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To Keep or Throw Away? Tips for Downsizing

Does this spark joy?

That’s the question the author of the best-selling book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” asks herself when deciding whether to keep an item or discard it.

The author, Marie Kondō, doesn’t think about how much the item cost her, who gave it to her, if it will fit her when she loses 10 pounds, or anything else.

Maybe there’s something that makes you happy because you love using it, looking at it, or even the thought of passing it on to your grandchildren. If any of those are true, then keep it.

What to Keep and What to Throw Away

The reality is that most of us hold onto many, many things that don’t spark joy. It could be the expensive sweater that’s too itchy to wear, but you feel guilty at the thought of parting with it. Or maybe you can’t get rid the guitar you’ve been meaning to learn to play for 10 years.

Guilt is a terrible reason to keep something. Get rid of the item in question—and your guilt—by giving it to someone who will use it and enjoy it.

How to Decide What to Get Rid of When Moving

Moving can definitely make things complicated. As much as you may love a particular item, you may simply not have anywhere to put it.

Let’s say you love to decorate for the holidays, but find that your new space is low on storage space. Or perhaps you have a collection of antiques that don’t work in your new home, but you’d like to save them for your children or grandchildren.

One option is to pare down your collections. Save only your favorite holiday decorations and give away the rest. Keep only your most treasured piece of antique furniture.

Another option is to rent a self storage unit. Doing so will allow you to hold onto the things you love, without cluttering up your home.

About StorageMart

At StorageMart, you can rent a climate-controlled unit as small as 25 square feet or so—or up to the size of a garage. We offer affordable self storage units that can be rented on a month-by-month basis and are always clean and well lit. Need more info? Look into renting a storage unit online today.