In yesterday's post, I let you all know that my mother passed away two weeks ago. In the next two posts, I'll share some insights for organization and living that I have discovered as I walk through this time.

My mom knew that she was ill, so, over the last few months, we have been working on de-cluttering some things. We emptied her storage unit and sorted through everything that was there. (Interestingly, we kept less than a third of what was stored.) We sorted through several file cabinets and even started on some clothes.

But there's still a lot to go through. So that's what I'll be doing periodically over the next several months. We have to clean out drawers, closets, and cabinets, sort the stuff in the basement, and dig through the attic. All of this is necessary to close the estate.

So, if you're looking for another reason to de-clutter, remember that doing it know will ease the burden on your loved ones in their grief. You'll be able to donate and discard things over time, in batches. You'll be there to tell them who the people in the photos are and why you kept that old vase. Sorting you own clutter lets you honor and share your memories — and isn't that why you kept things in the first place?