Getting rid of clutter – by the time you finally have had enough of things collecting around you, these things probably have been accumulating for many years.  Deciding to rid yourself of too many possessions is one thing, but actually going through the process can be a very traumatic some other thing.

There are many reasons we hold on to things: they bring back good memories, we might need them, we might miss them, they’re still good…
In getting rid of things, you don’t necessarily have to just throw them out.  As a matter of fact, I hate to throw out something that can still be useful to someone.  You can give things to friends and family, you can donate to charities or organizations that can make use of the products, you can recycle, have a garage sale, or put it out with the trash and most likely someone will pick it up for themselves (it’s amazing how many things have gone that route from our own trash and neighbors’, too).

Knowing that you have options other than throwing out often helps you in the decision whether to get rid of something or not.

Now – how do you make those decisions?

Obviously, if you love something and use it and would miss it tremendously, it stays, even though you might have to do some creative storage.  

The first question then, of things that I am not sure of, is: would I take it with me if I were moving?  Often, this question helps me decide to get rid of something that I otherwise would think I may need someday.

Is it an heirloom to pass down to the next generation?  Instead of waiting, why not pass it down now, and let the family member who wants and gets it enjoy it with you.  Just be careful not to let yourself into a situation where you are disappointed, because nobody wants the heirloom.  I would just give away what I am certain about, and figure out storage for the remainders.

Are the possessions toys that bring back happy memories of young children?  It’s understandable that you would like to keep something.  But if you need to downsize, why not keep a few, and give away the rest to schools, daycares, goodwill, any organization that you know the toys will bring more continuing enjoyment, rather than just sitting in your house.

Clothing has a way of accumulating into great numbers, yet we only tend to wear our favorites. Of course, certain things, such as evening gowns, only get worn on special occasions, and should be kept if they suit you.  However, clothing that is still good but does not fit really is taking up unnessesary space.  A lot of us have high hopes about getting back into old smaller sizes.  However, realistically, even when we will get back to that point again, the styles will probably not be current.  So, why not let someone else enjoy?

These are just a few thoughts.  As you can see, passing on our goods is as much, if not more, a mental exercise than a physical act of clearing out.  If we have difficulty, we have to look within ourselves to find out what emotional impact our possessions have on us, or find out the real reasons we are keeping them.  Sometimes finding the answers to that can give us the impetus to share these possessions with someone else.