Get it together

My post’s gonna be short tonight, I’m organizing years of untended emails, that for whatever reason (valid or not) I decided not to delete. Isn’t it funny how you accumulate not only material but virtual clutter?

As some of you may know, I’ve been weeding through my belongings slowly but surely since I moved in December. The best part about moving is donating or recycling all the extraneous stuff you don’t need. Relocating spurred me to evaluate my personal debris twice and include the possessions my parents have been harboring for a few years on the second sweep.

What’s worked for me:

Spring is in the air, and there’s no better time to convince yourself you have too many hoodies or jackets. I admit it, I’m a recovering packrat, and I’ve heard the arguments for disarray, yet I feel better when I have less baggage. And for a transient vagabond like me, fitting your life in a suitcase is vital. You can do just a little at a time, and don’t throw away stuff you genuinely want/enjoy/wear but if you hesitate, you don't need it.

Organize your organizing. Go through clothes, then books, then media, then documents, and so on. It makes things easier because you’re thinking about similar items.

Don’t sort through old letters, cards and/or photos on a sentimental day. A good or indifferent mood suits this activity much better. If it's rainy and you're listening to Nico's "Chelsea Girl" better sort some socks instead. Though the goal isn’t to eradicate your paper past, you should eliminate some such material, and remember with your mind. If you simply can’t bear to part with the past, buy a filing cabinet, a photo album, or at least some folders or manila envelopes and label them. Tell yourself: I won’t let this happen again. I went through my keepsakes and it was never ending; but I did it, and so should you.

Well, that’s how I did it. Although time consuming, it was simple, cathartic, and brought back memories, some of which I was willing to leave to my imagination. Try organizing; it’s refreshing and clears the way for more junk.