Kibosh on Clutter

I finally have my living room re-arranged, and now I just have to put the tchochkeys back where they go.  I'm not a girl who likes to clean, and I'm especially not a girl that likes to dust.  If an item serves no function or it doesn't have some sort of sentimental value and I have to dust it and it there's a pretty decent chance it will end up in the trash.  I hate dusting that much.

It occurred to me while I was moving stuff around that I've reached that point in my life where I finally have memories accumulated and no space to store them.  I've got stuff from high school and college that I'd like to keep, but it's just not practical for me (or anyone) to store that much junk.  Plus it makes me feel claustrophobic and overwhelmed.  And it's unnecessary.  Things aren't going to keep memories alive -- memories live inside me.  And the chances that I'm going to teach a class on medieval women is pretty slim so why am I hanging onto all those academic articles?  Because I might!  Some day!  If Jupiter aligns with Mars and porcine take wing.

With this thought in mind I'm instituting a new rule at Chateau Maggie: nothing else comes in until fifteen things leave.  I'm going to give a lot of my books, movies, and CDs away.  I'm going to get rid of more clothes.  Emmy in the Making, glasses are headed your way next time I see you -- I even kept the box so that they'd be easy to pack the next time I moved.  Ridiculous.

So if you're looking for a bargain come on down to Chateau Maggie's Bargain Hut.