It seems that with each new season arriving I get the urge to clean and de-clutter. Maybe it’s innate. I don’t know. Most recently, I dove in and tackled paper and book clutter in my office. It the kind of stuff that piles up fast and it takes so long to sort through and put away. The review books that I receive when publishers 
and authors request my endorsements and reviews had totally taken over my office! I had piles and piles of them. I wish I had a “before” photo to show you!
After sorting through the books and making more piles—one pile for my parish lending library (I am hoping to start) a pile of books I will keep, and a pile to give away, I suddenly remembered the idea of some new book shelves that I had planned on making last year. Life got busy as usual and I didn’t have a chance to pursue that project idea.
Well, the wheels in my brain started turning and I quickly suggested to my husband that we should go out and buy some lumber to make some book shelves to match the other side of my office room closet. My husband often chuckles 
when I tell him my plans because he gets a kick out of how quickly I like to act upon the project ideas. So, after Mass on a recent Sunday we headed to the lumber store. We picked out our materials and then were back home for me to paint the wood two coats of fresh satin white primer and paint. After allowing the paint to dry overnight, we assembled the pieces and erected the shelves—floor to ceiling.
They are very simple—no frills—but are very functional shelves which I immediately filled with books! I am delighted that I can be and feel more organized in my office now. I’d love to add a shelf above the closet door between the two sets of 
book shelves and I plan to put the wooden sliding doors back on the closet. That will be my next project!
You know, whenever I clean and de-clutter, my brain feels less cluttered too. Does that happen to you? Another huge plus to de-cluttering is that we can give away the excess stuff that we have somehow accumulated. It frees us and it can help someone else in need.
I love to clean out closets too and donate clothes to our local thrift shop. It’s a definite win-win situation (actually a win-win-win!) for sure. Because the thrift shop sells the items inexpensively to those who need the goods and clothes and they donate all of the revenue to local students in the form of college scholarships. And, I get to clean out my house—I love it—win-win-win!
What about you? Are you de-cluttering in some area of your life? Would you like to?
