How to declutter before your Davis CA apartment move.

Whether you’re moving to or from an apartment in Davis, California, chances are you have too much clutter in your life. The Wall Street Journal has some really good tips on the Psychology of Clutter. Check out these helpful hints before you become the next star of Hoarders.

What your closet says about you

Confronting Your Closet Demons

Professional organizers and therapists offer these tips to help clean out clutter and prevent it from accumulating:

Start small: If you don’t have time or energy for a big job, tackle one drawer or corner a day. Or set a timer for 15 minutes and see how much you can get done. Dividing the task into small steps is particularly helpful for people with attention and focusing problems.

Give things away: Finding a second home for salvageable things can ease separation anxiety and relieve feelings of guilt over being wasteful.

Take pictures: Photos of old prom dresses, hats, team jerseys and other nostalgic items can evoke the same memories while taking up much less space.

Remember the 80/20 rule: Most people wear only 20% of their clothing 80% of time. Much of the rest reflects past sizes, past self-images or past life roles. Recognize them for what they are. “If you want to move forward, release the past, starting with your closet,” writes Jennifer Baumgartner in her book “You Are What You Wear.”

Take inventory: How many pairs of jeans/shoes/ties/black dresses or other favorite items do you have and how many do you need? Set some limits, suggests Linda Samuels, president of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization.

Purchase mindfully: Will you really use this—or are you trying to fill an emotional void? A closet full of clothes and shoes with price tags still attached is a telltale sign of the latter. “You can never get enough of what you don’t need,” says psychologist April Lane Benson, who specializes in treating compulsive shoppers.

Try a trial separation: If parting with things seems painful, stash them temporarily in an accessible place and see if the feeling passes.

For more information, check out the full article at The Wall Street Journal.