You’ve resolved to pare down.  How do you now decide what to keep? Choose the question that speaks to YOU and ask it of every item:

• Does this serve me in my life today?
• If I were shopping right now, would I pay full price for this?
• Would this be worth packing up if I were to move?
• Does it lift me up or drag me down?
• Am I keeping this out of obligation?
• Would someone else enjoy this more than I do?

TIP: Listen to your gut. It always answers you immediately.

 

 

If you look at an unread stack of books that you intended to read long ago, and feel “bad”, pass the pile along. If you are “happy” at the prospect of reading them, keep the books.

Our belongings elicit emotions. Our emotions dictate how we feel about ourselves, how we treat others and how effective we are.

TIP: If you say “I should keep this”, it may signify you do not really want to save it.

• For items you “can’t” get rid of yet, box them up with a post-it reminding you to open the box 1 year from today.

 

Does this sound familiar – you need to keep an email for a while yet not forever so it sits in your inbox and you constantly scroll through your emails asking “Can I delete this yet?”

Instead, after responding to an email, drag it into a folder titled the current year “2016”.  Don’t waste time agonizing over whether to save or delete.   Your computer’s search function can find it anytime needed.

• What remains in your inbox are emails needing response.  

TIP: Treat the folders like tax archives – as the newest folder is created each January, delete the oldest.

 

Ask yourself:

• Can I get this information any other way?
• Is it easy to obtain again?
• If I even remember where I stored this paper, would I actually retrieve it or would I take a different action (look online, make a phone call, etc.)?
• Can I live with the worst-case scenario consequences if I get rid of it and need it later? If so, let it go. If not, keep it.

TIP:  Take a moment to examine your habits. Just because you’ve kept papers in the past doesn’t mean it’s effective today.

If you don’t know what you have, you can’t use it.  If you know what you have, yet aren’t able to find it, you can’t use it.

• What area of yours needs to be arranged better visually so you can see exactly what you have in one glance?

Placing items strategically in their home ensures you don’t waste time searching for something.

TIP: Instead of a pile, fold your clothes in drawers so you can see each item and access it immediately.  These are the same shirts/shorts before and after.