Stan's World - Spring Cleaning
When my mother died, she left behind a few collections of porcelain objects. (Think lots of Hummels, lots of Lladro, and lots and lots of birds.) My girls each took one for memory’s sake, and each grandchild selected an item or two. Other than a remembrance, nobody wanted my mother’s collections, which meant I had to figure out what to do with dozens and dozens of items. Eventually, most were donated to thrift stores.
The experience with cleaning out my mother’s apartment led me to conclude nobody will want my collections either. (Of course, my ‘collections’ include lots of paper, which is only considered a collectible at the recycling center.) While the experience with my mother’s apartment led me to conclude I have far more junk than valuables, I haven’t done much about it. And I’m not getting any younger. (To quote my mother: “I’m nearer than further.”)
I can start by pointing to a four-drawer file cabinet in the basement, stuffed with very important papers. It holds, for example, tax returns dating back to the late 1960s or early 1970s. I believe it’s now safe for me to assume those returns are no longer subject to audit, and that no one in my family is curious how much I was paid by my first employer: the US Army. But they remain, nonetheless. (Yes, I’m aware I can scan them, but I haven’t done so. Did I fail to mention they’re important papers?) I also believe my father’s will is in that cabinet. Since he died a mere 26 years ago, I’ll go out on a limb and suggest probate in Florida is no longer an issue.
Aside from the file cabinet, there are cartons that have remained unopened since we moved from our last house, which was only 20 years ago. And on, and on, it goes. (As an aside, collecting stuff for emotional and other reasons is not an issue for Pearl. In fact, Pearl would toss a refund check from the IRS if it sat on the kitchen counter for more than two days.)
Assuming we all have wills that tell our heirs where our money and assets go, what about the other stuff? Where is that going? And most importantly, does anyone but you care about it?
At this point, let me acknowledge what a number of clients and friends have shared with me. When they die, their kids can take care of whatever is left; it’s no longer their problem. Let me just say that having been one of those kids when my mom died, it’s time-consuming, and it’s not fun. And it took a lot of hours to resolve.
Over the years, I’ve probably started clean-out projects on 10 different occasions, only to be sidelined because I either found interesting things to read or wasted valuable time pondering uses for randomly sized pieces of scrap wood. Finally, however, I think I may have found a breakthrough, a plan that might finally help me to toss in bulk. And I’m really going to try. And you can hold me to it by questioning how far I’ve gotten. (You all have my email address.)
I’m motivated due to a terrific article I read in the AARP Bulletin titled: “30 Days To A Decluttered Home.”1 The premise of the article: “Stay motivated by dividing your spring-cleaning project into achievable tasks.” (NOTE: Strictly observe the time limits so you stay on task and stop before getting distracted.)
Week 1 – Bathrooms, Entryways, and Cars: 20 minutes a day.
“We start with these spots for a reason: The things here don’t usually tug at your emotions, so they’re perfect for getting quick wins.”
The instructions are simple and logical. Start in the bathrooms and throw out old medications, old makeup, etc. And donate clothes in the hall closet you haven’t worn in more than a year. It’s so easy, why not start?
Week 2 – Kitchen and Pantry: 30 minutes a day.
Look for duplicates to toss. If you no longer host big family events, start donating all the extra dishes and serving plates.
Week 3 – Bedrooms, Closets, and Personal Spaces: No daily time limits.
“Do what feels good. If you are making progress and want to keep going, go for it.” Pearl and I recently went on vacation, and I tried on the three dozen sweaters I had in my closet, many of which I haven’t worn in years. In the end, all but one were donated. While I purchased three new sweaters for the trip, having a total of 4 vs 36 greatly reduced my closet clutter.
Week 4 – Living Areas, Papers, and Memory Items: No more than one hour at a time.
You can probably safely scan most papers, throw out old manuals, shred outdated files, and toss old mail. “When you get to photos and keepsakes, slow down. This isn’t about cleaning everything out. It’s about choosing intentionally…What do you want your loved ones to inherit – boxes or stories?” The author of the article suggests “…choosing a small number of truly meaningful items…and letting the rest go.”
Week 5, or later – Attics, Basements, and Garages: No more than two hours at a time.
“Attics and basements are where we often need help and an additional body for heavy lifting. These storage spaces are also where we stash emotionally charged items to deal with another time. Well, now is another time.”
If you’re paying money for a storage unit that’s holding stuff you’ll never use, the author refers to that as “a colossal waste of money.” And if you’re saving possessions for someone else, like your kids, why not ask them now if they want it? If the answer is NO, but you keep it anyway, all you’re doing is creating future work for a loved one.
I plead guilty to shuffling and restacking when I should have been decluttering. I can’t wait to clean out the drawer in the bathroom vanity where I keep prescriptions. I bet I find some eye drops from when Obama was President.
(Footnote: For an early, easy win, I hit the file cabinet in the basement. In minutes, I removed a stack of papers about half a foot tall. Some of the stack got shredded; most got recycled; and a few papers got scanned. The immediate goal: one drawer. And then on to the Obama-era eye drops…)
1 Paxton, Matt. “30 Days to a Decluttered Home.” AARP, 17 Mar. 2026.
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