Go Organize: Conquer Clutter in 3 Simple Steps Read Online Free Page B

happen if this item was removed from my life?
    When you are living in an environment where you are surrounded with the wattage of 4 or below, your energy is being drained, and you are living in a dark space, even if you aren't consciously aware of it. If your home and possessions all reflect a wattage of 7 or above, you are living in a bright environment. This is a place where you are lit up, happy, peaceful, and have positive space around you, which also reflects in your life. If you are living in the neutral zone of 5 to 6, you are not being drained, but I encourage you to turn up the wattage to a 7 or above. You'll enjoy your surroundings even more.
    Only keep things you have a use for. If you are using it now or have used it in the last year, then it is a keeper. The exception to this rule is don't keep useful things that have bad memories attached to them. Maybe someone you don't care for gave you the object or you bought it and you wish you had returned it but never did.
    Keep only a selection of memorabilia you have inherited. You don't have to keep everything. What was important to someone else will not necessarily be important to you. Donate items to enrich and bless someone else's life, and you'll find you are blessed as well; you won't be dealing with clutter. If you're still not sure about donating something, but you know you'll never use the item and really don't want it, you can take a photo and then donate the item. Keep the photo on your computer or develop it and put it in a book. You'll keep the memory of the object without having the clutter.
You Don't Have to Keep Everything
    When Diane lived in the dorms at the local university, her roommate, Tina, moved out but left her iron in the room. Diane had no way of contacting Tina so she kept the iron. For years, whenever Diane used the iron, even though it was infrequent, it brought back negative emotions because Tina had been a horrible roommate. Diane put the Lights On Organizing System to the test, and she donated the iron and bought a new one. Her new, upscale iron lights her up every time she uses it. She feels good and it doesn't trigger a negative memory of Tina when she uses her iron.
    It's your home and possessions. Don't let other people's expectations keep you from achieving your organization goals.
     
    Angela had a high-end, free-standing mixer. She wanted to sell it because she never used it, and it just took up space on her kitchen counter. She kept it for years because everyone told her she should keep it because it was a great machine. One day, as she was organizing her kitchen, she realized it didn't matter what other people said about the mixer, she never used it, she didn't want it, and it took up valuable counter space. She sold the machine, and she's never regretted it.
    Remember, it's your home and your possessions; make it work for you. If you want to sell or donate your belongings to make more space in your house, it's OK. Don't let other people's expectations keep you from achieving your organization goals.
    My daughter made two salt dough dolls when she was four years old. I thought they were the cutest things, and I was sure she would always want them. They were funny looking and splashed with paint as only a four year old can paint. I saved them, and when she was thirty, I showed them to her and said she could take them to her home. She looked at me with a you've-got-to-be-kidding expression and said, “No, thank you.” I couldn't believe she didn't want them. In fact, she didn't even remember making them. I decided I would continue to hold on to them for her. One day when I was organizing a closet, I came across the dolls again. This time I took a picture and tossed the dolls. (With some longing, I admit). I downloaded the photo, and the next day, I was going to send it in to have it developed so I could put it in our family photo album. When I looked at the photo I thought, why? Even though it seemed important at one time, I