Clutter can be a really terrible thing. When someone has way too many possessions, life becomes cluttered. In Los Angeles, there are really two extremes: the far too extravagant and materialistic, and a clean minimalism. Then there is the inbetweens that teeter on clean and cluttered.
Cleaning out the clutter is a lot like cleaning out your clothes. When cleaning, separation is key. It's best to create three piles: Need, Charity/Sell, and Throw Away.
The things you need should be necessary to life or things that are of extreme importance to you (importance meaning, for example, books that have been passed down, and NOT that globe you bought at Pier 1 Imports that you thought gave the house a more worldly feel).
Things that go to charity or that will be sold should be things that other people can use, but that you don't want anymore. These things should be in good condition, not something that is stained, somehow destroyed, or in otherwise questionable condition.
Things that are thrown away is anything that is in bad condition, broken beyond repair or just useless to anyone. These are things that should be routinely thrown away before it starts to gather up in your garage.
Try and avoid storage, because then you're just paying for something you don't know whether you will use or not. I think that storage should be used when you're doing something to your home, moving, or putting things (that are important) away for your kid while they're at college, etc.
When you give to charity the best is to give to the Salvation Army or other charity organizations akin to that. Thrift stores are also excellent places to donate your things to.
Selling things can be done in a few ways. You have online (Ebay, Amazon, Half, etc), garage sales (if you live in an apartment, you should check with your landlord on whether you can do this), or selling to thrift stores.
Once you clean house, everything may feel lighter, bigger, and more livable. Plus, making some money by selling yourself is never bad either. It puts a little extra cash in your pocket or your bank account, and may even start a business for you.
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