Throwing Out Stuff

Another book I read recently was called “Throw Out Fifty Things – Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life” by Gail Blanke.

Part of getting organized is getting rid of stuff. This is sometimes harder than actually organizing what you have. I liked what Gail called the …

Rules of Disengagement

1. If it - the thing, belief, conviction, memory, job, person – weighs you down, clogs you up, or just plain makes you feel bad about yourself, throw it out, give it away, sell it, let it go, move on.
2. If it (see above!) just sits there, taking up room and contributing nothing positive to your life, throw it out, give it away, sell it, let it go, move on. If you’re not moving for ward, you’re moving backward. Throwing out what’s negative helps you rediscover what’s positive.
3. Don’t make the decision – whether to toss it or keep it – a hard one. If you have to weigh the pros and cons for too long or agonize about the right thing to do, throw it out.
4. Don’t be afraid. This is your life we’re talking about. The only one you’ve got for sure. You don’t have the time, energy or room for physical or psychic waste.

Also thought-provoking was her list of things to let go of:

• feeling inadequate, irrelevant, and just plain not good enough
• the type of person you think you are – or aren’t
• the regrets and mistakes of the past
• being right about how wrong everybody and everyone is
• the need to have Everyone like you
• thinking the worst
• waiting for the right moment
• needing to feel secure
• thinking that you have to do everything yourself