Or maybe you're facing another common type of downsizing scenario: the task of wading through a lifetime of items that belonged to someone else, like your parents, grandparents, or other loved ones. Let It Go' by Peter Walsh is a self-help book that provides a step-by-step guide to decluttering your home and your life by letting go of things that no longer serve you. My sister and I kept only our mother's hairbrush, rosary beads, photos, and notes she had jotted down about her family to jog her memory.

It starts with this central idea: As you look around the rooms filled with the stuff you have to process, the hurt or confusion you feel about getting rid of some of it is not about the stuff. As her freelance computer company became more successful she committed to giving away more and more of the profits and especially to causes that would enable to others to make more of their lives. The challenge of downsizing the possessions in a home—whether their own or someone else's—petrifies many people.

I have always been reluctant to let go because I have been afraid that I will need those items later. We may be able to extend this time under special circumstances, but please make contact as soon as you notice any problems so we can remedy the situation for you. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH).

If you've defined yourself by what you own or what you do for a living (don't feel bad—a lot of people do this!There wasn't really any new information on decluttering that I haven't already seen or read through Marie Kondo, the Home Edit, or various different podcasts. It took a lot of grit and determination to do this and at one point she changed her name to Steve as her correspondence was more likely to get a favourable response if the recipient thought it was from a man. Let go of the following things to be more authentic and open and true to yourself: Things you never really liked, things, you regret paying so much for, Stuff you inherited and hold onto out of a sense of obligation, and outdated belongings that represent a version of yourself long gone.

To make the mission even more challenging, you're likely working on an uncomfortably tight deadline. I don't have to downsize, but I read it anyway since I *want* to get rid of a significant amount of stuff in my current home.

A word of caution to listeners: Some parts of the book do not transition well to the audio format—for example, questionnaires, checklists, and instructions to jump to certain sections, based on the listener's individual situation. This book gives you the tools to get through this process efficiently and as painlessly as possible. Many items you need to shed are firmly glued to you with a sticky layer of memories, sadness, anxiety, and guilt. If you like Peter Walsh's TV shows and/or have emotional issues with mom's old china cabinet, a broken stapler from 1977, or your collection of movie tickets stubs, then check this book out. But I did appreciate a lot of what he had to say about our emotional connection to stuff, so I think maybe I should check out some of Walsh's other books.