Where Do I Start?

Clearly, being intimidated by a tiny linen closet shows that I'm feeling a little overwhelmed in the projects department. And I feel so guilty. Just yesterday Ann was hailing me as "a Ninja warrior, but with cute shoes and at Home Depot with a credit card."

But, I've concluded that the linen closet will still be there. I'll come back to it. Breathe. Move on.

KayO was kind enough to share this article from the St. Petersburg Times about decluttering. It's given me a few good ideas and a sense of direction. KayO also shared her own attachment to an aged iron. As for my personal attachment to my now departed water heater, it was the only thing in the history of This D*mn House to be brought in, set up, and work everyday without incident for almost exactly 20 years. Wouldn't it be great if everything worked like that?

Vicki asked if a pair of shoes counts as one or two items in the 100 Thing Challenge. I think the pair is counted as one, but, much like Dave Bruno, I think we can all make rules for ourselves. (I think my pens count as one, even though just at work I have at least 50. Yes, it's an obsession. Deal. I also think each of my respective scrapbooking containers should count collectively as one, but I'll be generous and say four.) I don't think I'll even try to hit 100. I don't think it's possible. But, I do expect to scale back and get organized.

I remember watching an Oprah show sometime back during which the message was if you haven't used it, seen it, worn it or thought about it in at least three years, you don't need it. This article from O Magazine is helpful, too, as it offers some great "baby steps" to take. In fact, this article says it's not good to go at it all at once. Whew!

One suggestion in particular resonates with me: Once you've decided to toss it, and it's not worth donating, dump it in a public trash can. That way, you're not likely to go back and fish it out again!

Feeling Closed In? DE-Stuff Your Life

You have to move this stuff, to get to that stuff. And you have to move that stuff, in order to get to the stuff that you're really after. Sound familiar?

Welcome to life at This D*mn House. After all, as George Carlin so eloquently puts it, your house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.

In fairness to us, this house is incredibly light on closet space. That becomes abundantly clear to me as I prepare to clean out the linen closet. "Closet" is probably too strong a word to describe this limited storage area that is likely smaller than the broom closet most people have in their kitchens. The already cramped space becomes even more limited when my mother starts throwing random things in it. Boxes of duster refills. The new bath mat. Heating pads. All that takes away from space to put in what needs to go there, namely sheets and towels.

Where did we ever get all this stuff?

And that reminds me of something I saw on Time.com last week: "How to Live With Just 100 Things." The article was about Dave Bruno, an online entrepreneur, and the "100 Thing Challenge" he created last summer. He has vowed that by the time he turns 37 in November, he will have just 100 personal possessions. Sounds like a lot, doesn't it?

Do some mental inventory. Do physical inventory and I guarantee you'll be stunned by how quickly you hit 100.

He's down to one pen. (To me, that's outright blasphemy, even if it is a really nice pen. Unless I could count my pens collectively as one item, I'd be done already.) And he got rid of his iPod. Huh?! That would be one of the 100 things I'd stand firm on. Take the cell phone. Leave the iPod. But I digress.

I think our problem is a combination of too much stuff and not enough space. I can't do much about the latter. I can't do all that much about the former either, but I'm willing to give it a try. I'm going to start with this linen closet. It's out of control.

Then, as I need to make the switch from winter to summer clothing, I'm going to tackle my closet. I usually end up with a bagful to donate every year anyway. I was very harsh last year, relenting a bit with things that almost fit. This year, I'll be ruthless. At the risk of sounding like the late Johnnie Cochran: "If it doesn't fit, get rid of it."

But first, I've got to start with the Linen Closet From Hell. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, I may need assistance. Please send help.