JEANNE BRAGG, Post Columnist
Posted: Sunday, January 4, 2009 8:07 am

Since I’ve been writing this article I’ve said that I don’t make New Year’s resolutions because I don’t keep them. But that won’t be the case this year.

This year I’m resolving to get rid of half of the inventory of this house. You know ... that stuff you push aside but never use. And the sooner the better, I’m thinking. I’m putting it in writing so you Post readers will encourage me to stay committed to the task.

Accumulated “stuff” has been getting on my nerves for a while, but when I think about addressing it (ergo: getting rid of it), I get the hives. Not any more.

In the fall Tommy and I took a “road trip.” We drove toward the East Coast to revisit Niagara Falls and stopped on the downward side to visit other sites and several family members. We made a similar trip a few years ago to try to find fall leaves, but were too early. This year we knew we’d miss the leaves but picked the only time we had to get away.

Despite the lateness of the season (early November), the trees and colors did not disappoint us. Not one bit. Niagara Falls and New York were everything we imagined, and when we finally got to my sister Carroll’s house in Maryland I was blown away by her beautifully decorated house and stellar organizational skills. Nobody – and I mean NOBODY – decorates like my sister Carroll. It’s a gift.

When Carroll was in high school, she organized the modest closet we shared together. We had no money then, but she spent her part-time salary on wrapping paper, scissors and tools. She covered cast-off boxes in fabric, coordinating everything in the closet and divided shelves into compartments. There was a place for everything and everything was in its place. In fact, the first place Daddy would bring visitors to our home was to show off Carroll’s closet.

Fast forward to 2008. Fifty years later Carroll’s still at it, working round the clock to keep order – and beauty – in everything.

Her front door decorations are the prettiest in her wonderful, planned community. When we were there, her front stoop was decorated by pumpkins, wreaths and colorful pansies. Even the concrete dog had a wreath carefully rubber-banded around his neck. Friends and neighbors often knock on the door asking if they could copy her, and often did. This year for Christmas she bought a big white “Peace” sign and white doves to use as her theme. I haven’t seen the photos yet, but I’m sure it was breathtaking.

Before we left, I opened her linen closet to replace sheets on the bed. I was yet again blown away by her perfectly organized space.

I tried to tidy up my linen closet with labels saying, “Queen Fitted,” “Queen Flat,” etc., but the reality is that I just stuff in towels and sheets and hope I can close the door. I have good intentions, but they never materialize.

Carroll’s linen closet had matching sheets tied with satin ribbons appropriately labeled. She even had an antique linen towel dropping over the shelves for decoration and a silver tub holding extra soaps and lotion. Oh, my.

I lead my husband Tommy (who CRAVES organization) to her closet and said: “You married the wrong sister.” He replied: “I married the only one available at the time.”

Carroll gave me hints: Have a basket on your desktop that is large enough to handle file folders. Have a notebook (and three-ring hole punch) to handle all retirement papers; have a spreadsheet for magazine subscriptions. (Yes, she keeps a spreadsheet for magazine subscriptions.) Get pretty magazine holders from Ross to store all your Christmas magazines. Have a separate folder for garden ideas, so when you win the lottery and can afford that landscape architect you’ll be able to show her/him what you want. Get photos of what you want Christmas to look like at your house; even if you can only start in baby steps.

The timing is bad because the holidays have gotten in the way, but I’m a woman on a mission.

The first morning we were back from our trip I awoke at 4:30 a.m. and I started tackling my office. It doesn’t look any prettier but it “feels” much leaner. The linen closet will come later.

I’ll check back with you in a month or two to let you know how I’m progressing. And I hope to hear you with similar challenges (and successes!) at jbragg@murfreesboropost.com.

‘Til next week.