Christopher Lowells' Profiles of Organizers

I recently read Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Organization. He gives eight profiles of people who are hoarders in some way or to some degree. My next several posts will give a synoposis of those profiles - will any of them describe you?

Profile 1: Guilty Glutton:

A loved one dies or moves into a retirement center and you inherit their belongings. The problem is that you are attached to the items because of who that person was/is, but do not care for the items yourself. Not your style, don't have the space, etc. Here's how to regain your home back:

1. Go through the items to see if there is anything that can be repurposed. A piece of furniture that can be repainted to match your decor better. A lamp that would look great in your home if it had a different shade. Would that sofa or chair be perfect if it were recovered?

2. For those items that you really don't have an attachment to - offer them to your friends and family who loved the person. They may appreciate having an article to remember the person by. Notice I said "offer". Do not assume people would like anything. Do not be offended if they decline. Be sure they are aware that they can say no without hurting anyone's feelings. While the term "One man's junk is another man's treasure" is often true, sometimes junk is really just junk.

3. For what's left - donate it or sell it.