#2 Stop Keeping Gifts Out of Guilt
A gift can be one of the hardest things to remove because it seems to carry a second item with it: obligation. Someone chose it for you, spent money on it or perhaps gave it to you during an important time. Even when you never use it, getting rid of it can feel rude. So the vase stays in the cupboard, the scarf stays in its box and the serving dish moves from shelf to shelf.
It helps to separate the person from the object. Keeping a gift is not the same thing as keeping a relationship or a memory. The person who gave it to you probably wanted you to enjoy receiving it. That purpose has already been served. You do not have to store something indefinitely to prove that you appreciated the gesture.
Start with gifts you have not used in several years. If you genuinely love one, keep it. If you are holding another only because you feel guilty about letting it go, consider donating it to someone who may actually use it. This is not being ungrateful. It is simply recognizing that your home does not have to become permanent storage for every kind thing anyone has ever given you.