As we’re heading toward the end of the year, are you considering a “clean sweep” of your life and environment, and planning for something new to look forward to? Maybe you’re reading up on how to downsize your home and belongings or clear out the clutter that overwhelms your residence. Or maybe you’re re-reading the excellent recent post by agebuzz blogger Susanna Barton on the labor of love that is “lessening.” No matter what, most of us likely have a lot of stuff- whether we’ve collected it ourselves, inherited it from others, or stored it for our children- that permeates our environment and may weigh us down emotionally or even financially (are you one of the thousands paying for a storage unit?).

A recent article described it well: The Boomer Stuff avalanche is coming for us all. Whether you’re a baby boomer dealing with what you inherited and acquired (boomers are a generation that acquired stuff in ways unrivaled by previous generations), or an adult child fearful of the potential mountain of possessions you will need to deal with when your aging parents downsize or pass away, as one expert said, “Deciding what to do with a lifetime of things is a monumental task.” Furthermore, the process can be hindered by the emotional baggage of guilt experienced for wanting to give away what was once precious to a loved one, or by the financial misunderstanding that these possessions have somehow appreciated in value or are so desirable that they will fetch you a fortune. While that’s technically possible, the reality is that most of what you think may be worth something is not actually worth the money you expect. There are exceptions to this, but most of us will not replicate the treasure found on Antiques Roadshow or stumble across a priceless painting tucked away in our parents’ attic.

Exceptions? A recent post in Better Report described 20 items in your house that could be worth a lot, including a range of “vintage” items, such as toys, vinyl records, first edition books, cookie jars, video games, cookbooks, retro advertising signs, and some furniture. Another recent post from GoBanking Rates describes potentially lucrative sale items that may be hidden in your home, such as certain baseball or trading cards, Barbie dolls, Pez dispensers, Hot Wheels cars, or even your old Easy Bake Oven. Of course, whether these will have any value depends on the condition, whether you have the original packaging, and whether they represent “hot items” from the era from which they come. By the way, if you’re feeling nostalgic with that list of items from days gone by, take a look at a recent BuzzFeed post listing 71 forgotten things that those of us over 65 will instantly recognize!

Recognizing the emotional challenges of turning down bequests or selling inherited or passed-down items, there are likely dozens if not hundreds of items filling your closets and overflowing from your cupboards that it’s now time to dispose of. AARP recently posted a list of 25 things you should immediately get rid of: anything that doesn’t add value to your life, items you are saving “just in case,” anything that brings up bad memories or represents stuff you never use or never liked, and then, of course, all of the detritus that fills our daily lives, including papers, photos, expired items, mismatched containers and lids and all of the giveaways and tchotchkes that have no use to you at this point. House Beautiful created a similar list, adding such items as table-setting pieces, vases (how many do you really need?), and even furniture. Regarding furniture, there’s no point in keeping a family heirloom if you don’t like it, need it or your kids won’t want it. But disposing of furniture these days is harder than smaller items, as there may be logistics involved in getting the pieces to the people to whom you want to sell or donate. The Washington Post recently ran an article on meaningful ways to donate furniture, which you may want to check out. It’s a tricky business trying to dispose of items and sort through the memorabilia in your life, but as Marie Kondo once said, “The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.”