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As you know I have been on my decluttering journey for a LONG time now.  My normal method of decluttering is probably very different from everyone else’s.  I keep a tall wicker laundry basket in my bedroom (it used to be a small pink basket, but I stuffed it too full and broke it to smithereens) and anything that I come across that I know I no longer want or need – in it goes.  When it starts to overflow, I list it all down for the lord overseer’s who we shall not name and most of the time take photos for you guys, and off it goes to my local Salvation Army.

It’s a simple system that doesn’t overwhelm me.  I still have a lot of stuff in my house to go through and the thought of dragging EVERYTHING in one category out at a time, seriously gives me hives.  But.  While I have some areas of my house under control, the public spaces and the things people would see if they just randomly walk into rooms of my house, I can’t get into my closet.  No, I am not going to show it to you now.  The state that it’s in right now is unbearable.  I have taken photographic evidence of the catastrophe though, and will show you when I’m done.

There’s a reason that I try to be so strict with myself about everything in my house having a place.  Denton believes it stem’s from my control freak nature.  It actually doesn’t.  It’s because I need limits.  My great love of yard sales and thrift stores means I have access to a massive amount of things.  High quality and lovely things that even though I may have the space for them, I actually don’t need or use.  That then grow and multiply in the dark when I’m not looking.

I want to be able to walk into my walk-in closet and not feel stressed every day over the state of it.  I have too much STUFF.

I knew that all of the purses and bags hiding in the nether reaches of my closet would never fit into my wicker laundry basket.  So, I decided they all needed to come out and then I would decide what would get to stay.

Here’s the thing:  I LOVE handbags.  Clothes are things that I need to wear so that I won’t be naked.  I have a lot them too, by the way.  And we aren’t going to talk about shoes yet.  Sigh.  But, I really love purses.  They serve a purpose, they are beautiful, and there are so many to choose from!

I haven’t changed out my purse in over a year.  Which is astounding to me.  I have so many that I love and over the years, I would change out my purse at least once a week.  Maybe more.

I found a purse that I judge all handbags by now.  I stopped buying bags for myself altogether more than a year ago.  I hope that’s not a lie.  I don’t remember buying a new one.  I know for a fact that I haven’t changed it out.

Now, no matter how lovely, expensive or useful it is, I ask myself:  Am I going to give in and change to this new-to-me specimen over my current bag?  The answer is always no.

I decided to buckle down and get this thing done.  So, I waded into my closet and starting throwing all of the purses you see above onto my bed.  You guys.  I have a California King.  I know you can’t really see the scale of this.

I went through them all.  One by one.  Some of them I knew just by picking it up and flinging it onto the bed that it wasn’t staying at my house.  Other’s were harder.  I really love purses!  After all of the clearing, piling and thinking what did I decide could stay?

These.

And these.  The backpack is leather, and I love a backpack when we travel.  The red bag is what I call my car bag.  I keep everything in it that I need with me all the time – my planner, a notebook, books, extras of everything – the kitchen sink, essentially.  But I don’t want to carry this stuff into stores.  So, I keep it in my car or the house.  Wherever I am.

I’m actually hesitant to keep the Chanel bag and the yellow ostrich bag.  I haven’t used either one of them in over a year, but I really do love them both.  Justification:  I love them, I’ve already purchased them, and I’m getting rid of 46 others.  I can live with that.

I did cull out three other bags to keep in the back of my Pilot to use when I do Aldi run’s.  Hopefully this will keep me from yet again buying more throw away bags when I get there and remember that I forgot them again.  As always.

So what is my handbag that I judge all handbags by?

A bright green Kate Spade bag that I found in a thrift store in West Virginia for $15.00, still in the dust bag.  I absolutely LOVE this purse.  Let me tell you why.

First:  It stands up by itself.  No matter what I put into it, it doesn’t collapse when I set it down.  If you’ve never had a purse that does this, don’t buy one unless you are willing to give up all other handbags forever. 

2.  It’s the perfect size.  Not too big and not too small.  Side note:  Why, yes, that is a checkbook holder.  No, I do NOT write checks anymore.  Except when I have inadvertently stuck my debit card into my pants pocket and then forgotten that I did that until I am standing in line at Food Lion with $98.00 worth of groceries to pay for.  I never carry cash, so I keep this checkbook for the many times that I have left said debit card at home in the laundry hamper.  It’s a terrible habit I’m trying to break.  The end.

Last:  It’s so pretty.  I would never have sat down and thought it through and said “Yes, I need a bright green purse”.  But, as soon as I saw it, I knew that I wanted it.  And after I carried it for a while, I don’t think I’ll ever want to have a handbag that isn’t made this way.  It just makes me happy every time I look at it.

Even though it’s not exactly the KonMari way of cleaning everything out, I’m glad that I did my handbags this way.

Luggage and all the paraphernalia that goes with it are next.  Or maybe shoes…..  I have a lot of both and use only a few of each.  I’ll let you know which I wade into next.