Getting rid of things is empowering. Every time I get throw something away or give it away a part of my brain rejoices that I will never have to pick up that item or put it away again. I like shelves, closets, and rooms that have empty spaces in them. I feel overwhelmed and crowded when all the spaces are full. This is why I trashed the boys’ room today. I scraped all of their closet shelves bare and tossed everything into piles in the center of the room. This was the point at which Howard stepped into the doorway. His eyes went wide as he surveyed the mess. The process of sorting is frequently messy. But bit by bit the piles got smaller and more organized. bit by bit order emerged from the chaos. I was very pleased to haul out several garbage bags full of things that I will never have to clean up again. The boys were very pleased to realize that I’d found all the pieces to various games. It was with a sense of accomplishment that I vacuumed the floor. Then I walked out into the rest of the house and realized that every single room needs similar treatment. I’m going to have to buy more garbage bags.