simplify 1653, from Fr. simplifier "to make simpler" (15c.), from M.L. simplificare "to simplify," from L. simplex "simple" (see simplex) + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). Meaning "to make easier to do" is from 1759.

Well that about says it all...doesn't it. Sorting out is to make (life) simpler. Simpler because you have less stuff to store, to clean and to shuffle around when you want to find something else.

In the depths of my mind I adhere to that maxim that there is a place for everything, and everything should be in its place. I believe that if you put something back where you found it, it will make it easier for the next person to do the same. Practically this isn't always so straight forward when an object is used in a multiplicity of ways and could find a home in various places; and when you live with others!

Still I definitely wanted to take control of the stuff instead of it taking control of me. I took some photos of what we were passing on as a cursory archive, in case one day I ask 'whatever happened to....?', which when I see them so shortly afterwards make me wonder if I have done the right thing.

I think in all reality I had become so used to having the 'stuff' around that it was like saying goodbye to a comfortable friend.

Most of the items I was able to part with as they were things we had bought and were redundant; but a few were things that others had given us, and these were harder. I ended up asking myself if the person who gave the item to us, meant for us to be blessed by the gift and if they instead would prefer that the item was released into the world in order to afford us the freedom and blessing of what we wanted in life.

I am still telling myself, over these very few items, that the person would want us to continue living in the spirit of the blessing of the gift and therefore it is okay to pass it on.

I also found myself saying to be mindful that we could only get rid of these things once. I was much more cut-throat about the baby clothes, keeping less for memorabilia purposes this time around. And I did allow myself to reclaim a few things that had been sorted out for releasing into the wild, until I had another chance to think about it.

It was really strange too, that it was one single item that I kept regretting having given away - a little girls handmade sundress - who knows exactly why!

I think the photos will go in a not so frequently accessed folder in my computer, as I said, for archival purposes, so that I don't subject myself to the "should I have ....?" questions and instead enjoy the first stage of simplification.