Clean Slate

I am in an intense declutter frame of mind.  I don't know why January makes me want to go through every drawer and closet in the house, but it does.  Perhaps it's the soft snow falling outside, covering up the winter garden.  Perhaps it's triggered by putting away the Christmas decorations.  Wherever the feeling is coming from, it's intense!

In the interest of full disclosure, I will have to say that decluttering is not a habit I came by naturally.  My husband has taught me everything I know about the art of the purge.  Living in a small house also helps.  And I still fight with myself sometimes about what to keep and what goes, so I had to come up with some ground rules.

1. If I haven't worn it in a year (or it doesn't fit), it goes.  Of course everyone says this, but it's amazing how clothes can hide out in your closet as if they know that if they make themselves too obvious, they will find themselves in a Goodwill bag.  I do allow a few exceptions, like my suits, that I may only wear every 18 months or so.

2. If my son hasn't played with it in a year, it goes.  Come on people, we're not getting any younger here! 

3. If it's a seasonal decoration that I didn't use in a year, it goes.  

4. If there are electronic (and backed-up) versions of the document, it goes.  This rule also applies to children's art projects.  I will keep a select few pieces (emphasis on few), but it's easy to take photos of artwork and then save those for posterity, rather than letter N's made out of noodles that the bugs will eat.

5. If I haven't used it in a year, and the probability I will use it again within the next year is less than 10 percent, it goes.  I just purged my shorty wetsuit today after being surprised I still owned it.  Even if I started diving again, the shorty wetsuit, while totally appropriate for the southeast where I grew up, is useless in the Pacific Northwest.

These rules apply primarily to articles of practical and recreational significance.  Heirlooms are a bit harder, but even then I try to a) use them (such as quilts, vases, or dinnerware), b) repurpose them (I am making jewelry out of the rock collection I inherited from my grandparents), or c) take a hard look and potentially get ride of things that seem to be decreasing in sentimental value as they age. 

A repurposed casserole dish, given as a wedding present, now used as a planter!