If you’re like most people, you probably struggle with what you should and shouldn’t keep. Part of what professional organizers do is help our clients think through whether or not they should keep something by asking them a series of questions.

If you jot down this partial list of questions and start going through your home or office asking yourself these questions for every item you have, I guarantee you’ll see that you don’t need, or even want most of them.

1. What is this?
2. What do I use this for?
3. Do I really even use this?
4. How many of these do I have?
5. How many of these do I need?
6. When was the last time I used this?
7. Does this fit?
8. Does this work?
9. Can I find this information online quicker than I can in my paper piles?
10. If you plan to do something with the item, when are you going to do it? Are you REALLY going to do it?