Cleaning & Clearing Out

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been trying to get rid of things I don't use any more - clothes, books, furniture, etc. I hate having things I don't like or use in my apartment; it actually kind of stresses me out.

• Clothes - I heard this rule from my mother, who said, "If you haven't worn it in six months or it doesn't fit, get rid of it." With my clothes, if I don't wear it or it doesn't fit right, I feel like it gives me more of headache just staying in my closet. A couple of weeks ago, I took all of my clothes that I didn't like to Crossroads and received about $140 for various items. Anything they didn't take I took to the Salvation Army. My entire trunk was filled with things (sorry, I forgot to take a picture). This week, I just read a Real Simple article about this website, Style.ly that will sell and donate your clothes for you! Have you every tried this?
• Books - After college, I sold a bunch of my old textbooks on Amazon. I ended up making a fair amount. Lately, I have acquired some books that I don't think I would read again; they don't have sentimental value for me, and they are not detrimental to my professional career. Thus, I'm back on Amazon, selling those. Anything that doesn't sell after Christmas, I will donate to Salvation Army. My must-have/always-have book collection has come down to these - Faithful by Marianne Faithfull, Joan Didion's Blue Nights, The Year of Magical Thinking, and We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live, Patti Smith's Just Kids and John Steinbeck's East of Eden. What are you must-have books?
• Furniture - Finally, one the biggest dilemmas I am undergoing right now is incorporating furniture that reflects my aesthetic. When I graduated from college and moved into the city, my mother gave me a lot of furniture from their old house. Growing up, my mother's style was very Pottery Barn/Ethan Allen/American Class - not my cup of tea! While the furniture was great for a little bit, I am past that now, and I would like to incorporate pieces that are more modern with mid-century vintage pieces. I have been selling various chairs, lamps, and tables on Craigslist and been quite successful. Also, thankfully I have a free storage space, so I don't have to look at the "eye sores" on a daily basis. Once I get rid of everything, I will start incorporating new pieces that I really like. 

My biggest reason for this mid-winter "deep clean" is that I don't want to surround myself with things that I don't like, especially in my home. It also gives me time to search for things I do like and make conscious decisions about what I want to purchase next.