As we’re clearing our homes of clutter, here are five questions to ask yourself:
1) Do I Need This Item?
Need is the keyword here. Sometimes it’s hard to look at our own stuff objectively, but it’s a really good exercise to do so.
If you’re having trouble deciding whether or not you truly need something, step back and think, “Could I live without this? Is my survival dependent upon this item?”
I’m not saying that you can only have things you need in your home. Flowers are not a need, but I enjoy them so I buy them on occasion. But once you can discern between needs and wants, it helps you to be much more free to streamline what items you keep in your home.
2) Do I Use This Item on a Regular Basis?
As you’re going through your home, ask yourself: “How often do I use this item?” If the answer is less than a few times per year, it’s high time you consider getting rid of it. You can always borrow it from someone if you need to use it once a year or so.
There’s no point in having stuff take up space in our home if we’re not using it on a regular basis.
3) Do I Like This Item?
Sometimes I think we keep junk around our home just because we always have. It becomes a “part” of our home without us even realizing it.
If you don’t need an item, you don’t use it on a regular basis and you don’t like it, what on earth are you hanging onto it for? Pitch it and be free from excess stuff.
4) Is This Item Taking Up Space I Don’t Have?
If you’re short on space, you especially need to be ruthless about clutter, otherwise it will greatly hamper your productivity. Either you control the clutter or the clutter controls you.
5) Could I Bless Someone Else With This Item?
I find so much joy in blessing others with things I don’t need or use. Now, please don’t go dump off ten bags of junk at your friend’s house. They probably won’t see that as a “blessing”! However, if you have something that someone else could find more use out of, ask them if they’d be interested in having it.
photo credit: Lori Greig