Permission to "Pitch"

One of the most popular categories of “tips” I give out on social media is “Permission to Pitch.” These are primarily ideas I get from working with clients… items I see pile up in many homes, or certain types of items I see people struggle to shed. If you want to clear out some clutter, but need a little positive encouragement to get the ball rolling, here is a list of “common culprits” that you can feel good about removing from your space. Of course, if they are in good shape, or able to be used by someone else, please consider donating to a worthy cause.

ITEMS TO PITCH, DONATE OR RECYCLE

• Broken holiday decorations.

• “Free” cards from charities. It’s okay to keep a couple, but pass on the rest.

• Clothes you don’t feel good in – regardless of who gave them to you.

• Exercise equipment you do not use.

• Boxes. One box of boxes is enough. Get rid of the rest.

• Magazines you haven’t read. They are making you feel guilty – just get rid of them and start fresh.

• Anything in your garage that has been broken for a couple of seasons.

• Mugs. Seriously. Go recycle a few.

• Shoe trees/plastic suit bags that you don’t use… you know, the pile in the back of the closet.

• Kitchen appliances or gadgets you never use (bread machine, meat grinder, juicer, avocado slicer).

• Old Encyclopedias. If you like the way they look, keep them for decoration. Most students today research online.

• Any “free” items you’ve received… unless you love them, pass them on.

• Old, short pencils without erasers. They fall to the bottom of a pencil cup, are hard to sharpen and can’t erase.

• Cords & chargers for which you cannot identify a corresponding electronic.

• “Dead” school supplies: dried out glue sticks, erasers that are more black than pink, dried out markers, broken crayons, notebooks whose spiral has sprung loose, backpacks with broken zippers, etc.

• Fabric covers for the arms of furniture. Unless you love them, feel free to get rid of them.

• Old purses/lunchboxes/messenger bags. If you get a new one, let the old one go.

• Keys which you can no longer match to a lock.

• Extra copies of invitations to old events or extra holiday cards. Keep one in a memorabilia box/scrapbook (or take a photo of it), pitch the rest.

• Anything you consider ugly. Even if it was a gift!

• Anything missing an essential part.

• Spices which no longer have any scent. If you can’t smell them, you can’t taste them.

• Items in the freezer you cannot identify.

• Cookbooks you don’t use. If you only like one recipe in a cookbook, photocopy that page and give the book away.

• Outdoor decorations, plants, and toys that are damaged/dirty/ugly. Don’t fill your indoor space storing them with half-hearted plans to repair them.

• Combination locks for which you no longer remember the combination.

• Plastic storage containers for which you cannot easily identify the matching lid.

• Old textbooks, unless you regularly reference them. These tend to pile up if you are currently/recently in college.

• Fodor’s/Zagats that are more than 5 years old.

• Old road maps (not antiques, just old ones). Old maps may contain incorrect information, and if you have a GPS option, you will probably use that anyway.

Making space in our lives for the items we regularly use or enjoy looking at is a task worth undertaking. Can you think of anything to add to this list?

Submitted by Seana Turner, Professional Organizer