You don’t have to wait for a disaster to clear out your office (or maybe even your garage). Consider these questions to help you take the plunge and purge:

• Are you using out-of-date equipment or old versions of computer programs?  Figure out what your time is worth and if you can afford to waste time each day using unproductive equipment and outdated software. In other words, stop being cheap, step up to the plate and buy a new computer.

• Can you avoid information overload and the need to keep every magazine, newsletter and newspaper you receive? If you know that you’ll never read something, get rid of it. If you ever need an article from a past issue, it’s probably available online.

• Are you facing your fear of purging? Many people are afraid that the minute they throw or give something away, they’ll need it again. Keep in mind that when you need something, you may not be able to find it. Consider this: if you own something but can’t find it, it’s of no use to you.