Throw away, clean out, read or don't read

Getting rid of - Stuff, papers, cluttered closets, old make-up and anything else you haven't read or used in a year or a week.
I have a dear sister who is a saver and that is putting it nicely. She loves to save baggies, empty jars papers she swears she needs to read (even if they are a year old), food from her last dining out experience be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, clothes even a destitute person wouldn’t wear. I love my sister dearly and I have tried to reform her, but it is a fruitless task.
So what is my point? How did I get to be so perfect? I am not, but I have moved many, many times in my long life. I learned early on that it is silly to hang on to things and pay to move them when you can always replace an item if need be. In fact, I have moved so many times I will try and list them for you, but let me preface this list with the particulars; keep in mind that I am the daughter of an Air Force Officer, I was the wife of a Shell Oil Company executive, and my 2nd husband of 30 years and I have moved more than too many times. In addition to moving from one state to another, we more often than not moved from one house to another in the same vicinity. My my father liked real estate, he bought and sold and sometimes rented out the houses he owned.
So here are the places: born in 1-Spokane WA, moved to 2-Colorado Springs, CO, then went to 3-Biloxi Mississippi, then 4-Montgomery Alabama, then to 5-Clinton, Maryland, and then to 6-Alexandria, VA, where Daddy was stationed at the Pentagon. From there we moved to 7-Denver, CO, 8-Aurora Colorado, then to 9-Oakland, CA and 10-Hayward, CA. In 4th grade we sailed to 11-Tokyo, Japan (Washington Heights) and remained there for almost 3 years. We returned to 12-Aurora, CO for 4 years and lived in 3 different houses (that makes 15 moves).
From Aurora we moved to 16-Madison, Wisconsin to finish my junior and senior high-school years and two years of college. (Lived in 2 different homes) (that makes 17 moves) Then Daddy retired and returned to 18-Fremont, California; my mother was born in Santa Barbara, CA and Daddy was raised in Berkley, CA.
I married 1st my husband from Southern California and we moved to an apartment and then into a house in 20-Hemet, CA (that’s 2 moves). Our daughter was born there, and then we moved to 21-Redlands, CA where our son was born. When he was 18 months old we moved to 22-Fremont, CA and from there my husband was transferred with Shell Oil Company to 23-Chicago, (Long Grove), Illinois and then transferred to 24-Houston, Texas. He left Shell Oil Company after 4 years and we moved to 25-Memphis, Tennessee where he went to work for Federal Express – they were only 10 years old at the time.
He left FedX after 2 years and went into business for himself and we moved to -South Pasadena, CA 2 houses that makes 27-moves). He not only found a new occupation but a new wife. I bought myself a 28-a home and remained in So. Pasadena for a total of twelve years and met my current husband, Ed. A dear man, indeed. We bought a new 29-condo and a moving company and when that went sour, we moved 30 into an apartment. From the apartment we moved to 31-Glendale, CA, stayed for 3 months and Ed got transferred to Santa Barbara, we moved to Ventura and lived in 3 different homes there (that makes 34 moves), and then we bought a condo in 35-Oxnard, CA, and after 18 months we moved into a 36-rental home. After being in Ventura County for 12 years, we moved to 37-Sacramento, CA (Orangevale) to be near our daughter and grandchildren. Then we purchased our own beautiful home in 39-Rancho Cordova, CA (Sacramento) and have lived here for 8 years. Very happy.
Sub-total? moves 39 – I might have missed a move. At any rate, I have always wanted to total that information up and there you have it. That is one reason I hate clutter. Not only that, most of it is useless. If I don’t clean off my desk at least once a week, it becomes a paper factory. I always have a waste can next to me to get rid of things. I figure if it is that important, I can always get my hands on what I need, somewhere-somehow.
I clean out my cupboards at least once a year, and I do my closet in the spring and the winter. If I haven’t worn it in one or two years it goes to the Good Will, there are always people who need what I am not using.