Organizing goes far beyond physically dealing with stuff; it also involves learning to think about your possessions and your space in a different way. Our natural instinct is often to gather and hold onto things in abundance, because, from the standpoint of evolution, humans have learned over time to stock up when the opportunity presents itself. Those who have lived in times of shortages, such as the Great Depression or World War II, know firsthand what it's like not to have enough.

In modern times, though, it's unlikely that most of us need to have or hold onto as much stuff as we do for reasons of survival or because there's any real danger that we'll find ourselves suddenly without basic necessities like food and clothing. Clearing clutter from your life, then, begins with shifting your thinking away from "I need to keep this thing because I might need it someday" and toward "Is this indeed something I really need to keep?"

Use, need, love, find beautiful
One way to start seeing your possessions in a different light is to require that everything in your home or office earn the right to be there. How does an object earn that right? By being something you use, need, love, or find beautiful. Things that don't meet at least one of those criteria probably aren't worth giving your space, time, or attention.

• Use: This is perhaps the most straightforward category. We can all identify things we use on a regular basis, and that are therefore obviously worth holding onto: the pots and pans we cook meals with, the bath towels we use for drying off, the electronics that keep us connected to others and to the world, the clothing we wear to do whatever work we do. But what to do with those things that serve more specific purposes or are for particular occasions? (Think holiday serving pieces, fancy-dress clothes, and that 10-piece set of matching luggage.) Be realistic with yourself: if you haven't used these items in a year or more, chances are you won't use them again; if you have used them, feel free to keep them around, but be sure they're not hindering access to the stuff you need to get at regularly.
  
  
• Need: The stuff we need might not ever actually be used, but it's stuff we'd be wise to keep around regardless. For example, we all hope we'll never actually have to use our past years' tax returns and supporting files, but the IRS requires that we keep them around. And here's hoping none of us ever needs an earthquake, flood, fire, tornado, or other emergency kit; still, it's a smart idea to keep one on hand.
  
  Be careful, though, of falling into the "I might need it someday" trap when determining what to keep around. Will you really need that collection of wrapping paper bits and pieces, that stack of newspapers, that bag you haven't used in five years, the empty photo album you've never gotten around to filling, that half-burned candle, that bulging file of magazine clippings, those out-of-date catalogs, or those clothes that went out of style before the dawn of the Internet? I bet you won't.
  
  
• Love: The things we love aren't necessarily the same as those we use or need. For example, I have a tiny milk pitcher from the old Boston and Maine Railroad that was given to me by my grandmother, who herself inherited it from her father, a true train aficionado. I don't use it to pour milk, and I certainly don't need it, but I love it: it connects me to my grandmother, who has been a strong force in my life, and to my great-grandfather, whom I never knew. Holding on to things we love allows us to honor connections like these, to put our mark on our spaces, and to keep our lives vibrant and interesting. Be mindful, though, of overusing the word "love" here; I recommend reserving it for a relatively small number of things that really, truly have meaning for you.
  
  
• Find Beautiful: Last but not least are the things in our lives that we find beautiful. These might overlap with the things we love, but they don't have to. Items you find beautiful might include certain pieces of artwork, personal photos, decorative objects, or even household gadgets. Things you find beautiful are those that make you glad each time you see them. Remember, though, that there's always the possibility of having too much of a good thing: a mantel crammed with beautiful objects will simply look cluttered, and the beauty of each of the items will be diminished. Things you truly find beautiful deserve to be displayed and treated accordingly, which means not crowding them out.
  

Getting into the habit of making the things in your life earn their keep will help you not only clear out existing clutter, but also prevent new clutter from accumulating. It may take some time to develop this decluttering mindset, but once you do, you may well find that staying organized is much easier and less stressful than you might expect.