be afraid to make a decision today.  Line up the laundry baskets and a trash can, start sorting the closet, and letting things go.  Have the trash can handy and use it as an option.  Keep the laundry baskets around to sort other items into piles that will be kept or donated.

Clutter can weigh you down.  Free yourself by letting go.  Give what you don't need to others and be lifted while you Get It All Together.