It’s Cut the Crap Day — What are You Letting Go Of?

I wouldn’t categorize myself as a hoarder. But, I do collect a few things.

I have a crazy CD collection, including this small sampling on my desk, pictured here. Floetry. Joss Stone. Dru Hill. Kem. Maxwell. Jill Scott. Dixie Chicks Fly–one of my all time favorite albums. Stevie Wonder’s The Original Musicquarium–a classic that is pure magic, and yes, I know all of the words to every song on the album. Bobby Brown’s Don’t Be Cruel. Justin Timberlake’s Justified. Ryuichi Sakamoto’s BTTB. My Asian Lounge CD–love my World music–and more.

What? You don’t listen to CDs anymore? Well, neither do I. Not really. But there is something comforting about knowing I could listen to that Alicia Keys Songs in A Minor CD anytime I darn well please.

Then there is my book collection. My poor bookshelf is busting at the seams, praying for a reprieve, and thankful I finally jumped on the digital book bandwagon about a year ago. Not to mention the books I stash all over the house like a junkie worried someone is going to find her stash squirrel preparing for winter. Of course, I still hoard collect books. They’re just on my Kindle now.

I have an ever-growing collection of journals. Lovely, aren’t they? It’s too bad I rarely ever use them to, you know, journal. Usually they’re either sitting on my shelf–the pages as crisp as the day I bought them–or filled with scribbles, notes, and random ideas. But I keep hoping that next year month will be the time when I finally start journaling and stick with it.

We won’t even talk about the two-sizes-too-small clothes I’ve been holding onto since the turn of the century, hoping to get back into them. (What? Those Cybill Shepherd circa Moonlighting jacket dress combos will make a comeback. Mark my words.)

I’m getting some renovation done at my apartment. This requires that I empty counter tops and cabinets in several rooms. A task I’m not looking forward to, but that now feels like a gift. This is the perfect time to go through everything and purge. So I’m declaring today my personal Cut the Crap Day.

I’m going to take a long, hard look at my collection of crap with the goal of eliminating (tossing, donating, giving away) as much of it as I can possibly bear without tears, buttercream frosting, and copious amounts of adult beverages.

It’s time to let go of things I don’t need. Things that no longer serve my purpose. Most importantly, it’s time to let go of the emotional baggage that is intricately intertwined with clothing, books, and shoes I no longer need.

What’s in your closet, car, or home that you know you don’t need, but can’t bear to let go of? How relieved would you be if you could finally let go of it?

PS: Need some serious help clutter busting? My friend, Deb Smouse, has an awesome clutter busting class via email that will help you do just that.

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