I have found that the temple of the undistracted mind must be housed in an uncluttered environment. A basement or garret is invaluable, but they, too, must be uncluttered, even though they hold many essential things used only occasionally… – American Home, 1945

As with the advent of spring cleaning we clear out of our houses the things no longer useful to us, why not at the same time relieve our minds of worthless rubbish? – Emily Tolman, “Seasonable Suggestions,” 1907

Collect moments, not things. – Author unknown

Do other people, I wonder, find the same keen pleasure that I do in periodically undertaking a pilgrimage all over the house to wage a war of extermination upon its accumulations of rubbish? – Chiffon, “The Woman of To‑Day,” To‑Day, 1898 January 15th #declutter