I recently read that 48% of the American population has trouble prioritizing what to keep and what to cast off. Many people are attached to their belongings. If you are one of them, get help to get organized; ask a family member, friend or professional. Be sure you are picking someone who will tell you the truth and not just be an enabler.
Here are general guidelines I use to help my clients sort through their things:
My biggest overall guideline is if it is damaged, broken, or missing parts it needs to go.
Cast off:
Really this category is donate, throw away or recycle. In Boulder County, check out EcoCycle’s website here to see what is recyclable and for hard to recycle items.
Things to recycle:
- Cardboard boxes (unless you ship boxes often or are planning on moving within the next six months)
- Brown paper bags
- Junk mail (rip off your name and address)
- Plastic containers that food is bought in (it actually isn’t health to reuse them)
- Paper you no longer need that doesn’t have personal information on it
- Check with your local municipality to see what they can and can’t recycle
- Paper can get out of hand quickly. Don’t know what papers to keep? Click here to get a list of What to Keep and How to Keep It
Things to donate:
Anything that is still in good working condition that you or someone in your household hasn’t used in that last 2 years. Most places will not take your old mattresses or stuffed animals so check first. Check out this Think Before You Donate chart for charities that make the most of your money and goods.
Things to throw away:
Items that are not in working condition
- Items that are missing parts
- Clothing that is stained or has clothes and isn’t suitable to be a rag
- Old medication check for Take Back dates in your area.
Thing to keep:
- Items you use every day
- Items you use weekly, monthly or yearly
- Items that make your home feel comfortable
- Items that you find beautiful and give you joy
- Items that are functional that you need
Ten things you could probably cast off today as examples:
- Chipped dishes or mugs
- Old make-up example: Mascara every three months, eyeliner every 18 months
- Baby products like car seats, cribs, strollers- regulations change all the time. Your grandkids should use the same car seat as your kids did.
- Old toys or games
- Old cell phones that aren’t connected to a service because you upgraded your phone
- Magazines you have been meaning to read. Cancel the subscription too; they will refund you.
- Old spices- they can go off or just not have flavor anymore; herbs 1-3 years, ground spices 2-3 years, whole spices 3-4 years
- Old Linens- get rid of linens that are ripped or stained. You only need enough for your family and the number of guests you can reasonably have in your home at one time.
- Audio tapes or VHS tapes- If your wedding video is on VHS don’t trash that; find a service to convert it to digital. If you have Queen tapes or Titanic on VHS; let them go.
- Old paint – it is only good for about two years
