Saturday, February 06, 2016

By Barbara Pronin Everyone is guilty of hanging onto something too long. But, say consumer editors at Country Living Magazine, enough is more than enough. If you’re tired of the clutter or simply need more storage space, start by getting rid of the following:

• Retired electronics – Why hang onto the last two generations of your cell phone? Sell them if they still have value, or donate them to a local thrift shop – along with those VHS tapes, cassettes, or any other old technology you know will never make a comeback.
• Books that are collecting dust – If your shelves are bulging, clear them to make room for the new, and/or for valued décor items. Sell hardcovers or paperbacks to a used book store or donate them to a thrift store, or – as one devoted reader suggested, to a local hospital library.
• Energy-sucking appliances – Lower your energy bill and improve the environment by investing in new, energy-efficient appliances.
• Old or leftover craft supplies – If you know you will never finish knitting that sweater, or finishing some other abandoned craft project, donate the unused materials and tools to a thrift shop, where they will likely end up with someone who wants them a whole lot more than you do.
• Surplus guest linens – All you really need are two sets of bed linens per bed and two or three sets of towels. Get rid of the rest, especially well-worn or mismatched pieces, and look how much new storage space you have.
• Broken items you haven’t got around to fixing – If it’s been more than a year since you set it aside, and you haven’t even purchased what you need to repair it, the chances are you never will. Face the facts – and dump it.
• Tax documents from 2008 or earlier – As of 2016, you don't need all those archived taxes from any year before 2008. They just take up space and attract cobwebs. If you have doubts about tossing any papers in particular, check with your accountant before shredding.

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