The original inspiration for this was Marie Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, which I really enjoyed. Kondo’s thesis is simple: anything that doesn’t “spark joy” in your life should be gotten rid of. So, I purged, and everything I kept (and why I have it) is listed below. If you like something and it’s underlined, click on it! You’ll be sent to its online listing so you can buy it and try it out for yourself.
I began this list January 11th, 2018. It’s the first iteration of this post, which I’ll (try to) update every couple of years. The most recent update was on: February 4th, 2024. You’ll notice an obscene amount of detail here; that’s purposeful. By admitting to every item in my home I have to be willing to defend every item, or to accept that it’s indefensible. If you have suggestions please give them! I keep notes on what I think I to put more thought into in my “What I Need to Improve” section, and would love to put your notes there as well.
Updating this list for the first time after graduating from school has been really interesting. The way I structure my belongings has completely changed now that I don’t walk to class every day, and now that I have a real apartment and the salary to buy belongings that I love. It’s a huge point of self pride that I am learning to spend money on myself even for non-necessities, and that I am learning to put down roots and live less like a person on the run.
What I Need to Improve
- I got my mattress in 2019, and I feel like I’m starting to notice it wearing down a bit. I should consider replacing relatively soon.
- I haven’t put a whole lot of thought or research into what goes in and around my body during bathroom time. Seeing as things like soap, toothpaste, and deodorant touch sensitive parts of me every day, I should probably do some research.
- I’m working on upgrading to all stainless steel in the kitchen, which is going well!
- Does the kind of soap I use for things like dishes and laundry matter? I feel like it might but don’t know, so that needs researching.
Bedroom
- Rug
- Bed frame
- Items stored under the bed - hand-me-down Burton suit case (containing whatever bed cover it is not the season for (currently, my summer quilt, a cheap airplane neck pillow I got on impulse, and unused pillow cases), usually an extra box of Kleenex or two, heating pad, ballroom dancing shoes, three extra blankets (the one Kathy knitted, Yale picnic blanket, multipurpose blanket), box of painting supplies (canvas drop cloth, metal paint tray, plastic paint tray liners, painter’s tape, sandpaper blocks, small hole repair tubes, two paint rollers, paint roller cover, paint key, stir sticks, two paintbrushes, putty scraper), beach towel
- Mattress
- Fancy pillow from bed bath and beyond
- Less fancy pillow
- Green linen pillowcases and fitted sheet
- Brown silky pillow cases
- Vera Bradley blanket
- Body pillow with fluffy brown cover
- Weighted duvet with brown linen duvet cover
- Bedside table w/ surge protector, phone charger, birth control, a water bottle, condoms, assorted electronics and accoutrements, usually my pajamas, and this tissue box cover filled with lotion Kleenex - So bedside tissues stand out of the decor less
- Small trash can
- Standing mirror
Clothes
Last time I updated this list it was 2021, and I wrote about how I’d gotten rid of hand me downs I didn’t love. Strangely enough, in 2024 I feel like I’m still doing the same. Spending real money on the luxury of clothes is a continual learning process for me, but I’m consistently happy about the direction I’m headed in.
In Drawers
- Within my Wayfair five drawer dresser I have:
- 5 sports bras, 4 bralettes, 2 regular bras
- ~35 pairs of undies
- ~25 pairs of socks
- Fashion tape, disposable pasties, envelope of safety pins, 4 pair hose/stockings, suspender belt
- 5 pair gloves, teal balaclava, 3 beanies, rabbit fur infinity scarf
- ~35 short sleeve tops and tank tops
- 9 shorts, 1 pajama set, 3 pair comfy pants, 11 pair leggings/yoga pants
- 6 pair jeans, 1 pair cotton pants
- 6 bikinis, 1 one piece swimsuit, 1 swimsuit cover up
- On top of my dresser: a gold pomegranate shaped dish containing my jewelry (4 bracelets, 1 arm band, 5 necklaces, 1 ring, 1 watch)
- In clear boxes that live under my dresser: winter stuff (fur scarf, patterned scarf, extra gloves) and hosiery misc. (extra shoelaces, fashion tape, bra pads, moleskin, four sets of hose, safety pins)
In the Clothes Closet
- Hanging inside the closet door as decoration: blorange comic on magnet frames, floral wreath cross stitch
- 5 jumpsuits
- 12 dresses
- 6 jackets
- 1 robe
- 3 belts on belt hanger
- 15 3/4 or long sleeve shirts
- 11 sweaters, 4 sweatshirts
- 1 narwhal onesie
- 2 slacks, 2 pencil skirts
- 1 blazer
- 3 tailored suits
- 1 custom three piece suit
- 4 renaissance fair getup - Crop top, dress, mini-horns, flower crown
- 3 hats
- Roughly 15 extra hangers
- Laundry hamper, delicates wash bag, silk scarf
- 45 + 10 liter hiking backpack, 20 liter day pack, mom’s military backpack
- Ski materials: jacket, pants, goggles, helmet, gloves balaclava, ski socks, smartwool upper and lower body layer set, insulated turtleneck
In Other Closets
- Vacuum w/ extra attachments
- Broom and dustpan
- Shelves organizer
- Kobalt power drill w/carrying bag, instructions, 33 extra bits, 5 twist drill bits, and drill holder
- Tool bag with: level, hammer, box cutter, tape measure, wrench, needle nose pliers, wire cutters, 2 big screwdrivers, 10 extra bits, 5 tiny screwdrivers, Zinus ratchet (for putting bed together)
- Bag of extension cords and surge protectors
- Box of batteries
- Box of home project odds and ends (nails, command strips and hooks, packing tape, etc.)
- Extra trash bags, tide pods, bath bombs
- Raincoat, long puffer coat, custom coat, furry hood puffy jacket
- Monogrammed bag containing shopping bags and totes
- Bag of gift wrapping and return shipping materials
- Quinn Emanuel backpack for trips to office
At the Door
- Shoe organizer containing: winter boots, rain boots, 3 pair booties, house shoes, 4 pairs heels, 2 pair flip flops, hiking boots, climbing shoes, knee high boots, black Converse, lifting shoes, running shoes, four pairs flats
- Briefcase containing: chapstick, tissues, notepad, pencil, protein bars
- Purse containing: earplugs, wallet, chapstick, tampon, insurance cards, gift cards, cash
- Silver pomegranate tray for sunglasses and extra glasses, cleaning cloth, earplugs
- Hanging organizer with mail, sunscreen, business cards, glasses cases, keys, small umbrella, fanny pack, ren faire purse
- Full size umbrella
- Climbing harness, bar pad, and wrist hooks
- Mezuzah
- Framed conversion documentation
- 4 beanies
Desk
- [Variable height desk](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B87GX6TB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
- Squishy pad for standing on when desk is at standing height
- Desk Chair
- Cord organizer
- Rose gold 8 GB 2020 MacBook Air with M1 Chip and charger - Named Lap Lap Clack Clack, Duchess of Processing Lane
- Dell work laptop with charger and cord for connecting to external monitor
- Super nice external monitor (gift from dad) with small bird-mighty fire decoration sticker
- Humidifier
- Air purifier
- Rocks, metal heart, and notes from partner
- Ergonomic mouse
- Chess timer
- Flexible lamp
- Calendar for goal tracking
- Yale zip up for throwing on before meetings
- Coasters
- Purple stapler
- Pencil organizer box containing pens, pencils, sharpies, letter opener from Tanis, and a pair of scissors
- Wooden bowl containing chapstick, scotch tape, glasses cleaning cloth, white out, lead, erasers, paperclip
- Fish tank containing pilea plants and snails
- Kleenex
- Plant mister (mostly used for spraying Sal when he is naughty)
- 4 Sticky note pads - all different colors
- Large notebook and small notebook for tracking time and tasks at work
- 20th Edition Bluebook
- Plastic bag of sticky labels for Bluebooking
- Student loan repayment tracker
- Stickers for calendar
- Extra notebooks
- Algae tabs and magnetic algae cleaner for snail tank
- Teal woven box containing printed materials from work, and nice folio for taking notes at professional events
- 2 sets of 3 drawers containing personal stationary, keepsake cards from family, ruler, checks, glue sticks, small notebooks with poetry and personal notes, pins for marking travel map, washi tape, twine, markers, cardstock, 4 folder with pockets, one containing important tax docs, one containing important Sal docs, pencil sharpener, clothespins, old nametags, small paint brushes, extra pens, staples
Living Room
- Google Home smart speaker
- Green couch from Bo Concept
- [2 large green ombre pillows](https://www.westelm.com/products/2500473/?cm_src=buyitagain&cm_sp=buyItAgain-_-orderDetails-_-link0, 2 small beige support pillows, 1 rock shaped foot pillow
- Blue rug
- Television mounted on motorized mount on TV, with Bluetooth soundbar
- 2 faux marble side tables
- 2 Baskets for under side tables, holding remotes, books, video games, Lord of the Rings trilogy and Tombstone movies, often laptop and charger
- Gold lamp
- 2 foldable trays stored under couch
- PlayStation 5 with extra blue controller
- Nintendo Switch with extra pink and green controllers
- Bookcase containing the below
- Assorted books: 4 college yearbooks, Harry Potter box set, Sandman box set, 3 coloring books, 7 poetry collections, 2 collections of music, The Picture of Dorian Grey, Attacked, Possession, Starless Sea, A Tale of Two Cities, Rethinking Criminal Law, playbills, programs, mask from dozens of shows
- Two framed Monet floral prints
- Hen’s egg and shredded fear card from magic show
- Mason jar of tickets from traveling, Mason jar of coins, passport in cover, 2 international outlet adapters
- Paw print from Mister Bear
- 6 leather notebooks, one containing Hamlet, one containing yearly goals
- Clutch of gift cards
- Paper coin rollers bound in rubber band
- Wand from Harry Potter World
- Zenni backup glasses and case, Glasses cleaner spray
- Stone owl, a gift from Michael from Africa
- Glass vase, a gift from dad from Ireland
- S hook I made with Tanis
- Cross stitching materials, including sewing bag, current project, box of extra thread colors, hoops, patterns, fabric
- Tea stuff (see below)
- Shabbat candle holders and candles, kippah for Sal, dreidels, match holder
- External phone chargers and extra earbuds
- Talisman and expansion sets, dice, playing cards, Dominion board game
Kitchen
I got my first kitchen all to myself in the fall semester of 2017, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to cook ever since. On the hardware side I try to follow Saint Alton’s advice and stay away from “Unitaskers,” and I have so many opinions about what foods we put in our bodies that I wrote a Tedx Talk about food and used it to talk to kids about drugs.
- Yellow macrame plant hanger containing bowls that usually contain fruit
- World map cross stitch with pink pins marking where I’ve traveled
- Framed pictures of Brock and I in Hawaii
- 3 knives from Osaka hung on magnetic knife strip
- Hardwood cutting board, 4 thin plastic cutting boards
- 4 Wine Glasses
- 10 Ball mason jars and tops - Aesthetic, so they can be used as cups for parties and for decorations, and seal-able, so they’re great for throwing smoothies or snacks in to take to work.
- ~8 disposable plastic Tupperware with lids
- Large, medium, and small ZipTop Tupperware
- 8 large plates, small plates, and bowls purchased from the Cloisters
- Large, medium, and small teal ramekins - Handmade by an artist at the DC Farmer’s Market
- Faberware Blender and Nutribullet
- All Clad stainless steel frying pan, 2 All Clad stainless steel pots, 2 non-stick spots, 1 non-stick egg pan, all with lids
- Teal silicon heat resting pad, various hand made pot resting pads
- Spoon rest
- Oil holders by stove
- Electric pepper and salt grinder
- 3 cookie sheets of various sizes, glass Pyrex casserole dish with top
- 2 glass (medium and small) measuring cups
- 4 teal two-sided wet and dry tsp and tbs stacking measuring scoops
- 8 each of matte black big spoons, little spoons, big forks, little forks, butter knives, 1 set chopsticks from Japan
- Large thin-edge spatula
- Drink-mixing set and lemon juicer
- Rice maker
- Garlic box
- Recipe box
- Black and Decker slow cooker
- Aqua Tru water purifier
- Food scale
- Paper towel holder
- Dish washing gloves
- 5 metal mixing bowls, collapsible plastic strainer, 2 metal strainers
- Kitchen Catch-All Drawer items - wine bottle opener, can opener, whisk, rice paddle, zesting glove, zester, boba straw, boba straw cleaner, basting brush, garlic press
- Step ladder
- Squishy floor mat](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XCSRR5H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) - For foot comfort during long cooking and dish cleaning
- Trash can
- Hanging spice racks
Bathroom
General
- Shower speaker on carabiner and lanyard
- Thick semi-clear grey shower curtain
- Shampoo & conditioner, almost always Argan oil
- Body soap from lush and an abrasive scrubber, only for areas where I get acne
- Hand Soap - Changes constantly, and is often just a fancy soap given by a family member in a stocking.
- Razors - I have a subscription to Billie that makes always having a sharp new razor easy and affordable. I love it.
- 4 towels: 2 body, 2 hand
- Bath mats in front of sink and tub
- Toothbrush holder ** Toothpaste, floss, and two of the Quip Toothbrush, - The Quip toothbrush has seriously improved my oral health, and the toothpaste and floss are whatever I have lying around.
- Nubian coconut and papaya deodorant - My favorite by far, without aluminum, which might be bad for you, but we’re unsure
- Kotex Tampons, and Pads, - I keep them in a monogrammed little bag that brings me joy, which makes them pass the KondoMari test, but I try to use as few as I can by sleeping in Thinx undies
- Toilet Paper - The nice kind, because your butt is worth it.
- Squatty potty, the bamboo one so it’s fancy
- Small trash can with hand drawn illustrations from someone I knew in college, which I truly love
- Super sharp nail clippers, a wild life improvement
- Green tea perfume from Japan, which I’m already crushed I will not be able to consistently get
- Charity pot lotion from Lush, for after showers
- REF Fiber Mousse and usually REF Rough Paste
- Conair Hair Dryer
- Hard Head Hard Hold Hairspray
- Pomade clay
- Lint roller
- Makeup bag
- Contacts
Medicine Cabinet
All things that I don’t use every day, but that I do use enough to keep around. Hoping to reduce the amount of medicine I keep on hand by getting healthier as a person, but I have no intention of reducing my festive Band-Aid collection.
- Cotton balls, and Q-Tips
- Nail Polish Remover and gold polish
- Neosporin, Shakespearean Insult, Avengers, Star Wars, and regular Band-Aids
- Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen
- Oral Thermometer
- Sudafed, Benadryl, NyQuil, DayQuil, Mucinex DM, Claritin
- Debrox Earwax Removal Aid in plastic bag
- So much sunscreen
- Deep Woods bugspray, Aveno anti-itch lotion
- Fluconazole and backup birth control
- Medicine for passing a kidney stone
- First aid kit, travel kit of medicines
- Travel container for toothbrush and shampoo/conditioner
- Travel toothpastes
Hobbies
Tea
I count tea as a hobby, not a food, because the purpose of tea is never to nutritionally sustain myself. Yes, green tea will hydrate me, but buying, owning, and offering tea is really about learning new things, refining my pallet, and meeting new people (you’d be amazed what kind of friends you can make with leaf water). Also, I regularly spend way more money on tea than I do on food. While some of these teas are grocery store buys, several of them come from The Cultured Cup, Te Company, and other high-quality tea vendors, where a single ounce can be over $25. I have no regrets.
- White
- The Republic of Tea White Tea
- Wild White Buds (Cultured Cup)
- Green
- Teavana Matcha
- Tazo Zen Green Tea
- Twinnings Jasmine Green Tea
- Green Dragon (Cultured Cup)
- Kenrokuen Matcha
- Sencha from grave of the Emperor
- Oolong
- Black
- Infusions - No tea plant in these, but I still put them in hot water and drink them.
- Angel Falls Mist
- Butterfly
- Hardware
- Breville kettle w/tea scoop and cleaner - A gift that I probably couldn’t have justified buying for myself, but that I love now that I have.
- Clay teapot, porcelain pitcher and cups from Te Company - Brings me great joy, only really for slow, meditative tea drinking
- Travel tea pouch - A little hand sewn foldable pouch that allows me to travel with a few tea bags. Sometimes looks silly, but is completely worth it.
- 18 rose gold tea cylinders — Opaque and roughly sealable, for maximum tea freshness; labeled with the tea’s name and steeping specifications on washi tape
- Cold brew tea steeper
- 6 Mugs
- 5 Thermoses/Travel Mugs - Varying degrees of heat retention and seal-strength
Keeping Things Alive
During the COVID-19 plague, I started getting more interested in keeping plants. That blossomed into a lovely hobby of growing things, and now I have a cat son to keep alive as well!
- Sal Stuff
- Salazar Saybrook Shlomo Murphy
- Dry and wet food for Sal
- Litter robot, bags, litter, emergency poop scooper
- Rug shaped like Sal’s head, for catching litter outside his litter box
- Foldable cat carrier
- Ear cleaner and nail clippers for Sal
- Small box of sweaters and shirts for Sal
- Various wet and dry treats for Sal
- Springs and string toys for Sal
- Wall mounted platforms with fake plants for Sal to climb on
- Plant Stuff
- Corinthian the marble pothos
- Mama Philip the aloe
- 11 lithops of various shapes, sizes, and colors
- Topaz the jewel orchid
- Dancing dovakhin the ghost dragon bones
- St. Laurence the money tree
- Lambda the Chinese evergreen
- Zebrina the zebrina alocasia
- Bulldog the mystery hoya
- Pennies the pilea peperomiodes
- Boudica the hoya carnosa krimson queen
- Night Yorb the night-blooming jasmine
- Benedict Ivypatch the English ivy
- Brian “Florida Man” the dracaena Florida beauty
- Dracula the begonia maculata
- Ferngalicious the fern from the Cloisters
- Starry Night the silver spotted philodendron
- Watering can
- Plant fertilizer
- Big bag of potting soil