Tim Tells It: Too Much Stuff

Dear Tim: I have been having back problems lately, and I think I might be making it worse by carrying too much stuff with me. What are some ways that I can get rid of unnecessary things and only carry around what is important.

--Stuffed with Stuff

Dear Stuffed: The first thing to do is to clean out your purse or backpack. You may be carrying around things that you don't need, because you've simply forgotten that it's in there. The next thing to do is to ask yourself which items are essential to your daily life and only put those back in your bag. Then set a reminder on your calendar to clean out your bag on a regular basis. Take a look at your bag itself. Is it too big? Maybe you could swap it for something smaller. Look around you at work or school, to see if you really need to bring everything with you. Maybe there are resources that you can utilize, like office supplies, that you don't need to bring with you. Make sure that the bag you do carry evenly distributes weight, like a backpack, and don't forget to wear both straps! Or even better, find a safe space to store your bag, so that your back is free from stress. All of this advice is similar for wheelchair users. It's important not to pile stuff onto the back of your wheelchair, as you could tip over, or add too much weight for the operation of your chair.

--Tim