Dear Reader,
I'm always on the look out for new organizing and "making clutter go away" ideas and information. Here is a little book I came across called: "101 Ways to Clean Out the Clutter" by Emilie Barnes. I may have mentioned her before. A good  idea she has is to pretend you are moving and can only take items that will be worth the moving charge and effort. If you answer "no" to most of the following questions, you need to let it go. 1) Is the item worth the cost of moving it? 2) Is it worth the time and effort it will take to pack and move it? 3) Do you have the energy to carry it out of the moving van? 4) Is it worth the time and energy it wall take to unwrap it at the new house? 5) Will you have a place for it at the new house or will it take up precious space you could use for something else?  Here are somethings that I have learned from personal experience  and did not follow any of the above guidelines-I learned that hard way! I have moved from California to Rhode Island and back again lugging the following: a very heavy upright piano which no one had played for years and have kept  only for sentimental value, boxes and boxes for books I will never reread, boxes and boxes of magazines, saved for articles and decorating ideas. Today I  have the piano in storage and wondering why I didn't like it go, the books got moldy and had to be tossed and the magazines become old and outdated. Remember the old Sunset magazines with the black and white photos??  Try everyday to release your hold on something that is making you uncomfortable or stressed. Donate or toss. It will be OK.