Stuff. It is everywhere. We’ve all got at least one “junk drawer.” Can’t find batteries? Check the junk drawer. Rubber band? Junk drawer. Paper clip? You guessed it, junk drawer. I am a person who finds stuff to be overwhelming. When things are piled up, disorganized, just STUFF everywhere, I get anxious, frustrated, short with people. It makes me crazy, so I am always on a mission to reduce the amount of “stuff” I have.

Squatch and I did a big reduction of kitchen stuff this time last year. We got rid of so much from our little apartment kitchen, and when we were done, it felt huge. Why have 4 different size whisks when one large and one small will do? I don’t need 6 spatulas or 3 flippers. Different sized tongs? We’ll just keep one pair. Who needs a whole knife block when one good sharp chef’s knife will do? We were no longer anxious when it came time to cook or bake in the kitchen, and we could actually find what it was we were looking for. Our cooking time went down, cleanup was made much more simple, and we truly grew to enjoy the experience.

Clothing is a big area where people just have SO MUCH STUFF. The in-laws are big fans of watching home improvement shows, and the common thread I see is that they need bigger closets, one for each person. Really? One standard closet will not do? Then I realize that I am in the minority. I always have a pile of things to send to Goodwill. After every season, I will go through my drawers and closet and donate anything I did not wear for that season. If I didn’t wear it over the course of 6 months, or I just wore it once, I do not see a need to keep it. Is it too big or too small? Time to get rid of it; no need to hold onto those “just in case” or “goal-size” pants. I realized today as I was getting dressed that I have several more items to donate from my closet; my camisoles are all too big. They’re getting washed tomorrow and then thrown into the pile, and then I’m picking up three new ones in a smaller size this week.

I read about capsule closets several years ago, and while they are intriguing, I’m not that sold on the premise. I do wear and rewear my clothing over and over and over again, and have just the right amount of tops and pants. I do have the one-off outfits: a nice black blazer and pencil skirt, a skirt and pantsuit, 2 dressy dresses, one business-style dress, but those are for the rare occasion I need to get dressed up anymore. Sundresses, I do have several of them; they are just so comfy, but they are also too big now, so those will be going in the donate pile to be replaced once the weather heats up.

It is no secret that I do not have a lot of toys for Little Man. Keeping his play area neat and organized is simple for us because we do not have much out for him. Yes, we do have toys hidden away due to our rotation, but we are nowhere near where I see most other families. When there are a lot of options for Little Man, I notice a difference in him. He is overwhelmed from all the choices, flits from one thing to another, is more prone to yelling and crying, and it tends to put him in a bad mood. Just a few toys out and he will sit and play with his trucks for 10 or 15 minutes before going on to reading his books. What 21 month old has an attention span that long?

A lean, mean closet and home have made things so much easier for us. Packing up our apartment last year went quite quickly (apart from my books; do not make me give up my books!). Our cooking went quickly and easily. Laundry day is a pinch. We are not anxious and edgy all the time. It really is amazing to see how stuff, and the accumulation of stuff affects you psychologically and physically. Take some time, do a little purge of one area, and just see how it goes.