Stuff weighs you down.  You really don’t need so much stuff in your life.  Think about it: what if you suddenly had the opportunity of a lifetime come up, but it required you to move quickly – across the country or around the world.  Would you be so mired in all your stuff that you couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity?

Reduce!

Start getting rid of stuff.  Go through everything you own and either sell it, donate it, reuse it, or trash it.  If you haven’t used something in a year, the chances are pretty good that you don’t need it.  There are always exceptions to this.  I find it hard to part with books, for example.  Even if I haven’t read a book in a year, I still keep some of them.  Make exceptions for a small number of things – what ever works for you.  Do not make exceptions for everything though!  Find bigger things to get rid of too – getting rid of lots of little things is beneficial, but getting rid of large items that you just don’t need will really make a difference.  When we got a big HDTV, We got rid of our huge entertainment center and the TV sits on a small table.  Even though the TV is bigger we have so much more space in our living room and it feels like a more comfortable room now.

Don’t Pay For Clutter

There is no excuse for having a paid storage area that is just clutter.  The same goes for a house that is too big for you.  Take the opportunity to get rid of your clutter and stop paying for a storage area, or even downsize to a smaller house to save money.

Start Small

Yes, it can be overwhelming when you start to go through all of your stuff.  Pick one room or even one part of one room and start somewhere!  Once you get the hang of it and see the positive impact it will be easier to keep going and going.  Make sure you don’t get stuck and stay small though.  Keep going and work your way through your house, garage, or where ever your clutter is.

Keep It Up

Once you have gone through all of your stuff and reduced it, you aren’t done.  Make a lifestyle paradigm shift and continue to periodically purge your stuff.  Yes, maybe that survived the last purge, but do you really still need it?  Continually go through your stuff and reduce your clutter.

Logan Challenge

Now it is your turn.  I challenge you to go through at least one room and reduce your clutter.  Post your results, tips, or feedback here.