I’m looking forward for more similar articles to this one. I would like to see a great series of “Sure-thing investing”.

I second that emotion! All of the “memories” really add up to the final less savory disappointments and drama. Keeping the mementos may seem like a way to validate that you were once loveable, when you know all along that you ARE loveable!

INVESTMENT: Get rid of anything that reminds you of someone from your past. We tend to hang on to jewelry because it’s worth money, or clothes, etc. But when I finally discarded EVERYTHING I had that reminded me of times spent with my previous fiance, then I was COMPLETELY free! That jewelry that I knew cost him so much money–I held onto it thinking I could sell it or make it into something else…but when I decided I was sick of looking at it, I gave it to my teenage nephew who had an awesome christmas present for his girlfriend (for free) and I had a ton of weight lifted from my shoulders because I didn’t have to see it anymore! Same with clothes…if it was style I had worn with “him” or specific clothing he bought me, then I gave it to the salvation army…again no more reminders of the past. Free to enjoy my blessings CURRENTLY in my life!

When I help clients organize their kitchens I often find spices in decorative spice racks collecting dust from 5-10 years ago; quesadilla makers, waffle makers, table top mounted apple corers, etc. that have never been used; cabinets full of mismatched plastic food storage; bucket o’ kitchen tools of which they use maybe three…I consider these items to be clutter.

I am no minimalist but recently cleared my kitchen counters, too. Not a perfect magazine kitchen but it’s definitely functional!
http://www.twitpic.com/39q1s
http://www.twitpic.com/39q1n

Note re: pot racks- I have had my pots & pans on display when I didn’t have the storage space. They get dusty and require more time and energy to maintain.

While I’m all for clearing away unused items, one should be careful, I think, of creating a too clutter-free kitchen. A kitchen, above all, should invite to cooking. A minimalist design with too many cabinet doors and empty spaces does not do that. Spices, foods, pots and pans should be visible and easily accessible.

That said, it’s important to have a lot of counter space. A too cramped kitchen isn’t inviting either.

Examples:

Good: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ps6p.....elker4.jpg

Less good: http://www.imagecows.com/uploa.....esign1.jpg

Investment: Clear out your book collection. One year ago, I removed many of the old resource books from my office shelves that I rarely used. Subsequently, I have been freed/forced to find new solution to problems. The world is changing so fast that yesterday’s solutions rarely do any good anyway.