<p>What helped me get over my own “keep it, it might be useful someday” tendencies was finding several charities that call regularly to schedule pick ups. We’ve lived all over the country, and this area is the first place where charities do that. Or maybe this is the first place we lived long enough to find charities with trucks?</p>
<p>I bag/box stuff to give to charities constantly as I clean the house. I have a spot in the garage where I put everything that could possibly be reused, and I always have at least one bag to donate when they call. For some reason, it is mentally easier to have a permanent “donate” spot, and to move those things to the porch for the truck to pick up than it is to load stuff into the car and drive it to Goodwill. </p>
<p>I have moved from the years of “keep it for the next kid or some future project” to “free at last!” … Nobody is ever making another Pinewood Derby car! Pass that little bag of weights and wheels on! (Still sentimental enough to keep the cars the boys made, though. They can throw those out if they want to someday.) </p>
<p>My husband is a keeper and collector. He also likes to buy in bulk. It is a juggle to keep his stuff contained to a reasonable area. Thankfully, our house is just average sized, because he has limited space.</p>
<p>With one of us purging and one of us still collecting, it makes for an interesting dynamic.</p>