Spring Purging

When the April sun finally makes an appearance in Portland, one can hear the sounds of thousands of shirts peeling off, of toes walking barefoot on the grass and of minds whirring at the thought of gardens to be planted.

Yesterday, I walked around the yard to see which plants made it through the winter and which bushes have come to life with hopeful green buds. I emptied out the dead summer flowers and dirt from the terracotta pots and Chris dragged all of the plants we'd kept indoors all winter outside.

Now that my outside space is looking better, I want to get the insides of our house in ship shape. My biggest problem is that I like stuff and I'm sentimental. That's a recipe for major clutter. I was inspired by an excerpt from Throw Out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke where she advocates getting rid of anything that makes you feel bad or guilty or in anyway negative about yourself. Even if that thing is hidden in a box somewhere in the attic or the garage, things have the power of suggestion. They quietly whisper your shortcomings and in some small way, hold you in the past.

So, today, get rid of those things. You don't need any of them.

(Photo: bies)