Moved on to college papers

I just tossed physics and math class notes into recycling. I paged through them and found them just as incomprehensible now as I did way back when. Feels just fine to let them go.

I have saved them for 23 years.

Decluttering the old school papers

I am in the process of letting go of my class notes from grad school. I pulled out this stack, about 18" tall altogether, of binders, folders full of handwritten class notes, sylabi, and various hand-outs. I haven't looked at these papers, other than to move them from spot to spot, since I got my degree. So, why am I still holding on to them, 14+ years later?

Why? To prove I attended school. In case I needed to refresh my knowledge of a subject. To use as reference. Have I ever done any of those? No. No and now that I realize that, they can go.

I have my degree and credentialing. I don't need the materials that helped me to get them. If I need to refresh my knowledge, I can take a continuing ed class or read an up-to-date text.

Decluttering the inbox

I have an email account I use for offers, discounts and remote email. I've been overwhelmed with the emails I receive there and have recently started reading the messages to figure out how to unsubscribe (instead of my usual delete, delete).

It's working. My inbox is much less full, I can see the offers I actually use and I can see my personal messages.

A recycling we shall go

Yesterday, I recycled two years worth of received Holiday cards. Why was I keeping them? I don't know. As a record of who sent us cards? For the photos of our friends? For the addresses, to send them cards next year?

Anyway, they're in the recycling bin now. I have many years worth, bundled in rubber bands and stored in boxes with other paperwork. Those will go as I come across them because I am now able to let them go.

I'm not sure what made the change, but watching the A&E show has helped. Just seeing others stuff, piled up and stacked, filling houses. It enables me to see my own excess with fresh eyes.

Update

I've been working on a lot the past weeks. I painted my living and dining rooms-a project that's needed to be done for several years now. It looks great.

There's a new show on A&E called "Hoarders". I discovered it online the other day and watched the episode they had on the website. It was ... chilling. It was reassuring, in that my house is not now and never has been anywhere near the level of any of the homes shown. My dad's garage now, that was comparable.

It did get me to take a fresh look at some spots of the house that do still have piles. I tossed several bags of recycling, about 5 bags of trash and filled my trunk with items to go to Goodwill, all during breaks in the episode.

There but for the grace?