Issue Date: December 21, 2003

LIFESTYLES

Out with the old

Reduce clutter. Make it a New Year's resolution, and you'll be happier.

By Frappa Stout

You consider yourself a progressive person. Yet in your garage, bursting from the rafters and hanging off the shelves, are souvenirs of every decade of your life.

We know -- it's hard to let go. And with today's fast-evolving technology and rocketing real estate rates, we're a disposable society with no space to spare. Which means it's time to purge.

To get into the Zen of this difficult task, we spoke with de-cluttering master Brian Scudamore, 33, who's pried a lot of nostalgia out of less-than-willing hands since he started his junk-removal outfit, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, in 1989. His advice? Divide your miscellany into neat categories, then select the junkiest to drop at the curb. Here are some examples from the "hard to part with" department:

Memorabilia from your single days. Your little black book and collection of explicit love notes were once a badge of honor, but your college days are over, playboy. You've progressed to the next phase (hopefully), with a wife, two kids and limited storage space. "People should feel proud of their growth and not hang on to the past," Scudamore says. Plus, you don't want it to come back and bite you when your spouse uncovers your little stash.

Clothes from your heyday. We all know people like this: They reached a high point of "cool" in the '80s and never went clothes shopping again. Others keep outdated outfits in case a trend comes back around. Well, here's a little secret: It probably won't. And trends are always revamped, anyway. "You've gotta get with the decade you're in and get rid of those Sperry Top-Siders," Scudamore says. "Give them to Goodwill, or sell them to a costume shop." Or, for a grander send-off: Throw a theme party and get the guests to wear your old clothes.

Items that need fixing. Sure, that watch kept you on time back then; now it's right only twice a day. If you haven't taken it to the shop by now, you probably won't. Same goes for those broken specs. But remember: In the age of the Internet, one person's trash can actually make him some cash. "You should always put it on eBay, because someone will find ways to use it," Scudamore says. "If it just goes into the landfill, you'll never know."

Outdated gadgets. Eight-track tapes, 8mm cameras, laser disc players. Even if you're a late adapter, chances are you've upgraded your electronics to at least a modicum of modernity. Still, many of us will splurge on a flat-screen TV but keep the last three sets stacked in the garage. A good rule of thumb: "If you think it has comic value or will be considered an antique in your lifetime, keep the dinosaur," says Scudamore, who has been known to walk around his office in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his huge, brick-shaped, 1992-model Motorola cellphone to his ear, confounding the 20-somethings on staff. "But get rid of the models you go through in between."

Marginal friends. Intangibles can be cluttersome, too. You dread the obligatory yearly phone call to that grade school pal, so why keep making it? Just cut the cord. "If you don't get anything out of a friendship, or it's a drain, let it go," Scudamore says. "No one wants a pity friend." Your time and theirs would be better spent with true friends where there's a real bond.

Like the ones who love your acid-washed jeans and Dwayne Wayne flip glasses.