Many of my clients believe that if they save certain items, one day they’ll become the type of person that uses them. I hate to say it, but in my experience, it doesn’t happen like that.  Instead, these things tend to lie around FOR YEARS without ever getting any use.  If you’ve had any of these items lying around for one year, five years, or ten years, it’s finally time to use it or lose it!

• Baby Clothes: If you aren’t having another one, it’s time to donate old baby clothing.  The same goes for the toys and games your children have outgrown.
• Clothes That Don’t Reflect Your Lifestyle:  If you haven’t worked in corporate America for years, there’s no reason to have a wardrobe of conservative suits.  If you aren’t having another baby, purge all maternity clothes.
• “Cute” Clothes for Kids: Instead of saving these for special occasions, have your child wear them and wear them often.  Expensive children’s clothing is outgrown so quickly, why leave it sitting in a drawer?
• The Skinny Phase Clothes:  If your weight fluctuates, keep clothing for a realistic range of weights.  One size bigger or one size smaller should be enough.  And, if you do lose a ton of weight and didn’t save your “skinny” clothes, don’t you deserve a little shopping spree?
• Old Purses: If they’re sitting in the back of your closet, consider consigning ones with value and donating the rest.
• Extra Large Kitchen Appliances: If you haven’t used them, or can’t figure out how to use them, it may be time to get rid of the bread maker, ice cream maker, fondue fountain, and anything else taking up unnecessary space in your kitchen.
• Distilled Spirits: Go through your liquor cabinet, and only keep alcohol you might drink or serve to guests. Keep in mind that open bottles can lose their flavor after multiple years, so purge those as well.
• Fine china and silver:  If you have it, find an occasion to use it!
• Photos: Put them on display, create photo books, or save them to the Cloud.  They’re useless sitting in piles or boxes, where they may get damaged.
• Home Decor Pieces: Souvenirs from vacation or art that your spouse hates…if it’s not going to be put on the walls any time soon…it shouldn’t be kept anywhere else.