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44: Say "see you later" before you say goodbye. When you aren't sure if you really want to part with something, try stowing it away for a while. A technique that minimalists often use is to gather all the things they're considering getting rid of and place them in a box or in the closet. The trick is to tuck the items away in a place where they do not usually belong. They can even be placed in a garbage bag, so that they are on standby for disposal. Even though they're sitting in a garbage bag, it doesn't mean that you have to actually throw them away quite yet.

I think throwing away your material possessions and throwing away your memories are two completely different actions. As long as you still have the images, you'll be able to recall your experiences. A work of art that your child made in grade school, a souvenir from a trip, or a gift that someone gave you--take pictures of them and it'll be easier to throw these things away when you feel like you can't.

34: If you lost it, would you buy it again? A key way to gauge your passion for something you own is to ask yourself, "If I were to somehow lose this, would I want to buy it again at full price?"

11: Get rid of it if you haven't used it in a year. One essential method for reducing your possessions is to discard things you haven't used in a year. You should also get rid of things you have no firm plans to use in the future. You don't need to throw away the blanket, or the down jacket, you're going to be using come winter. The same goes for the bathing suit you always wear in the summer. But if you haven't used something during the past four seasons, you probably don't need it. The one exception would be the emergency equipment and supplies that you keep in case of a disaster.

To throw things away, it's necessary to ask, "Does this object spark joy or not?" This is an effective way to become more aware of our senses.

14: Take photos of the items that are tough to part with. Call me sentimental, but I like to take pictures of the things I'm about to part with, to soften the blow. This is something that I still do from time to time--just the other day I took a picture of an old pair of nail clippers before I got rid of them. You're probably wondering what I do with these images. I don't think I've ever even looked at them myself. I take them to preserve the memories that are associated with these belongings.