Living with clutter can be adding to your stress.  It is worthwhile to go through your stuff and purge.  For some people, this is not so easy.

There are all sorts of reasons why we hold onto things. Most are emotional reasons. For the memories. Because we think we may need them in the future. Because we spent a lot of time and energy to get them.  Because they cost so much.

When making your decluttering gameplan, take your feelings into account too.

Make a checklist of criteria your possessions need to meet in order for you to keep them. “Have I used this in the last year?” or “Is there something better I can replace this with?” or “Does this make me look/ feel good – now?” [add your own]

If what you really want to keep isn’t the things so much as the memory related to it, then take photos of them (and actually print in a physical album). In this way, you can still look at them and think about the good memories you have associated with them whenever you like.

Get a friend to help you. Someone who doesn’t have the same emotional attachment you have to your things can help you look at your things more objectively.

Bless other people with your stuff. You had your joy from those items. Pass them along to someone else now.

Even if you have to throw perfectly good things out (because you have no one to give it to, etc.), think about the freedom and space you will have once you don’t have that clutter in your life.

Once it’s gone and not in your way, you’ll feel so much better never having to see or think about what to do with those things.