I’m a pack-rat. I simply don’t have that elusive ability to know what’s important, what I’ll need in the years to come and what I should just pass on to someone else who can use it in the here and now. I like my stuff and I get worked up about getting rid of anything. It’s serious emotional angst for me and spring cleaning time is the worst. I feel compelled to organize my house at this time of year yet I just keep moving the same stuff every time it comes around. I have approximately five very large boxes of ‘stuff’ from my childhood. I’m not sure what is actually in those boxes or why I saved some of it but now that I’ve had this stuff for 30+ years, I can’t get rid of it. I’ve had it this long, I should keep it right? It’s a vicious, indecisive circle for me. Plus, those boxes are worth a lot of money. Not because of the stuff inside, but for all the shipping I’ve paid for to move them around the country during my adult life. They went from Boston to upstate New York to Los Angeles to San Francisco to Maine. Yup, they’ve seen some serious mileage and never got lost. That’s karma telling me I should keep them right? But there are these times when my stuff comes in handy and takes me on a trip down memory lane. Like recently when my co-workers started joking around about Charlie’s Angels and I knew I still had my old dolls. Or the time last summer I shared my 50+ volumes of Nancy Drew books with my girls after they saw the new movie (that movie was painful but my kids loved it). And when my girls were younger they enjoyed playing with all my Goofy paraphernalia (btw, he is still the best Disney character of all time). And of course Raggedy Ann has continued to be a cherished item for not only me, but for my girls as well. L. was inspired to make her own this year for Fashion Review… … and then there was the Halloween costume two years ago… … and the dress that matched the doll that G. loved as much as me when she was little. And I have to mention that doll is a testament to my mother’s sewing skills for holding up to regular loving through a second generation. I was about 4-years-old when my mom gave me the doll after a dance recital. But the rest of the stuff… I’m never going to ‘need’ so I’ve set a goal for myself this spring. I’m going to pare down to 4 boxes by the end of the season. Because really, when am I ever going to use my old 4th grade folder covered in old Mad stickers… I thought the Mad comics and stickers were HILARIOUS as a kid. I was such a geek. … or read the Super Mags. But then again, maybe some day I’ll need something else from these boxes and I’ll get mad at myself for getting rid of the one thing I could have used at that moment. Oh the woes of spring cleaning. If you’re a pack-rat and have found a way to work through your problem, please share your secret! I promise only to pass on the secret to one other person … my husband.