One of the magical things about decluttering is that it forces you to ask a wonderful question:
What is important to me in my life?
As you tackle a pile of clothes, a cluttered countertop, a shelf overflowing with books, there’s no way to get rid of clutter without answering that question.
Early on, I adopted a philosophy for traveling and shopping that seems to work for my lifestyle: “If I could carry it, I could have it.” It emerged when I was just starting my business and was pretty strapped for cash. “No carts allowed” saved my wallet.
I choose to encounter clutter and make it my own. Am I a hoarder? Probably a little. I prefer the terms “collector” and “archivist,” though. They carry the elegance of scholarship and a bit of the self-righteousness of learning from the past.
