Clutter = Stuff!

When we survey our clutter we recognize a great deal of it as our "stuff." I will not go into a lengthy definition of stuff because it falls in one of those categories like that often ridiculed saying about art appreciation, we know it when we see it. For boys we jokingly refer to it as our toys. For women, many become "collectibles" (I am going to get it for that one.) Whatever we call it the stuff is still stuff!

That said, I want to share a couple of critical standards for evaluating when stuff has become clutter, maybe even junk! These standards are ones you use when the stuff in question has or had a use. In order to be successful applying these standards as part of your strategy to get organized, you will generally treat them as questions and you will need to answer them concretely, critically and realistically. So ask yourself......

"If I needed this item in the future, could I find one like it and what would it likely cost?"

If it is going to be hard to find or if it is going to cost you an arm or a leg, find a place for it and keep it.

"When was the last time I used this item or toy?"

If it has been more than two years and you can't see yourself using it in the next thirty days, throw it.

Simply applying these two standards to things like closet, garage or attic "junk" can go a long way toward either a big pile on the curb or the inventory for your next eBay sale. If it is the latter, just make sure you have the sale because if not you have just move the "stuff" into a different category of clutter.

Remember...you can let your clutter drive you crazy or you can get crazy organized.