When in Doubt – Throw it out!

Here is a very standard Organizing Rule you may see from time to time!

When in doubt – throw it out….

It sounds so easy, right?  But I know for many of you it is not!  When you are getting organized, you have to make decisions.  You must decide if something is worth staying in your home.  It is hard to make these decisions and becomes even harder when you don’t know what an item is!  If you don’t know what the item is or what it goes too, it makes it even harder to decide where its permanent home should be.  The items I am talking about are the little bits and pieces that end up a the bottom of boxes and drawers etc.  You know the ones!

Here’s a strategy to try… If you can not figure out what something is within 60 seconds, make the decision to throw it out and never look back.  Most likely, you will never think about this item again.  It seems a little harsh, I know, but following this rule gives you the freedom to decide without feeling guilty or regretful.  (Throwing it out can mean in the trash if it’s garbage or recycle if it’s recyclable.)

Now I know some of you will not be able to do this.  And here is another solution- if you really have a hard to letting go, place these items into their own box or bin.  This box is probably going to be made up of little plastic pieces and many random things.  You will not need to keep this box for a long period of time, but it will at least allow the security you need to get through the process.  At the end of the sorting process, re-evaluate the box and start making decisions if these items are really worth staying.

Happy Organizing!