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If you’re anything like me, and in this sense I’m sure a lot of people are, about once a year you look around your house and wonder how so much stuff got into it.

Holiday gifts and impulse buys — that don’t go away when the impulse fades — it all needs to be gotten rid of if you don’t want to compound the problem by next year.

Luckily, the city of Marco Island’s Parks and Recreation department will help you do just that: on Feb. 23, residents are encouraged to empty their garages into Mackle Park and haggle their way into a profit. (Other avenues won’t help you get a little cash back: Goodwill pays you in self-satisfaction and the dump makes you pay to unburden that load!)

Make sure to register for a table soon (cost $10) since space is limited and should go quickly.

Since almost everyone has an accumulation problem these days, here are some tips to keep that clutter from over-running your life:

*Sort mail as soon as it comes into your home. Immediately file bills and dispose of junk mail.

*Find proper storage for the items you want to keep around. In our house we have a severe lack of closet and cabinet space and the only remedy was to invest in a decent and space-efficient storage system. It will serve you well.

*Keep a memory box. It’s easy to use up valuable space with items that remind us of times pass and the longer time goes on, the more stuff you have. When your box gets too full, it’s time to utilize the “remove one item, replace one item.” Every time something goes in, something must come out.

*If you have kids, establish a set amount of time by which their toys need to be picked up. If they beat the clock, give them a prize or treat.

Think of the yard sale as an early opportunity to spring clean. The holidays are over and you probably ended them with a lot more stuff than you started with. It’s unlikely that you’ll find another opportunity like this on the island for some time, so take advantage of it and ease your mind.