Do you need the stuff in the dresser? That's the question to ask yourself first. Is the dresser the most efficient place to store it?

I've been moving virtual clutter off of my work desk this morning. It doesn't make it any less troublesome just because it's in cyberspace.

I'm not tossing my newspapers in the recycle bin for now, I'm preparing to put it down under mulch in a modified-no-till approach to weed control in a new garden. If I need more paper I'll do a reverse recycle move and go pull some papers out of the bin behind City Hall.

I was looking through a magazine with ideas for painting houses and landscaping. I picked it up last fall before making the big move to put the new roof on the house then paint. I found some lovely photos of a patio that I'd like to mimic in my back yard, so I've pulled those pages out of the magazine and recycled the rest. Finding the photos is the easiest part of the job. This week I simply have to get back to eBay. Gas and food are getting high, meaning I have less cash for those discretionary things like gardening or crafts. I bought a bulk bag of bread flour at Sam's Club yesterday (25 pounds will last a couple of months here) to save a few dollars; I filled a bin and the rest went in the freezer (I also keep bulk cat food in there). As the garden progresses, if we get some produce along with the foliage, I'll freeze a lot of it also. I'm also planning to do some canning this year, a friend has the setup and I'll go over and have him walk me through it. My mom used to can all of the time when I was a kid. Belt tightening seems to go with decluttering. My cleared off pantry shelves are where the canned goods will go.

SRS