Are you storing items in your home that have not been used in months? Years? Decades, perhaps? Be honest. Is there stuff, either sitting out in a room or stuffed into the basement, garage or attic that you are holding onto that you know you should probably let go of? WHY?

Yes, let’s start with asking “why?” What stories are we telling ourselves to justify our hanging on to all this (dare I say) junk? Let me list a few and see which one strikes a chord with you:

- This was an expensive little chair. A little repair and someone could use it.

- Baby Bear used to look so cute in this little chair and I just can’t part with the memory.

- I’m saving it because when Baby Bear has kids he might wonder where it is and want to fix it up for them.

- Throwing things away is why we have so many environmental problems.

Okay, let’s get clear right now.

- Sure, someone coulduse it. But no one will ever get to use it if it stays hidden for 30 years in your cellar. Fix it, throw it out or use it for firewood but Please! give yourself and your family a gift and get rid of it.

- And yes, Baby Bear did look adorable when he sat in that chair. So, do you have a picture of that? Can you tell a story about it? Do you really need the broken chair as evidence of this memory? Do you bring it out at parties? Probably not.

- Baby Bear fixing it for his kids? Really? When was the last time you watched Baby Bear fix anything? When BB has kids, they’re not going to want their Dad’s old chair. If you wanted to teach Baby how to repair chairs you missed your chance. Try again when his kid breaks a chair. Until then, take him to a college football game and spend some time with him.

- Are you really trying to save the planet by turning your home into some kind of catchall for all the stuff that would otherwise be crowding a landfill? Using your home as a storage unit for broken or useless items is really serving no one.

So, where do we start and what do we do? I would bet that by now, if you’ve been following along, you already have that certain something that you have been holding onto in mind. So let’s start there.

Think about what you’re holding that takes up space that you could otherwise use for something else and ask yourself three questions:

1. What’s the worst thing that will happen if I get rid of it?

2. What’s the best thing that will happen if I get rid of it? (i.e. What could I do with that extra space?)

3. If I went to look for it right now, would I be upset if it were gone? (i.e. Would I miss it?)

Now, once you decide that your home would be fine (and possibly better) without this item, what’s next? What do you do with it? Unless you are the Garage Sale or Ebay Guru of your neighborhood, do yourself a favor and let it go. Save yourself time and stress and either throw the broken item away or, if it’s not broken, bring it to a donation center such as Good Will.

Finally, once you’ve freed-up some space, vow to avoid the same trap by adopting a “Do It Now” mentality. If it breaks – fix it. If no one uses it anymore – pass it on to someone who will. Give yourself a deadline - “If it’s here in a month, it goes!” Let go of the stuff and decide to live in your home today.

• To contact Annette Reyman for organizing work or speaking engagements in the Greater Philadelphia area call (908) 361-7105 or email her at annettereyman@gmail.com. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and its Philadelphia Chapter. View her Web site at www.allrightorganizing.com.