Over the past few months, I've been on a mission to go through my belongings and dispense with things I don't need or use. I started with my closet. As I looked through it, I decided that anything I hadn't worn since I moved into my apartment had to go. I mean, if an item has sat in there for two and a half years without being touched, why keep it?

The other day, I got down on my knees to look behind my muffin tins that sit on the bottom shelf of a deep cupboard. I knew there were things behind it, but I couldn't remember what. I found two deviled egg trays that hold 24 each...what on earth was I doing with these? I've made deviled eggs exactly once since moving into my place and they were for me and me alone. I also found a large plastic serving Tray that I obviously haven't used in 2.5 years along with a cool charcuterie-type nesting tray that I love and would have come in handy many times over the past few years. I got rid of the deviled egg containers and the serving tray, but I moved the charcuterie-type tray to a place where I can access it (and won't forget about it).

This great purge didn't just start recently, though. Rather, it began when I was moving out of the old rental house in early 2021. After twelve years of accumulating so much stuff that the walls were closing in on us, a month of reckoning fell upon my ex-husband and me. As we waded through this daunting sea of accumulation, I was flabbergasted at the things I didn't remember owning. There were postcards that I collected in a large pile at the bottom of a storage cube - the reason long forgotten. I had amassed a treasure trove of makeup, jewelry, perfumes, and hair care items that I bought to use for special occasions that never happened - either because I forgot about them when I got ready for special occasions or because I used the stuff I normally used to get ready with. Oh, but there was so much more.

I spent a few months sending those postcards to friends and family, and I made cute gift bags with the makeup, jewelry, etc for Christmas for my girlfriends (using the Ipsy bags I had also collected over the years, of course - gah!). We had a big garage sale, listed things online, let our friends & neighbors pick through things, and, finally, put whatever was left on the curb in a free-for-all attempt to be rid of the junk.

I made a vow, after that, to never put myself in that situation again. I didn't want to be burdened by stuff anymore, so unless it's a consumable (or incredibly useful item), I won't buy it. I ordered my loved ones to never, ever, gift me any kind of home decor again - with the exception of candles because I like those, and are technically consumable.

I've kept that vow. Logically, then, it makes sense that I have decided to go through the things I kept from the old house. After all, in a few years, I'll be moving again and I want the process to be easy, quick, and painlessly free of cumbersome crap. I want to own my things, not be owned by my things.

As for my charcuterie-type nesting tray? It's sure going to come in handy at my annual holiday party next month.