It can be tough to get rid of sentimental stuff...

It’s not easy tossing that Popsicle stick sculpture or your grandma’s teapot – but sooner or later, some sentimental stuff has got to go...

Organizing consultant Ellen Madere has some help to heave some treasured trash:

• When to wait: If you happen upon obvious junk, toss it and pat yourself on the back. If you're in a tender emotional state, because of a death, downsizing into a smaller home, or in an empty-nest situation, it's best to wait about six months before sorting through anything difficult.

• Ask for help: Do you need someone warm and fuzzy? Or do you want a tech-savvy whip-cracker who can post images of your sellables on eBay? Sometimes it's just nice to have another body in the room to bounce ideas off of.

• Work in Short Intervals: Going through emotionally loaded items can make you feel depleted, so limit work sessions to three or four hours.

• Determine value: When you're stuck about whether to keep or divest, ask yourself: What's significant about this object? Does it have genuine, lasting emotional value? Do I like it enough to display it, or will it be in a box forever? Would it be more valuable to someone else? Would a picture of it help preserve the memory and save some space?

• Keep one to represent many: When it’s time to tackle a collection of something – consider hanging on to one and getting rid of the rest. Kid’s artwork and baby clothes can take up a lot of room. Pick a few sentimental favorites to hang onto and let go of the rest. The same goes for collectibles and sets. Keep a favorite that you’d want to see displayed in your home, then toss, sell or donate the rest. If it’s too difficult to get rid of – box it up and ask a good friend to do it for you.