Well, I finally made it to my office on the decluttering 37 Things in 37 Days list. Clearly it was started more than 37 days ago… but the intent was that collectively I would spend about 37 days’ worth of time on these projects, and not consecutively. I have no idea how much time I really spent, and I don’t care. I am relieved to have started and now to have reached this milestone. And yes, there are some rooms/closets/dressers that I could go back to and do more, but I’m fairly comfortable with the low-hanging fruit that I have picked on this second round of decluttering.

The first round, which I maybe haven’t even mentioned, was during the year 2025, when I committed to donating something at least once a month. It wasn’t a wholesale clean-out effort; it was just donating something I didn’t use any longer. For example, one month I donated my bicycle to the Bike Co-Op. There was a time when I rode that bike nearly every day, but I hadn’t ridden it except a very few times since I moved here over 12 years ago. The Co-Op will give the bike a tune-up and then donate or sell the bike to someone who needs it – someone who needs transportation, maybe, for example. Another month I donated several large appliances (think 38 qt roaster and Party-Perk coffee maker) to our HOA social committee, which was fundraising for a playground. Another time I donated three insulated coolers to a neighbor who was making emergency cat shelters. Anyway, I did that every single month, at least one thing, all year long.

This time, 2026, I was potentially going to move and downsize, so there was a zesty effort to be more selective about what I kept and more ruthless about what I released into the world. So I went through entire rooms and consciously chose items to either keep/donate/sell/trash. The “sell” group” was particularly small, since I don’t like to be a salesperson. I often buy from consignment stores, yard sales, Marketplace, or via thrifting, or at least from the sale racks. I don’t feel like I have been foolishly giving money away; my initial investments were such that I felt I had gotten value for things and could afford to pass them on to others who might need them.

But now it was time to open the closet in my home office, the stash of office supplies in my desk, and the drawers in the four-drawer lateral filing cabinet. I used to be an educator, and I’m also a collector of provocative quotes, good articles, books, and magazines, as well as the creator of adult continuing education programs. I have been known to be deadline driven, and that served me well for this purpose. Lady Luck was with me, as there was a shredding event being held in town where I could drop off as much paper as I wanted at a shredding truck, for free, but only on one particular morning, which happened to be last Saturday. And Lady Luck was feeling extra generous because I also came across on online program that was directed at decluttering email, understanding cloud storage, how to efficiently keep and control passwords, and similar topics. As if that wasn’t enough, I decided that all the things in my office, like my legal papers (deed, titles, will, etc.) should also be organized.

I didn’t get it all done. But I made a LOT of headway. I took 1 medium-sized moving type box, plus 1 smaller Amazon box, plus 4 paper bags with handles, filled with the contents of binders and folders and stacks of paper to the shredding truck. Tax returns from back to 2006! Insurance policies for vehicles I don’t own any longer. Planners and calendars I can’t imagine why I kept. Agendas from meetings I attended years ago. And much, much more. I then had a half of a file drawer filled with empty file folders. I also ended up with 13 empty 3-ring binders in varying sizes, 8 portfolio pad things, 1 jumbo sized tote bag, 4 magazine holder things … you get the picture. Two more bags of trash-y detritus, like the comb bindings on booklets, plastic covers, old cell-phone box molded inserts, non-working pens, and the like made it to my trash bin. Another bag of small boxes and used envelopes and some papers that didn’t make it to the shredding truck boxes made it out to my own recycling bin.

And, I’m proud to say, there are still 2 larger boxes containing organizers, folders, portfolios, binders, binder clips, sheet protectors, notebooks, etc. that are ready to be donated to a local shelter that will use them for either kids’ school supplies or for adults looking for or working at-home jobs.

I didn’t just willy-nilly pitch things from those folders, boxes, binders, and shelves. Like almost everything I have come across in my decluttering project, I had to look, touch, read, and reminisce. Which is why it took hours and hours and hours to do just this one room. Some things were easier to get rid of than others. But there were some I had to really think hard about letting go.

One folder in particular I decided to keep is one that I have had since 2008, when I started a new job. A big promotion, as a state director, where I knew there wouldn’t always be rainbows and sunshine. I labeled it Good Days, and here is where I stashed thank-you notes, newspaper articles I was quoted in, complimentary letters, suggestions, Atta-Girls, a few pictures, articles I had published, certificates of achievement … you get the idea. I am lucky to be able to say this was a fat folder.

I was reminded that I had a good career. I worked with many good people. I was an achiever, and I had a lot of accomplishments to be proud of. As I looked through these, I occasionally had to wonder if I should just leave these for my kids to come across some day, so they could be proud of me. I am sure there was much they have no idea about as relates to my work. I remember once my own mom was bragging to someone about me, in my presence. She not only couldn’t say my job title, or even what work I did, but she said “Patti has a good job. She works at the courthouse.” That was all she knew, and it was enough for her. I’m not sure it was enough for me, but then again, she had five adult children to keep track of, so there’s that. My own children knew generally what my work was about and the organizations I belonged to, had been to my office(s) many times, met some of the people I worked with. But I don’t know how deep their knowing goes.

And yet, I don’t think it matters any longer. I haven’t “worked” that way in over 10 years. My work used to be a huge part of my identity, and it’s not now. I think my kids could still tell you what I did, but it’s more important now to think of how my grandchildren would describe me. After all, I live thousands of miles away and only see them maybe once or twice a year. I’m pretty sure Isla might recall that I’m the grandma who drove a motorcycle, and Olivia might say I am the grandma who brought a camper and stayed at their house for a while. Nikos and Mayzie might recall me as a storyteller, given the stories I told them about their parents or me when I was a kid. I remember being introduced to Ava by Isla as the grandma who gives the presents. Julian is too young to have memories of me, probably, and he surely wouldn’t be impressed that I had a desk job. In fact, his dad set a goal when he graduated from high school to never have an 8-5 job in an office! All of those memories are more important to me than the career I had. So are these paper reminders necessary now, or not? I decided that can wait for another round of cleaning out…not so my kids will find them, but so that when I have the down or boring days now, I can remind myself of those good days. I kept them for me, not anyone else.

As I looked through these folders and binders of classes I created, content I collected or wrote, programs from workshops or conferences I spoke at, I felt pride that I had been such a giver. I loved it best when I could share my knowledge or resources. And it turns out, I’m not done; I just do it differently, like with this blog, or serving on my HOA Board, or fostering rescued dogs. I know people who only know how to relive their glory days. I am happy to say that I have found new challenges and reaped new rewards. My “stuff” is the tangible evidence of the path I took to become the woman I am. Yes, it leans heavily on the past, but that’s only because there is more past to look at.

Overall, though, I think my home reflects the life I have curated now. Book titles no longer are focused on professional development or beachy romances of the young. There are meditations along with home improvement how-to books. Some of my plants have names (I have had Cindy since 1998, but Jackie is barely 10 years old, and Ivy is only 1-1/2) and range from very large to quite small. Dog toys replace toddler toys. Glassware has replaced Tupperware, as cloth napkins have replaced torn paper towels. Framed photos are from my travels to foreign places. You used to not find a rock in my house on purpose, but now there are crystals in every room. And with decluttering round 2 done, you can actually see these things!

Everything on the 37 Things list has been checked off, but that doesn’t mean I’m done. Not by a long shot. A deeper dive would not be amiss, but it it’s time for a break… or at least, a shift. I still want to do more organizing, as I believe that simplification, which was my original goal, is an on-going effort, especially if I want to make space for new things, or hold space for new memories, or rethink space if I decide to downsize.

For now, it’s almost summertime. Temps are in the 90’s this week, and the neighborhood pool opens on Saturday. I can relax and enjoy some R&R for a while, without feeling as if there is something else I should be doing. I honored the commitment I made to myself, which I’m happy to say, is a terrific feeling. There’s always something else I could be doing, like working on a summer meal plan and budget for fall travel. Not today, though. I still have a fair bit of paper in my office, but what’s left is here by choice. I think it’s important to remember that rejuvenation can lead to more creativity and energy, so that’s what I’m making #38 on my list. The paper tiger can afford to let the tamer out to play.