At the start of every new year, I always think about cleaning and tidying up. That sounds really anal retentive of me, but I think about it because it’s a new year. A new year is a time to start anew… Sort of. I’m one of those people who hates new year’s resolutions mostly because most of the people I’ve seen make them year after year for the past 30 years tend to fail. Why do they fail? I haven’t collected any hard data on this, but I have a hunch it’s because they either don’t realize that their resolution will take consistent, daily effort to attain (e.g. the most classic one is losing weight and keeping it off) and not be some instant attainment for short term work, or it’s because their goals are so vague that it’s too difficult to quantify and define them in real terms.

I’ve seen the weight one every January for the past six years. Each January, the number of people at my gym, whether it’s in the wee hours of the morning or right after work, has been astonishing. Double and sometimes triple the number of people I’m used to seeing are there. And then as soon as February hits, the number dies down to the head count I’m used to seeing. Old habits die hard.

However, cleaning and tidying can be a once or twice a year thing done in huge bouts. I don’t think you have to constantly be ridding your space of junk. Chris hates clutter. I hate dirt. But the older I get, the greater my desire is to throw things away, especially things I know I will never really do anything with ever again that have zero sentimental value. Those Angkor Wat tickets from three years ago? Into the garbage. Christmas and birthday cards written to me from former friends I haven’t thought about in years? Tossed. Clothes that I keep saying I will sell on eBay but never get to? Out to the second-hand shop two blocks away. High heels I’ve had for 15 years (yes, really) that have holes on the bottom that I wore for the last time last month? Gone.

It feels good to get rid of clutter. The positive of it is that it clears our tiny apartment of things that really added no value to our life except junk. The potential negative (!) is that I may end up replacing a lot of these clothes and shoes. So the cycle continues.