Since the average American moves 14 times per lifetime, that gives us all many opportunities to declutter.
Today, I had the privilege of helping my oldest son pack just the essentials for his cross-country move: he joined the Army and is shipping out for basic training.
Since not every soldier's mother is a pro organizer, the Army gave all the new recruits a packing list for the next few days. What you see in the photo below are all the essentials with which my son will begin his new life: a small carry-on bag with a change of slacks, briefs, socks, a couple shirts, his shaving gear, toothbrush and paste, and deodorant. He also took with him his wallet with ID and bank card, some cash, a plaid flannel for the plane ride which might get cool, and a camouflage hat. He also carefully zipped his birth certificate inside the bag. And I threw in a bunch of granola bars, just in case.
