In her blog After the Kids Leave, Karen Irving writes about downsizing in preparation to a move to smaller quarters. Clearing stuff up, cleaning it out: This is something about which many of us have thought, fantasized, made decisions or delayed decisions. In previous posts on Leaving a Legacy, I've written that cleaned and cleared closets (whether or not we're moving) are part of the legacy we leave our grown children and grandchildren–the gift is that it's something they won't have to do for us.
In her post on tips for downsizing, Karen takes note of a guiding principle, thanks to William Morris, propounder of the English Arts and Crafts school of decoration. His words–her mantra and now mine as well: “Keep nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
As I tackle the mess of stuff in my basement and try to de-clutter my living spaces, I am tacking on an additional point to the Morris dictum: Check first with your grown children before tossing anything out–photographs, letters, figurines, decorative boxes or century-old baby shoes. There might be items they treasure for sentimental or other reasons. It's okay to store if for them; just be sure they will be willing to haul those treasures away when the final cleaning and clearing takes place.
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