Say goodbye to clutter when moving

Excess clutter creates stress and makes finding things difficult.

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1. Visualize. Picture your new home without clutter. Clean. Peaceful. Organized. Admit that the only way to have a home where you can find things when you need them and not feel stressed by too much stuff everywhere is to reduce clutter.



2. Get honest. Pack the things you're sure you want to keep. Then, ask yourself the hard questions about what remains: does it fit? Have I worn it in the last year? Am I ever really going to read it or use it? Am I keeping it for sentimental reasons? Can I just give it a hug and say goodbye to it? Do I have duplicates of it that work just fine? Do I really want this in my new home?



3. Sell. Liberate those things you don't use by selling them to someone who will. Your old college furniture can be a real find to someone getting a first apartment, and the baby clothes, toys and crib can make the day of a young couple without a lot of money to buy new things. You'll be surprised at how good you'll feel to see these beloved possessions of yours leave for a fresh, new life where they will be put to good use. You can either have a yard sale, list your items in a classified ad, or bring them to a consignment store, which will include select items in its inventory and then pay you a portion of the sale price if and when it sells.



4. Donate. Consider giving your items to a local charity. Many will pick up right at your front door, and all will appreciate gently-used clothes and other items in good condition. Some charities specialize in specific items, such as books for schools or libraries in underserved communities. What's more, you get a tax credit when you itemize your donations. Not bad!



5. Recycle. Most communities make recycling pretty easy. Load up the magazines and newspapers and drop them in the nearest recycling bin--many schools, churches or community centers have them. You could even go a step further and find causes that have meaning to you, such as retailers, like Nike, who recycle sneakers and other rubber-soled shoes to make playground surfaces and tracks.



6. Repair. Have you found things that just need minor repairs to be back in working order? Get the hem or heel fixed, hammer a few nails where needed, glue things back together, and get these items out of the piles where you've been storing them and back into circulation.



7. Trash. Okay, admit it. No one wants that worn-out sweater from your first boyfriend, or that blender that started smoking after one-too-many marguerita batches. Designate a bag or box for trash and be ruthless. Move on.



8. Store. Put things with which you just can't part but won't necessarily need everyday in your new place in clear storage containers. That way, you can find what's in them at a glance, when and where you need it.



9. Enjoy. You've gone through a lot to purge excess clutter from your life. Revel in your newfound organization and commit to keeping things simple. Spend less time searching for things or feeling stress about your mess, and more time doing what you love, with the people who matter to you.

• Personal organizers
• Movers
• Shoe repair
• Tailors
• Furniture repair
• Charities