I've been mulling over how to sort through our 'belongings' as we plan to head overseas...how do we personalise the decluttering process for ourselves. Its all very well to read that it needs to be done and that you should have 3 piles/bags: 1 for throwing items away 2 for giving items away and 3 for putting items away.

When you are sitting among your its-got-to-get-worse-before-it-gets-better calamity of a room, what will help you decide how to deal with the vista before you?

Here are some questions you may like to ask yourself:

• Will we need this in 2 years (or however long you plan to be away)?
• Will we need this if we come home in 3-6 months?
• If I sold this could I afford to replace it if I found I needed it?
• Can I take a photo as a memory and get rid of it then?
• Will I regret selling this? Is it sentimental ? (and I am not advocating you get rid of it if it is).
• Is it something I would be embarrassed to give away? If so, why am I keeping it?
• Will we purchase items whilst away and bring them home? If so, can I get rid of xyz ?
• And I think the penultimate question for me at the moment is: Is holding onto something from my past, for history's sake or for the future, robbing me of the freedom of living in the present?

Hope something here may help those of you facing similar decisions.

Postscript: Another questions that seems relevant is - would the person who gave this to me, want it as a noose around my neck or would they want for me the blessing that comes from my life being more workable? Did they not give this item to me as a blessing in the beginning?