You know, don't you, that jewelry, chocolate, wine, beer, and crystals never count as "clutter."

The paper stuff goes slower when it is the type that really needs sorting. Maryanne, why don't you approach it a handful at a time, or maybe do it in stages; first simply sort into stacks--General and Bush. Then toss Bush (!) and leave the rest to do a handful at a time as you can. I've been working out a similar strategy with old legal papers and with kid art. Getting general stacks of related material makes it easier to choose which of those items you really want to keep. When they're commingled you can't remember if you already set one of those works or pages aside.

I have found things to think about then toss or file. For example, I almost bought a beautiful house in the mountains east of Albuquerque right after the divorce. A job was offered and the paperwork was set to go--but through passive aggressive delays my ex's attorney messed up the paperwork and the house fell through. It was a cascade of disappointments, and I still have some material and photos from that house. I'd love at some time to live in the woods like that with a view of wilderness, but right now I live in a beautiful pseudo-rural area in a city. I need to work on this one so the best thing is to toss the old plan and move forward. Something else will come along.

My office is significantly changed in the past month. Slowly but surely it is looking better, organized and more clear floor space. The couch in my living room is an explosion of laundry needing to be folded (like Kat's dishes waiting to be washed), one of those things that isn't pressing as long as you don't run out of clothes or plates or forks. :)

Dig your way out! Onward and upward, ladies!

SRS