Organizing Tip #4

Ask yourself before you purchase an item, “Do I really need it?”  If one thing comes in, two things should go out.

Some of our clients are overwhelmed by the amount of “things” they have around their home and find that they don’t have enough storage space.  Maybe the tchotchke you loved in the store may now be collecting dust and hidden away on a shelf or sitting in a box in your basement.  Or, the shirt you loved in the store doesn’t seem to quite work with any of your clothes and has yet to be worn.  If you walk out of the store and tell yourself you will go back and purchase an item later if you find you really want it, you’ll be amazed at how little you actually buy. Don’t let temptation take over and as one of our clients always says, “I now ask myself would the Deb’s want me to buy this?  I usually walk out of the store saying, no they would not want me to buy another thing I don’t need.”

The standard rule among organizers is that if you bring one more thing into your home, you should donate two items to charity.  I recently had a client who was combining households and as we were packing up glasses she promised me she would only keep them in her new spot if she could get rid of an equal amount or more from the other location.  Next time you buy a new book, try bringing two that you’ve read to your local library.  Or, the next time you buy a new towel, toss two that are stained and fraying.  Or, better yet, ask yourself before you buy the book or towel “Do I really need it?”