With moving, there comes a time to purge the junk you no longer need. For me, that time started yesterday, when I cleaned out my office. With my job, I collect a lot of papers and catalogs. When I say lots, I mean I purged about 2/3 of my office and the purged items together weighed at least 100 pounds. I know some of my family members have difficulties with purging (cough, Dad) so I decided to help out these poor souls by putting together a how to purge guide. All you need to do is ask these questions:
1. Have I used this item in the past 6 months? (If clothes, you can up it to 12 due to how the seasons work, but seasonal items get this exception only!!!)
2. Is it broken? If yes, automatically in the trash.
3. Does it have an emotional connection? Yes? Good. Why? Can’t answer? Trash (or donate or sell).
4. Collectibles: What is it worth? Nothing? Get rid of it. (No, I don’t care if it might be valuable in the future.)
5. Put all your items that you keep because they remind you of someone in a pile. If you have more than 5 items that remind you of that person, pick 5 and give the rest to someone else who might appreciate them (this could mean goodwill).
6. Pretend that you have to move everything by yourself, do you think this item is worth carrying? If you need time to decide, pick it up and keep walking back and forth across the room until you do. If you find yourself asking yourself why you are doing that, most likely you don’t need it.
7. Books: Have you read it? No? How long have you had it? If over a year, you won’t read it. Get rid of it. If you have read it, will you read it again? Honestly.
8. Are you keeping an item out of guilt? Get rid of it. If the person who gave it to you asks where it is, blame the disappearance on someone helping you move that would have no idea the significance behind the item. (NOTE: if it is an important family piece, give it to a family member who would appreciate it!)
9. If all else fails, can you name 5 reasons to keep it? No? Get rid of it.
P.S. Yes, Dad. Every time I purge, I think of you.
Crazy on the Outside 