I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed this article. Recently we have been decluttering, partially because of a mold problem that we were having in our basement. We threw away so much junk, some of it was stuff still in boxes from when we moved almost 4 years ago. It was very liberating and we went through every room in the house and ruthlessly threw things away. There was only one thing I was looking for later that we threw away but right now I can't remember what it was so it couldn't have been too important. I made a few piles for the kids and some of it was stuff from when they were still at home. I told them take it home or I am chunking it!

I will be looking forward to more tips. I have changed the way I shop and think twice before I buy things (nonessentials) and ask myself if I really need this!

There is nothing that feels better than to get rid of all the stuff you have accumulated. Your life just feels decluttered when you do this. You can focus on what's more important when you don't have all this garbage in the background. That goes for mental garbage as well. I was never good at keeping anything organized, but one day I decided that come hell or high water, I would have a beautiful organized house. My house was never dirty, just cluttered, which other people thought of as dirty. Now that I got organized, donated items to goodwill, and keep only items I use on a frequent basis, everyone thinks my home is spotless. Haven't really change a thing, just organized and got rid of clutter.

Hi Nancy,
That sounds so good. I am afraid ,i can be a friend of clutter. I find it so hard to throw things out. In case.... you know the one? It sometimes feels the things are actually a part of me. Yet when I do get a 'fit' on a sort it all out I feel so much better. I will have to gear up for one...!

What I do is take pictures of things I think I'll really miss and then I can hang those on my cork board or use them as backgrounds. So I can still enjoy the beauty of the item without it cluttering up things.

Think about the real dollar value of something. If you have a clean home and REALLY need the thing again, you can probably get the $5 or whatever to get a new better working one Especially if you donate things to charity and get a tax write off, consider the value of that as your "fund" for rebuying something if you really need to. And in the meantime the object will be actively used and treasured by someone who needs it instead of rotting unused in your basement

I'm so not in to the whole ebay, yard sale stuff so I joined a freecycle yahoo list in my area. When ever I come across something that hasn't been used in 2, 5 or 10 years I list it and it is usually gone within a few days freeing up useful space for something else.

It takes practice getting rid of stuff. But once you start it feels good knowing that someone else is actually using it and that you have this extra space.

Right exactly. I remind myself that it's far better for the thing to be loved and in use than abandoned in a corner.

I am the worst pack rat. Everything I have or accumulated has some kind of "sentimental" value and I quoted that word because I believe it is crutch or an excuse not to get rid of anything.

That is my whole problem and as Moe said, it takes practice to throw things away. Hopefully, I will be able to start practicing it soon.

Vance - try the photo technique. That way you document it and have a record of what it meant to you in the past - but now you pass it along to someone else to use and love today In a way if you cherish something it's a shame to have it unused! If it's a cherished sweater, imagine some person having it become their absolute favorite thing that they wear daily and are so thrilled to have ...

I am packing for our move in less than two weeks now. Everything that I have not needed for a few years I am getting rid of it. I am taking it to the Salvation Army. Some things, like craft supplies, I will donate to my grandson's school for art projects.

The "charity pile" in the corner of our bedroom (mostly clothes and small items) is growing. Very soon, our home will be at least 40lbs lighter. I'm actually pretty excited about that. More decluttering to come!

I just gave 3 big bags of clothes to a local charity. I love all the closet space I have now.

Nancy isn't that so freeing! I try to go through every other month or so and find even one item to donate. Sometimes it's hard to choose the item because at this point I've really whittled the clothes down - but then I honestly never have missed the item afterwards. I just was never wearing it anyway.

We usually have big brother big sister show up here every month or two but they haven't been by in a while. I'm going to go write them now!!

They just got these planet aid yellow dumpsters to donate clothing and shoes so I am not using that once a week since there is one at the laundromat and the gas station.

A middle school teacher just came here and got the 12 bionicle sets I gave away and some books (moby dick) for his class as rewards. I thought that was nice and the second time a teacher has responded to a craigslist ad I posted. Last time was the national geo mags I gave away.

I get so inspired from NEAT on Discovery Home and Clean Sweep that I tossed out exceptional parent mags from 1998 - 2004 that I had saved. 1998 was the year my son was diagnosed with autism and I was holding on to those mags for sentimental reasons and like the lady says on TV all old articles are now on line.

And I tossed out a 1986 Mc Calls mag that had an article on autism and it was very tall and large. If the mag was in great condition I would have saved for ebay.

my neighbor has the last edition of a los angeles newspaper and ebay has it listed for two dollars and another doing it for 200.

Definitely if you can sell something for money, that is great! But also if you donate something to charity you can tax deduct its sale value so that works well too.

It is very true that many magazines and such we might save have all their information online now anyway. Which is much easier to read and search through!

I did in fact write the BBBS so hopefully they'll write back and tell me they can come out soon

I don't earn enough to do deductions on my taxes and already spent my refund that I got on Feb 8th. This was through Craigslist and an individal so no way to document it either.

It feels good to just donate with nothing in return.

I am getting things around for my mother's garage sale this spring. I already have three boxes in the garage ready to do, and more in the family room that need to be priced yet. Anything not sold will go to charity.