by Cary Farrell February 07, 2023 What Era are you living in? This is a question I ask many of my clients who struggle with clutter. Whether you, your parents or grandparents lived during or soon after the Great Depression of the '30s, you can probably "hear" the message in your head to keep everything because you might need it some day. That worked great for the Depression Era because whether due to lack of funds or supply you really did need to keep everything. You either had what you needed or you used what you had. The amazing phenomenon is that homes so full you couldn't use them were few or non-existent. Professional organizers would have starved for lack of work. However we live in the discount store/coupon era where you can buy 10 items for a dollar. Our extra spending money is much greater and we shop to relieve stress! Living in this era alone would be ok if we gave away as much as we brought home. The problem is that when we bring things home, we hear that "voice" in our head that says, "keep everything because you might need it some day!" This is where our clutter can begin. Our parents really did have to worry about getting the things they needed. Very few of us have that worry but we live that way. Neither era is "right" or "wrong," but straddling both eras will turn your haven of rest into a storage unit. It is ok to keep a small quantity of extras but be give yourself a limit knowing that there is very little you cannot get again. The internet, Craig's List and EBay make getting anything you want an easy purchase and they will gladly ship it to you. If you are hanging onto something for fear you won't find it again, just Google it and see what comes up.