South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-28
Keep This Closet Shelf Empty

If ever you have moved-and. in
these days of rapid changes. who
has not-you will understand. OF
Ian difficult duties. that OF entering
an old attic, packed with the treas
ures and cast-off belongings of sew
eraI generations is one of the most
appalling. particularly if you are
moving from spacious country
home into a cramped and practical
~ closetless apartment Then il is
that you vow never again TO save
anything which you are not perfect
ly certain TO need in the immediate
future. never again 10 come under
the bondage OF things.
I When starting on a journey Of
length. have YOU ever felt a wonder
full sense of buoyancy at the thought
of all your necessities slowed within
the narrow limits Of your small heap
of luggage? After all. you reflect at
such "a time, your actual needs are
few enough. Why do you thought
Iessly accumulate, accumulate until
your possessions literally stife you
| Are there many more aIl-prevading
feelings of content than that which
follows Immediately upon the clear
ing out Of your desk or closet or
glove box? The writer once knew
a woman who, with horror. discOv-
cred herself TO he the owner of 81
pairs Of white gloves, short and long,
of Il 70 he ce-f-
ed into pen-wipers. The one rem
edy for case like this is TO be bold.
10 enter upon regular campaign
of sorting your accumulation of odds
and ends, then so TO act as to fore
stall any need for such an unpleas-
ant labor ever to be repeated.
II is not simply that your love of
reatness demands it. either. IT is
far more. Your idea of economy
and of the general fitness of things
insists that there be no hoardinE,
no stoppage of the circuit of use
fulness of your possessions. Today
there are thousands in the smaller
war-stricken countries of Europe,
crying out for inuum cradle little
things which, to you living in COM
fort and plenty. seem of so slight
Importance as only 70 warrant being
lodged in some dark corner. there
to toss about in dust and wasteful-
/ hess. Whatever YOU are finished
with, no matter how unimpOrtant,
should be sent on TO some one else,
into a place where It Will fill Il need;
or else, if it is past all service. it
should be thrown away. Never
should it be allowed to join non
/ descript company of other cast-offs
on the closet shelf. The habit of
dealing promptly with one thing at
q time. and Of seeing and undertak-
ing through TO the finish, is an in
valuable one TO cultivate.
The subject is trite. Every one is
familiar with the exhortation not to
save old letters and old clothes.
Usually our sense of self-protection
sufices to see our letters safely burn
ed; but, to many of us, there is a
great lure connected with the saw
ing of old clothes. clothes with a
history. There's the quaint, stiff
/ lowered satin in which ones great
aunt attended a white house in
augural ball. ones mothers we'd
ding gown, as well as others which
perhaps boast of having appeared
at certain important family events.
1t seems innocent enough to pack
these away in cedar chests, from
which our grandchildren may draw
them, amidst wondering surprise.
But their pleasure would be fleeting.
at best. How ,V'ten it happens that
these grandchildren are unrespons-
i've, or else that the old cedar chests
have necessarily been done away
with long before their time. How
: much wiser to destroy even beauti-
/ full things with memories. before
their worth is passed or there is any
4 possibility of lack of apprecia ton
on the part Of persons into whose
| hands they may fall.
The whole matter comes down 10
/ this. In the world fine twentieth
/ century. when everything moves 50
fast and things of such mighty i'm
port crowd our heels. we have no
time or thought to give to useless
details Details should be made to
! serve; they should not be allowed
! 10 master our better. wisdom or TO
hamper or choke our freedom of
/ thought or act. In order that this
may be so, it is absolutely essential
/ TO clear away everything as we go.