When two households become one, pare down

New love, and you're thinking of making your two households one.

But two households equal a lot of stuff. After all, you've both lived on your own. You have two irons, two sets of cookware, your furniture, your partner's furniture, your clothes, your partner's clothes. When was the last time you sorted through your closet?

Before you make the big move, Frontdoor.com says you should take the time to go through your items and pare down. It's a good idea to do this before you move because you will have more space to sort. Which big items, such as furniture, you keep will depend on your collective style, but personal items such as clothing should be tackled before the move.

Here are some ideas to start this process:

Closets

Go through your closets and donate clothes and shoes that you don't wear anymore. If you haven't worn it in a year, it's probably time to part with it.

Duplicate items

You and your partner should determine which items are of better quality and make them a part of your new shared space. If neither of you wants to part with something - for example, your dishes - you might keep both sets and make one your special-occasion set.

Paperwork

Get yours organized and shred outdated documents. Do you really want to move billing statements from two years ago? Most bills and receipts can be shredded after you receive a canceled check, bank or credit-card statement.

Towels and linens

Keep only your best towels and linens. Give worn towels a new life by using them for household cleaning or the car. As for linens, you really need only two sets per bed. You might buy a third set in flannel for those chilly winter nights.

According to Personworks.com, items that don't make the cut should fall under these simple principles:

Sell it

Some of your castoffs may be worth cash, so schedule a yard sale. Offer buyers something free when they buy an item.

Donate it

Check out the Charity Vault at www.charity-charities.org for a list of charities by category and city.

Toss it

If you can't sell or donate, toss it - appropriately, of course: Recycle as much as possible.

Remember that less is more as you and your new housemate move into the future.