4-28-2017

There’s something about spring that encourages folks to clean out their homes. Considering the name Marie Kondo gets tossed around as a verb these days, it’s easy to see that decluttering your life has become a popular undertaking.

Decluttering might not be everyone’s favorite task, but now is not a bad time to “spring” into action and tackle the clutter that builds up in our abodes. Not only can you improve the atmosphere and organization of your home, you can pass along unneeded items to those who can really use them — check out this list of local donation locations. When items are no longer usable, their materials can often be recycled for reuse.

Here are 8 reasons to part ways with your clutter. Donate or recycle the following:

1. Items that aren’t something you would go out and buy now.
2. Items that are a duplicate — you have something similar that serves the same purpose.
3. Items that are broken and you have yet to try and fix them.
4. Items that are kept for sentimental reasons, but when considered in light of all of your other sentimental objects, seem unnecessary or excessive.
5. Items that you haven’t used within the last year.
6. Items that you don’t have a plan to use — a real plan, not a hypothetical one — or that you don’t know how to use.
7. Items that you wouldn’t notice if they were gone.
8. Items that don’t fit your personality or living space.

For more inspiration, check out this list of 116 things you should get rid of by PopSugar or this article in The Atlantic on the economics and psychology of decluttering.