When deciding to keep or to pitch something, I consider the emotional rating that I have towards the object. I rate the object 1 through 10; ten being the highest emotional feeling and one would be no emotional attachment to the object at all. Here's an example:
A stack of old newspapers I would assess a "one" because I know that I am not going to read them again and they do not hold any sentimental value. My snowman nick-knack I may assess a "5" rating; it's not part of a collection, I like it, but I only look at it for four months of the year. A locket with a photo of my first-born child, of course, would hold a "ten" value for me.
Once I have put the rating on the object, I pitch out everything that is under a "five." Objects that are rated five or six are under consideration. Have I used or looked at the object in the past year? If not, then it gets donated or thrown away. Anything above a six has emotional value to me, and therefore is kept.
I use this method with my clients to help them decide whether to keep something.
Everything holds some emotional value for us or we would not have chosen to keep it. Now let's get sorting!
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