Defining Clutter

You've lost your emotional attachment, can’t see the value anymore, and feel anxious when you even think about it. Time to break up…with your clutter.

What is clutter? Jane Woolsey, a Toronto organizer and president of the Professional Organizers of Canada, says it can be anything that’s no longer of use to you, that doesn’t work, or that has no sentimental value.

"Ask yourself when you last used the item, if you have strong feelings about it, and if it’s relevant or adding value to your life," says Woolsey.

She says it’s these questions—not the number or the nature of the items—that help you to define clutter. So the collection of 125 ceramic turtles scattered throughout your home? Not clutter if it brings you joy. But the juicer stored neatly in a box in your basement for five years? Definitely clutter.

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