Last week’s challenge/skill was to buy less stuff – the point being to really think before you buy. We often mindlessly buy things we think we “need,” when in reality, we could’ve gotten by just fine without it. So how’d you do? I know I ended up stopping myself from buying a few false “needs.” Some things I might buy down the road, but at least I’ve hit the pause button, giving myself time to really figure out whether it will be a good addition to our home. Bottom line, the less stuff we buy and bring into our homes, the less stuff we have to find a home for, maintain and otherwise manage.

Keep working on buying less stuff, but let’s move on to week 2’s challenge – give your stuff the “Do I need it, do I use it, do I love it?” test. This week is all about de-cluttering – getting rid of anything in your home that you don’t need, use or love. If you don’t already subscribe to this way of life, we don’t expect you to “test” every single item in your home in one week. Just start with one space and keep practicing from there.

Start with one room and try your best to look at everything that’s not nailed down – do I need it, do I use it, do I love it? If not, then why is it there? If you channel your inner minimalist, then this might seem easy – sometimes it’s just about taking the time to do it. But we also know you’ll probably stumble over that whole “but I might need it or use it someday” category. Your next question to yourself should be “Really?” If you’ve had the someday excuse for a long time, chances are, it’s not going to happen. Also ask yourself whether somebody else could make better use of the item now (rather than continuing to gather dust in your home), whether it’s easily replaceable if you do need it down the road, and whether it will be out of date by the time you get around to possibly someday needing it. You get the idea, give your stuff that critical look and get anything that doesn’t pass the test out the door immediately. Come on, let’s keep at this….

The Challenge – Week 2: Give your stuff the “do I need it, do I use it, do I love it?” test and get as many squatters as you can out the door. Just think, every item you get out the door will make it easier to use, love and take care of the rest!