CoolPeopleCare®

I try to keep the net weight of my house the same. So, if I buy something, I like to get rid of something. If I purchase or receive a new shirt, an old one goes gets donated. This is just a personal quirk of mine; it's not like we live on a fault line and I'm paranoid that any excess candles or pants will cause the next big earthquake.

Sometimes I forget to balance the scales, and as time passes, I (like most of us) accumulate possessions, souvenirs, knickknacks, gifts and mementos that symbolize my life. And, before I know it, my house is full of stuff and I feel cramped, nearly spaced out of my abode that I bought because I thought it was 'roomy' at the time.

In an effort to get rid of the extra things that I don't need, I resolved to clean out my closet (and all of the other areas in a house that hold things you forgot you ever owned).

My wife and I blocked off a couple of hours one day to go through the house and box up those items we rarely use. We rifled through our closets and drawers to find articles of clothing we haven't worn since who knows when. We forced ourselves to be honest and grab those shirts and pants we thought were good ideas at some point in time.

And the end of those hours, we had four bags of clothes and three boxes of miscellaneous items that were taking up space and not being used. Looking at our piles of stuff, we knew we were only halfway done. Some of the clothing might have sold at a consignment shop or on eBay, netting us a few dollars for our desire to clean up, but we knew there were others in our own communities who needed the items we didn't want.

The next step was to pile our pile into the car and take it to donation centers that offer the items to those who need clothing or furniture at an affordable price (or for free). No doubt there are local organizations in your area that can directly connect your items with those who needed. Other larger places will also take your stuff and offer you a tax deduction as an added bonus.

But for us, we were happy just to give. A simple resolution to eliminate our excess and clear our clutter resulted in others being able to have what they might not were it not for our giving.

Today, make a resolution to clean up and clean out. Once you lighten the load of your domicile, give those items you don't use to someone who needs them more.

Organization is a marathon, not a sprint, so plan to do this on the first Saturday of every month. By doing so, you'll feel freer and someone else will feel grateful.