declutter my house, particularly the basement

Instead of the basement, I went up to the attic and cleared out five boxes of…stuff. Old magazines from the 80s and 90s. Old sewing materials (which are being recycled into gift-wrap). You should see the heap of paper ready for the recycler.

Today, the first steps were taken to make a pantry. This one will have large and clunky, seldom-used china pieces, and bulky packaged goods. The other old dishes are off to other homes and/or Goodwill.

Zut alors. I have shelves of books that are hopelessly out of date, but they’re technically ART BOOKS: important, expensive, cultural tomes. And what about the stuff that has been given to me over the years that should have great meaning attached to it? What if it does have meaning, and I am for whatever reason uncharmed? Or the meaning will be acquired over time?
At least I don’t have a collection of old comic books or sports cards or toys to agonize over and figure out if they’re ebayable or not.
For this place to be Virgoesque and liveable, it needs to be pretty zen-like.
OK-tomorrow everything with shoulderpads has to go.