As a professional organizer, I am often asked, “Have you seen someone with so much stuff?” The answer is yes and many of them are not being used by my clients. The questions are: how much should I have, how much is too much, and what should I keep? There is no simple answer, as we are all different and their reasons are different.
Many of my clients have boxes stored in the basement or full closets and wonder what to do. Here are 5 simple tips to eliminate your things.
When I work with my clients, I often talk to them about passing the items on to someone else who can enjoy them as much as they do and giving that item another life. If it’s stored in a box, you’re clearly not using it. My first tip is to donate it to a family that can use it and it will give you a much better feeling than leaving it in that box.
My next tip is if it’s something you have from a deceased relative, are you honoring it by leaving it in the corner of the basement? The answer is no and you should make it something to honor them or take a photo and tell the story of that relative.
Tip 3 is that if you had to move due to a job change, would you really want to move all those boxes and pay to have them moved? Due to recent events, many are moving to find work.
The next tip is if you save the item for someone, have you asked if they want it? I find that many of my clients still think that their children will love them in the future, but that is not the case. Every generation is different and much of today’s generation is not interested in grandma’s items or dishes that cannot be washed in the dishwasher. Ask and accept their answer.
The last tip is not to save everything for a special occasion. Start wearing them now and enjoy them because that special occasion may be too far away. Many of the items I see are only used once a year. They were made to be enjoyed and those who would give them to you would be happy if they used them and didn’t put them in an old box and forget about them.