I've said it before (and I'll likely say it again and again) – most of us have too much stuff.  It fills our drawers, our closets, our cabinets, our trunks, our attics.  We even have separate places we rent to store stuff.

In fact, we often have so much stuff that we don't even know what we have.

So that's the challenge for this week: take inventory of your stuff so you know what you have.  Book a couple of days in your calendar to go through various parts of your house:

Freezer:  If you have a chest freezer, there could be a Neanderthal stored in there.  The stuff on the bottom likely hasn't seen daylight in years.  Time to toss mystery stuff or things with freezer burn and plan menus that use up some of what's stored.

Kitchen cabinets/pantry:  If it's old enough to vote, discard it.  If any can has become misshapen, discard it.  If you just aren't likely to use it (and it's unopened), donate it to a foodbank.  Yes, I know you bought those 42 cans of tuna in December because it was such a good deal.  But if you've only eaten 2 so far, you can let go of 25.  Really, you can.  For things you want to keep, plan some meals around what you've got on hand.

Drawers and closets:  Take everything out.  Nothing goes back in unless it a) fits; b) is clean; and, c) does not need repair.  Things that can be cleaned or repaired that you want to keep need to go to the laundry, dry cleaner, tailor, or mending pile — as appropriate.  Things that don't fit that are in good repair get donated.  You will be amazed at what you rediscover.  I went digging in my closet this week and found an adorable skirt I didn't remember I had.  It's like shopping in your own closets.  And it's free!

Taking stock of just these three things will take some time.  Try to do it by the end of June. 

Once you know what you have, you can set up menus to use the food on hand.  You won't find yourself at the grocery store buying something you already have.  And you'll use what you have before it goes bad.

You might also discover a wardrobe you didn't realize you owned.  Things hidden in the back of a closet for years will seem new to everyone.